Tools

Don’t get overwhelmed by the huge variety of art supplies available out there. All you really need to start drawing are paper and a pen. It’s OK to experiment with different supplies to find out what you prefer and what you can afford—but if you’re looking for suggestions, here are a few basic tools you’ll want to have on hand.

MECHANICAL PENCILS

Mechanical pencils always keep a fine point. Plus, you don’t have to bother with sharpening them.

BLUE LEAD

Using blue pencil lead makes it easier to go over sketches with dark graphite or ink. Blue lead also tends to disappear when it’s scanned, leaving only the darker ink behind. No need to erase all your pencil lines manually; as soon as you scan it, your art is ready for you to add digital colors!

BEFORE AND AFTER

The image on the left shows the blue-lead sketch with the inks on top. On the right, the same image has been scanned with the grayscale setting. The blue sketch lines disappear, leaving the picture ready to color with no extra cleanup.

PAPER

You don’t need expensive paper to draw—but depending on the pens you like, some kinds of paper will work better than others. Experiment to see what provides the best result with the tools you prefer. Deleter’s Plain B paper works particularly well with brush pens because they don’t bleed very much and the ink dries fast.

GEL AND FELT-TIP PENS

Use gel and felt-tip pens for straight lines and to fill in large areas. Trying to make lines with a brush pen and ruler can get pretty messy.

BRUSH PENS

These pens have a brush tip made of separate bristles, like a paintbrush. Brush pens can create lines of varying width, depending on how much pressure you apply while inking.

DIGITAL TOOLS

Take reference shots with your phone, use a drawing tablet and sketch digitally, or employ an art program to color your work. Just like traditional media such as pens and paints, digital tools are there to help you create!