Materials and methods

Any medium is valid for drawing. That said, some mediums are more valid than others in particular circumstances, and in the main their suitability depends on what you are trying to achieve. Try to equip yourself with the best materials you can afford; quality does make a difference. You don’t need to buy all the items listed below from the outset, and indeed it is probably wise to experiment gradually as you gain in confidence.

Start with the range of pencils suggested, and when you feel you would like to try something different, then do so. You can use any of the materials listed below to follow the projects in this book. Be aware that each material has its own identity, and you have to become acquainted with its individual facets before you can get the best out of it. However, once you are at ease with drawing in pencil, you will enjoy becoming more ambitious.

Pencil

The simplest and most universal tool of the artist is the humble pencil, which is very versatile. It ranges from very hard to very soft and black (H, HB, B, 2B, and so on) and there are differing thicknesses. Depending on the type you choose, pencil can be used very precisely and also very loosely.

You should equip yourself with at least three grades of pencil, such as an HB (average hardness and blackness), 2B (soft and black) and 4B (very soft and black).

Carbon pencil

This can give a very attractive, slightly unusual result, especially the dark brown (sepia), terracotta or sanguine versions. The black version is almost the same in appearance as charcoal (see here), but doesn’t offer the same facility to erase it easily. If you are using this type, start off very lightly in case you make mistakes.

For working on a toned surface, you might like to try white carbon pencil.

Pencils: HB B 2B 4B

White carbon pencil

Conté charcoal pencil

Graphite pencils

Fine line pen

Fine nib push pen

Graphite

Graphite pencils are thicker than ordinary pencils and come in an ordinary wooden casing or as solid graphite sticks with a thin plastic covering. The graphite in the plastic coating is thicker, more solid and lasts longer, but the wooden casing probably feels better to use. The solid stick is very versatile because of the breadth of the drawing edge, which enables you to draw a line 6mm (¼in) thick, or even thicker, and also very fine lines. Graphite also comes in various grades, from hard to very soft and black.

Charcoal

Charcoal pencils in black, grey and white are excellent when you need to produce three-dimensional images on toned paper and are less messy to use than sticks of willow charcoal and chalk. However, the sticks are more versatile because you can use the long edge as well as the point.

Drawings in this type of medium need ‘fixing’ to stop them being rubbed off the surface, but if they are carefully interleaved with pieces of paper they can be kept without smudging. Work that you wish to show for any length of time should be fixed with spray-can fixative.

Conté

Similar to compressed charcoal, conté crayon comes in different colours, different forms (stick or encased in wood like a pencil) and in grades from soft to hard. Like charcoal, it smudges easily but is much stronger in its effect and more difficult to remove.

Pen

Push-pens or dip-pens come with a fine pointed nib, either stiff or flexible, depending on what you wish to achieve. Modern fine-pointed graphic pens are easier to use and less messy but not so versatile, producing a line of unvarying thickness. Try both types.

The ink used for dip-pens is black ‘Indian ink’ or drawing ink; this can be permanent or water-soluble. The latter allows greater subtlety of tone.

Conté stick

Willow charcoal

Pastel

If you want to introduce colour into your drawings, pastels offer you plenty of choice. Dark colours give better tonal variation. Your choice of paper is essential to a good outcome with pastels. Don’t use a paper that is too smooth, otherwise the deposit of pastel will not adhere to the paper properly. A tinted paper can be ideal, because it enables you to use light and dark tones to bring an extra dimension to your drawing.

White chalk

This is a cheaper and longer-lasting alternative to white conté or white pastel.

White chalk

Pastel

No. 6 sable brush

No. 2 nylon brush

Scraper-board tool

Brush

Drawing with a brush will give a greater variety of tonal possibilities to your drawing. A fine tip is not easy to use initially, and you will need to practise if you are to get a good result with it. Use a soluble ink, which will give you a range of attractive tones.

A number 0 or number 2 nylon brush is satisfactory for drawing. For applying washes of tone, a number 6 or number 10 brush in sablette, sable or any other material capable of producing a good point is recommended.

Paper and board

Any decent smooth cartridge paper is suitable for drawing. A rougher surface gives a more broken line and greater texture. Try out as many different papers as you can.

You will find a good-quality cartridge paper most useful. Choose one that is not too smooth; 160 gsm (98 lb) weight is about right. If you are unsure, ask in your local art or craft shop, where they will stock all the materials you require.

Drawing in ink can be done on smooth paper, but even here a textured paper can give a livelier result in the drawing. For drawing with a brush, you will need a paper that will not buckle when wet, such as watercolour paper. For pastels, you will find a good range of toned and textured papers.

Scraperboard

Scraperboard has a layer of china clay which is thick enough to allow dry paint or ink to be scraped off but thin enough not to crack off. It comes in black and white. White scraperboard is the more versatile of the two, and allows the ink to be scraped with a sharp point or edge when it is dry to produce interesting textures or lines. The black version has a thin layer of black ink printed evenly over the whole surface which can be scraped away to produce a reverse drawing resembling a woodcut or engraving. Try them out. Cut your first piece of board into smaller pieces so that you can experiment with a range of different approaches.

The tools you need to work effectively with scraperboard can be obtained at any good art or craft shop.

Eraser

The best all-purpose eraser for the artist is a putty eraser. Kneadable, it can be formed into a point or edge to rub out all forms of pencil. Unlike the conventional eraser it does not leave small deposits on the paper. However, a standard soft eraser is quite useful as well, because you can work over marks with it more vigorously than you can with a putty eraser.

Drawing ink

Most artists try to use an eraser as little as possible, and in fact it only really comes into its own when you are drawing for publication, which requires that you get rid of superfluous lines.

Normally you can safely ignore erasers in the knowledge that inaccurate lines will be drawn over and thus passed over by the eye, which will see and follow the corrected lines.

Stump

A stump is a tightly concentrated roll of absorbent paper formed into a fat pencil-like shape. Artists use it to smudge pencil, pastel or charcoal and thus smooth out shading they have applied, and graduate it more finely.

Sharpener

A craft knife is more flexible in its use than an allpurpose sharpener and will be able to cope with any medium. It goes without saying that you should use such an implement with care and not leave the blade exposed where it may cause harm.