For this interview, we have Audran Guerard with us. He's a visual artist with prior experience as an art director for Ubisoft and Electronic Arts. Recently. he has launched a Kickstarter campaign for his watercolour graphic novel The Life of Frederick Douglass. I though it would be interesting to find out what he uses to create art.
Qn: What are your favourite drawing tools? Any particular brand of pens, pencils, markers, watercolours, etc?
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For drawing, I like using a Staedtler 2.0mm technical pencil. It doesn't need to be sharpened often. I can draw at an angle so the tip stay pointy. It's also heavier and feel nice to hold. I use 2B graphite, anything harder will damaged the sensitive watercolour paper, any softer will smudge too much. It's a nice balance.
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For the brushes, I think the secret is to find what suits your own style. I've been recommended expansive brushes that I never use. I tried Chinese brush, kolinsky brush, and many others, finally what really suits me is a type of brush I found only in Japan, very cheap too. Actually mines are so old, I need new ones, if anyone from Tokyo is reading this... I need someone to stop at Sekaido for me, Lol.
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Theses are the 4 brushes I use the most, 2 Japaneses Brushes, made with bamboo, and the two others are Kolinsky, also called Red Sable brushes.
The characteristic I really like in a brush is the spring and it capacity to hold plenty of water.
For me watercolour is the fastest way to express myself, visually that is. I quite never really got hooked on digital painting. I can do it, I do it sometime, but it feels 10x more laborious to me.
To make a quick gradient in watercolour is so easy. Water does all the work for you. Its really important to understand how various pigment will mix, and then it becomes like a language in which you don't need to think before speaking, it becomes natural.
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I got drawn into watercolour by a book written by the great Charles Reid, The Natural Way to Paint (US | CA | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | JP).
I was looking at the cover, and thought to myself "Hey that should be easy enough!" I couldn't be more wrong. I kept at it...after 3 years of despair and hundreds of books later. I started to understand. It was a combination of many things. At the same time, I was learning to see, learning to draw, learning the technicality of watercolour and I was learning to paint.
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I eventually started a blog to record my progress. In the end, my best work is when I'm fearless, and let the water do the work.
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When I get worried or stress on the outcome, I apply greater control and the water is unable to operate, and the painting end up being a coloured drawing, stiff and lifeless.
Qn: There are quite a lot of watercolour art on your blog. Have you experimented with different brands?
I started with pans, then graduated to tubes. Pans are really hard to revive and it's harder to get rich saturated or dark tone using pans. Tubes give more punch.
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I use Graham & Co watercolour tubes. They have a very high density of pigments, so a little goes a long way. Honey is used in their composition, so they remain moist and never cake in my palette.
Other brands of watercolour will dry out and crack. It need lot of effort to revive them. Painting is hard enough, I don't need to fight my equipment on top of it. Graham & Co Watercolors remains consistently moist and are always ready to meet my brushes. Plus, the factory making them operate with very tight environment friendly rules. That's a big win in my book.
Qn: How do you colour correct your watercolour scans? What do you use? How do you get it to match on screen to exactly what's on the paper, as some scanners are unable to scan the texture of watercolour paper.
This is something I'm still trying to figure out. I believe my watercolour looks better on paper. I've been unable to match them perfectly on screen. After being scanned, something gets lost.
The only thing I can do, is digitally push the watercolour in a way to regain some appeal. Maybe better contrast, play a bit with the saturation, trying to compensate for the loss that happens at the scanning.
But that said, only I can do the comparison, People can look at my digital files with no reference to what they are originally.
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Qn: Do you use any sketchbooks or draw on loose sheets?
I draw on whatever is at hand. I could use paper from a printer, or use a sketchbook.
But when I want to do fast watercolour studies, like life drawings, nothing beat the Aquabee Deluxe sketchbook, it has a velvet like surface that holds water very well.
