The importance of drawing...

In this post, I wanted to share my thoughts about drawing and the way in which simple pencil and paper can offer so much more than just a drawing.

" Minnesota State Capitol "

I have been drawing for many years, and like many of us, I would spend hours drawing as a child. I discovered early on that drawing offered complete escapism from the world and I certainly embraced the idea of freedom. In many respects, this sense of freedom is still very much the driving force for my drawing, painting and artistry as a whole.

" Vaughan Terrace ", Torquay

Why drawing is important for me?

I find that drawing underpins understanding between physical form and what is captured on paper. Whether through pencil alone or together with paint, for me it is the scaffolding that a finished painting will be built upon. A layout drawing for a finished painting may be detailed or not, but the drawing is still the anchor. At times the drawing stage is not so evident in finished paintings, or indeed as important in the painting stage itself and this comes down to what the subject demands.

With this in mind, in my opinion it is therefore essential that to be a well rounded artist, a knowledge of how to draw is so important and the essence of how to capture what you observe in its simplest form.

" Salisbury Cathedral ", England

Materials

I think it is very important to buy the best you can afford or are willing to pay for materials. Thankfully nowadays, there are so many outlets to buy good sketching and drawing products, even though a reputable art supplier would still be my first choice. You may live in an area where there are few to no art suppliers, and if this is the case supplies need to be bought elsewhere as this may be the only choice you have, but this doesn't mean that you cannot create great art.

Drawing dividers and ruling pen

Pencils

I have always used both standard and mechanical pencils with both giving varying results. I can remember buying my first mechanical pencil as a child, it was one of the coolest things I had ever bought and could draw like holding a technical pen. I tend to use lead and pencils from 2H - 4B depending on what the subject demands, but with most use coming from HB - 2B, these seem to be my go too. I found early on that the cheaper the pencil, the harder the lead will perform regardless how soft the lead is labelled, and this can impair your ability on the paper.

Collection of pencils and technical ruler

Mechanical pencils

Mechanical drawing leads

Pens

I have always had a love of technical drawing, whether industrial design, graphic design or architectural drawings, and so for me technical pens continue to be very much part of my tool kit. Waterproof ink is a must if using with watercolour, this may sound obvious but yet it is so easy to use non waterproof ink, and the results will not work. I use pen size from 0.1 - .08 and everything in between, and this again is dependent on the subject. I also use black biro pens for sketching, I find it good practice as pen cannot be to erased.

Drawing pens

Paper

I have used many different paper stock over the years. from bright white to coloured paper, each offers a different result in your sketchwork. My prefered paper has always been a good medium weight cartridge paper, that can not only take pen and pencil, but accept mild watercolour washes. I have always found a huge difference in drawing on watercolour paper, due to its construction and texture. Once you have become familiar with the difference in paper, you are able to just go with it and enjoy the process, with results being very pleasing.

Rubbers/Erasers

There are so many different erasers on the market, but I have used only two types for years. I find Stadeler " Mars Plastic " or " Rasoplast " are very good products. Tough enough to take alot of use, where as many other makes seem to crumble away. It is also easy to slice down to a smaller size if needed, and you can easily keep a sharp corner. I also use a good quality putty rubber mainly for use with watercolour paper, as it is a gentle texture and will not damage your paper in its process. In all honesty though, it does come down to personal choice and what will work for you, just experiment.

Rubber/eraser

Pencil sharpeners

I have used many types of pencil sharpeners, from hand held and table top, from manual to electric, I have found though that only two types are my choice. In the studio, mechanical desk sharpeners are excellent and offer great control for sharpening. I will go to these sharpeners every time. I also use a simple and cheap hand held sharpener, these are also excellent as they are so portable and easy to carry, are inexpensive and do a great job keeping pencils ready for drawing.

Mechanical pencil sharpener

Pencil sharpeners

To close...

So there is a brief post of the importance of drawing and the materials that I like to use in my work. I hope you have found this article informative and give an insight into my methods and the materials that I use to create my work. If there are any questions you would like to put forward, or just to learn more about the process/materials, do get in touch via the gallery contact form, happy drawing!

" The Empire State Building " NYC