| So you would like to learn how to draw eh? Drawing | | | | include felt tip, roller ball, sketching pens, fountain and |
| is one of the most economical forms of art and is | | | | reed pens. |
| very easy to get started. You really do not need | | | | Chalk - Chalk is one the oldest drawing mediums in |
| much. For the absolute beginner, all that is really | | | | existence today. Today chalks are created by mixing |
| needed is a number 2 pencil and piece of cheap scrap | | | | limestone, pigments, water and a binding medium. |
| paper. Eventually though, you will probably want to | | | | There are a variety of chalks available to today's |
| purchase quality supplies as you become more | | | | artists. Conte crayons are a very popular type of |
| experiences and start producing finished drawings. This | | | | chalk. Conte crayons are hard and less prone to |
| article will provide you with an introduction to some of | | | | breaking. Drawing chalks are also quite popular and are |
| the more popular drawing materials and accessories | | | | quite similar in appearance and texture to pastels. |
| available to todays artists. | | | | Charcoal - Charcoal is made from charred willow and |
| DRAWING MEDIUMS | | | | is a very versatile medium. Like chalk, it is also a very |
| Graphite Pencils: Graphite pencils, which are | | | | old medium that has been in existence for hundreds of |
| sometimes confused with "lead pencils", are nothing | | | | years. Charcoal is a very expressive medium and |
| more than a mixture of clay and the mineral graphite. | | | | produces rick, dark lines. Like graphite, charcoal is also |
| These pencils are usually in the form of a long rod | | | | sold in various grades from hard to soft and is |
| which is encased in wood. Graphite pencils range in | | | | available in different sizes. |
| grade from very hard to very soft, although the harder | | | | Pastels - Pastels can sometimes be difficult to classify |
| grades are not used as often as the softer grades. | | | | as certain pastels like soft and oil pastels, can be |
| The softer grade pencils will allow you to be more | | | | applied in an almost painterly fashion. However, |
| expressive with your work. You can easily find a high | | | | because they cannot be mixed in the same way that |
| quality graphite pencil set online at a number of | | | | paint can, and are therefore classified as drawing |
| different art stores and they are usually quite | | | | mediums. Pastels come in a variety of different |
| affordable. | | | | formats. Some of the more popular are soft pastels |
| Graphite Sticks: Graphite is also available in stick forms | | | | and oil pastels but they also come in pencil, crayon and |
| that are sold as is or can be inserted into holders or | | | | water soluble varieties. |
| encased in plastic. Graphite sticks are graded in the | | | | DRAWING ACCESSORIES |
| same fashion as regular pencils and are excellent for | | | | Sharpeners - There are a variety of different ways to |
| covering large areas. | | | | keep your pencils or drawing mediums sharpened. |
| Colored Pencils: If you prefer to draw in color, then | | | | Always try to keep your pencils sharpened to a fine |
| colored pencils may be a good fit for you. Colored | | | | point. You will get a cleaner, more direct line that way. |
| pencils are available in a variety of colors and can be | | | | The best kind of sharpener is really a matter of |
| purchased in sets as well. They are rather waxy in | | | | personal preference. Manual sharpeners are believed |
| nature so if you like to work with mediums that can be | | | | to be a better choice as there is more control and less |
| blended, then this is not the right choice for you. They | | | | waste making them more economical. If not used |
| are best suited for techniques that utilize "optical | | | | properly, an electric sharpener can devour your pencils. |
| blending" like "cross-hatching" for instance. | | | | A sharp craft knife is sometimes used and creates a |
| Water Soluble Pencils- These are a very interesting | | | | longer point to work with. |
| and a relatively new drawing medium. These are a | | | | Erasers - Erasers are available in a variety of different |
| wonderful alternative to watercolor paints if you prefer | | | | shapes and materials. One of the most widely used |
| to work with pencil, but still want that "Watercolor" look | | | | and most effective erasers is the kneaded eraser. A |
| to your work. You lay down your marks as you would | | | | kneaded eraser is almost like silly putty and can be |
| with a colored pencil only when you apply water, your | | | | molded into any shape making it an excellent tool for |
| marks instantly dissolve creating colorful washes. | | | | erasing small areas of a drawing and a kneaded |
| Pens & Inks - Pen and ink has been around for | | | | eraser does not leave marks or unwanted residue. |
| centuries and at one point in time was one of the most | | | | Fixatives - Fixatives are used to create a protective |
| common drawing mediums. Drawing in ink is rather | | | | seal over the drawing surface to prevent the work |
| challenging and intimidating to artists because of its | | | | from smudging. Fixatives can be used during the |
| permanence. Inks are impossible to erase bit this isn't | | | | drawing process to protect each layer as you go or |
| necessarily a bad thing. Each line you put down adds | | | | when a drawing is completed to create a permanent |
| to the expressive nature of this medium. There are | | | | protective layer. Not all artists use fixatives as some |
| many different pens available and the only way to | | | | feel they can ruin a drawing. It is really a personal |
| know which one you are comfortable with is to test | | | | preference that is always debated. |
| various pens and inks out. You have your Nib style | | | | Tortillions - Tortillions are blending tools made of tightly |
| pens which are essentially a holder which accepts | | | | rolled pointed paper. They are very similar in |
| various nibs of different sizes and shapes. Then there | | | | appearance to pencils. The paper can be peeled |
| are technical pens which are available in various sizes. | | | | away as the surface of the tortillion becomes soiled |
| These pens provide the means to create consistent | | | | by the drawing medium. Tortillions are used for blending |
| lines no matter the force of pressure. Other pens | | | | purposes. |