TOOLS & MATERIALS

Each of the mixed media techniques in this section incorporates its own unique set of tools and materials; however, the following pages cover the traditional art supplies you’ll need to complete each project. All of the other unique materials you’ll need will be described within each mixed-media technique.

DRAWING SUPPLIES

Drawing Pencils

Artist’s pencils contain a graphite center and are sorted by hardness (or grade) from very soft (9B) to very hard (9H). A good starter set includes a 6B, 4B, 2B, HB, B, 2H, 4H, and 6H.

Colored Pencils

There are three types of colored pencils: wax based, oil based, and water soluble. Oil-based pencils complement wax pencils nicely. Water-soluble pencils have a gum binder that reacts to water in a manner similar to watercolor.

Paper

Drawing paper is available in a range of surface textures: smooth grain (plate finish and hot pressed), medium grain (cold pressed), and rough to very rough. Rough paper is ideal when using charcoal; smooth paper is best for watercolor washes. The heavier the paper, the thicker its weight. Thick paper is better for graphite drawing because it can withstand erasing better than thin paper.

Art Pens

There are a number of ink, gel, indelible, and poster-paint art pens on the market that are useful for rendering fine details in your mixed-media projects. Experiment with a variety of pens to see which ones you like best for your particular projects.

Erasers

There are several types of art erasers. Plastic erasers are useful for removing hard pencil marks and large areas. Kneaded erasers can be molded into different shapes and used to dab an area, gently lifting tone from the paper.

Watercolors

Watercolors come in pans or tubes. Tubes contain moist, squeezable paint and are useful for creating large quantities of color. Artist-quality watercolors are made with a higher ratio of natural pigments to binders, so they are generally brighter in appearance. Student-quality watercolors use more synthetic pigments or mixes of several types of pigments.

Pastels

Pastels come in oil pastels; hard, clay-based pastels; and soft pastels, which are chalklike sticks. Soft pastels produce a beautiful, velvety texture and are easy to blend with your fingers or a soft cloth. Pastels are mixed on the paper as you paint; therefore, it’s helpful to have a range of colors in various “values”—lights, mediums, and darks—readily available.

Brushes

The three basic brush styles are flats, rounds, and filberts. Large and medium flats are good for painting washes and filling in large areas. Smaller flats are essential for detail work; drybrushing; and making clean, sharp edges. Larger rounds and filberts are useful for sketching outlines and general painting, whereas the smaller sizes are essential for adding intricate details. Brushes are grouped by hair type (soft or stiff and natural or synthetic), style, and size. Always wash your brushes after using them; then reshape the bristles and lay them flat or hang them to dry. Never store brushes bristle-side down.

Acrylics

Acrylic paints come in jars, cans, and tubes. Most artists prefer tubes, as they make it easy to squeeze out the appropriate amount of paint onto your palette. Acrylic is a fun medium. It dries much faster than oil, making it easier to paint over mistakes, although it’s less forgiving when blending. As with other types of paint, acrylics come in artist and student grade. Artist-grade paints contain more pigment and produce truer colors than student-grade paints, which contain more filler. Most mixed-media artists work with acrylic paints. In addition, there are a number of acrylic mediums, including glazing, thickening, dispersing, and texturing mediums, that can help you achieve a range of effects.

Other Art Essentials

Other tools you may want to have on hand include a ruler, artist tape, art markers and crayons, blending stumps, a pencil sharpener, and a utility knife for cutting drawing boards.