For more "Serious" things, I use Arches watercolour paper (140lbs / 300gsm), I like the rough surface of the Cold Press for texturing, but sometime when you need fine details, the Hot Press is better suited.
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Qn: You're a visual artist who has worked for video game companies like Ubisoft and EA. Do you use different tools to create art there? If so, why the different tools?
Sometime I would go digital, sometime I would go watercolour. The important thing is not the medium, it's the content. A sketch is a communication tool, it express an idea. How you deliver that message is up to you. As long as your message is well received on the other side.
Qn: Have you bought any art supplies that you were excited about, only to try it and find out you don't like it as much as you expected?
Yes I have lots of it...brush, sketchpad, oils, acrylics, I think it really important to explore and experiment, its surely not a cheap process. But its the only way to understand what really works for you.
Before I would run and buy gear that famous artists used. You may really like an artist, but his ways are not yours. It's fine to study and understand their process, it's actually really good, but don't get obsessed. Don't cage yourself in a style or in a technics. Explore, experiment, more importantly have fun, and slowly you will build an array of tools and practice that make your art, yours.
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If you have any questions for Audran Guerard, ask them here: http://goo.gl/NWA9fv
Marvin Chew's a full time watercolour artist located in Singapore. I've known him for a few years now, from the Urban Sketcher Singapore Group. He's also the vice president of Singapore Watercolour Society and regularly organises outdoor painting sessions for the community and his students.
Over the years, he has amassed quite a huge amount of tools. I've never taken a closer look until now. So let's look at them.
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This is the plein air set: assortment of brushes in bamboo mat, hand-made Craig Young paint box, paint tubes in zip bag, SLIK Sprint Mini tripod converted into portable easel, Walkstool, corrugated board.
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A close up look at the brushes from left to right:
Alvaro Castagnet needlepoint No.8
Raphael Kolinsky 8404 No.8
Escoda Perla No.8
Escoda Perla No.12
Escoda Ultimo Mop No.10
Colorpro Red Sable 2250 No.18
Escoda Ultimo Flat No.12
Isabey Cat's Tongue No.8
Daley Rowney 24 Mop No.7
Colorpro Flat 2885 No.1 1/2
Qn: Can you talk about the set of brushes you're using now? What are the characteristics of each? Which one do you use most often?
Well, I bring these with me when I go out to paint on location/plein air. I have another set of brushes which I kept in the studio for larger works but they are similar brushes to these, only larger. Let's break them down into the different types:
Needlepoint Brush - Endorsed by watercolour master Alvaro Castagnet, it is a liner with a fat belly to store paints and a long fine needle-like point (hence the name). Useful to paint wires, cables, cloth lines, etc.
Round Sable Brush - As you can see, I use many round brushes. 2 of them are made of natural sable hairs. Colorpro Red Sable No.18 is the largest round brush I have. It's my "workhorse", using it most of the time in any painting I do, due to its superb absorbency and still able to hold its shape after every brushstroke. Raphael Kolinsky Sable 8404 No.8 has the same function but smaller. I used to have a No.12 of this brush, but Kolinsky sable is very expensive and with the rigorous punishment I meted out to my brushes with the way I paint (lots of dry brush techniques), I have since wore out the sharp point, so I switched to the more economical Colorpro Red Sable.
Round Synthetic Brush - Esoda Perla White Toray No.8 and No.12 are my two other must-haves apart from my "workhorse". They are recommended by Joseph Zbukvic whom many consider to be one of the best living watercolourists at the moment. The brush loads quite a fair amount of paints for a non-natural hair brush as Toray White is one of the softest synthetic hairs. It has good tension that springs back to its original shape every time. With its super fine point, I use it to "draw" details and add finishing touches to my painting.
Flat Brush - I have 2 of them. Colorpro Flat No. 1 1/2 is a big flat brush made of mixed goat hair. Useful for laying in flat even wash. Due to its huge size, when I need to pre-wet the paper with clear water, I'll use this. Escoda Ultimo Flat No.12 is made of synthetic hairs and serve the same purpose but for smaller area.
Cat's Tongue - Recently acquired, it is made of squirrel hairs too but is more versatile than a mop due to its wide bottom and curvy pointed tip, great for laying washes using the wider side of the brush and cutting into tight corners using the pointed tip.
Mop Brush - I have 2 here. Daley Rowney 24 Mop No.7 is made of squirrel hairs - very soft and loads a great deal of paints and waters. It is perfect for laying down washes for big areas. The other one, Escoda Ultimo Mop No.10, a gift from Internationally acclaimed floral watercolour artist Fabio Cembranelli when he visited Singapore last year. It is actually made of synthetic hair but is equally capable of holding paints but due to its smaller size, I only use it when doing smaller works (You'll soon notice that there's no standardised numbering system for brush size between different brush makers. For example, Daley Rowney's No.7 is actually much larger than Escoda's No.10)
Qn: Which is the most versatile brush?
It has to be the Colorpro Red Sable No.18 as I use it most of the time, for laying washes, glazing, wet on wet, wet on dry, dry brush, etc. I can even use it to paint some details even though it's a big brush due to the fine point it has, or rather used to have (I abused my equipment, LOL!).
Qn: For beginners getting watercolour brush, what consideration should they have? How should they choose? What would you recommend?
Affordability is usually the first concern considering good watercolour brushes can cost hundreds of dollars. For beginners who usually don't paint too big a painting, they can start with just 3 brushes - a mid-size mop brush for laying the initial washes, a red sable brush, probably a no.8 for general brush work and a fine point synthetic for adding details.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Craig Young's watercolour box
Qn: Craig Young's watercolour boxes are quite pricey. Why do you think artists are still willing to fork out the money to get it compared to other palettes?
Haha, it's hard to explain. Why do some people drive BMW when a Toyota will get you from Point A to B as well? As for me, I personally like hand-made stuff. There's an elegant feel to it that mass-produced merchandise will never have. Craig Young's boxes are the most beautifully hand-crafted palettes I've ever seen in the market. I'll like to think of it as my little "indulgence" for the sake of my art. Anyway, it costs about the same price as a high-end tennis racket but I don't play tennis, I paint, LOL!
I don't have preference for any brand but rather I choose the colours that I like from different brands based on the pigment used, lightfastness, granulation effect, and of course, price. I paint almost daily, so I usually buy them in bigger tubes, 24ml or 37ml so I shop around online to find the best deals and promotions.
Qn: You seem to prefer watercolour tube compared to pans. Any reasons?
The colours are fresher and more moist when it's straight out of the tube.
They are also easier to mix in large amount as I need to cover quite a large area painting in half sheet (the usual size I paint outdoors). It will take me forever to mix a large quantity of colour using pans.
Also, pans may damage a good brush in the long run as you keep digging the pans to get the colours especially when it has dried up, but the same can be said of dried up paints from the tube.
Qn: What's your advice for beginners looking to buy watercolours? What should they look out for?
Avoid school watercolour set sold in stationery shops! They are made for children containing very little pigment and you'll struggle to get anything out of it and end up frustrated.
You can then upgrade to Artist grade paints once you're comfortable mixing colours and master the basic painting techniques. Having said that, if budget isn't an issue, I'd advise you to go for the artist grade paints straight away. It took me only 2 months to make the switch when I was still a beginner after realising how vibrant, and beautiful the artist grade paints are!
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Qn: These seem like single sheets of watercolour paper. What are the advantages of using single sheets compared to padded ones?
Yes, these are sheets of imperial size watercolour paper measuring 22" x 30" or approximately 56 x 76cm.
Obviously, the advantage of using sheets is that you have the option to cut them into whatever size you like.
In watercolour terms, you'll often see paintings done in quarter, half or full sheet. Buying single sheets are more economical than buying the same brand of papers in padded or block as the manufacturer will surely factor in material and labour cost to cut them and produce them in nice looking cover.
Blocks are also heavier especially when they are new. I'll usually bring only 2 or 3 half sheets with me during my plein air outings so they don't weight much.
Qn: Different artists prefer different brands of watercolour naturally. So why do you choose the Langton Prestige for Rough and the Arches for Cold Press?
These two are my current favourites. I use 100% cotton-made papers as they are more absorbent and colours mix better on them.
Arches watercolour papers are often regarded as the best in the market, very tough and durable, and great for all types of watercolour works.
Langton Prestige had similar properties but feels softer, and wet washes spread more freely on it.
Although watercolour papers are categorized into Hot Press, Cold Press and Rough texture, different manufacturers will categorise the coarseness of the paper texture differently. Langton Prestige's Rough is actually closer to Arches Cold Press in terms of texture coarseness. In fact, I will choose Rough for other brands such as Saunders Waterford, Fabriano Artistico but Arches Rough is much coarser than other brands, so I opt for Cold Press when using Arches.
Qn: Do you use Hot Press watercolour paper? Why?
I don't use Hot Press paper as it is too smooth for my painting style. I like to use granulating colours where larger particles in some pigments will sink into the grains of textured papers, creating beautiful grainy effect. I also do a lot of dry brush techniques so some degree of roughness on the paper is essential. Hot Press paper is more suited for very detailed works and for illustration.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Walkstool, SLIK Sprint Mini camera tripod converted to portable easel, and clipboard with camera tripod mount bracket attached.
Qn: What's the Walkstool?
Walkstool is a high quality Swedish-made portable stool. I have the 18 inch Comfort model, which has the same seating height of a normal dinning chair when the legs are extended. Previously, I used a small foldable stool where you're actually sitting in a squatting position. I've developed an aching back sitting in that low position. So, I bought the Walkstool to improve my posture while painting outdoors.
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Qn: That easel looks like a DIY. How do you make an easel like that? How does the functional setup look like?
Oh yes, it is modified from a camera tripod SLIK Sprint Mini. I attach a camera tripod mounting bracket on the back of a used clipboard. It is then screwed onto the tripod head and secured at a reverse position, where it can hold a piece of corrugated board on which I tape my watercolour paper with masking tapes.
The whole set up look like this:
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This is Marvin's urban sketching set:
Japanese brushpen loaded with black ink (now loaded with Noodlers bulletproof black ink)
Holbein water brushpen
Ashley Red Sable No.5 pocket travel brush
Escoda Perla No.10
Qn: Urban sketching set? How's the selection different from your plein air set? Can you give us a run down on the tools? I noticed that the only common brush between the two sets is the Escoda Perla No.10.
For urban sketching, I try to keep everything to the bare essentials, and as light as possible. With just a sketchbook, a pocket sized palette and a couple of fountain pens and brushes, I'm good to go.
Fountain Pens - I have the Hero 578 which I use almost all the time, while the Sailor Special Script is my back-up pen as I find it too light. Both pens have the curved nib which mimic the calligraphy strokes of Chinese brush. You can vary the thickness by varying the angle you hold the pen at.
Bamboo dip pen - is made by the owner of Straits Art Co., and given to me as a sample. I have a bottle of Noodler's waterproof black ink in my bag to dip it with.
Golden Taklon flat brush - this is a cheap brush available at most stationery shop. I use it when I want to paint more squarish shapes, but frankly speaking, I can't remember the last time I use it!
Holbein water brushpen - It has a nylon brush with reservoir on the handle to store clear water. A quicker alternative than traditional brushes but I don't really like the stiff nylon hair and controlling the water flow can be tricky.
Japanese ink brushpen - similar to the water brushpen, but loaded with black ink. Sometimes I'd sketch directly using this, resulting in a more oriental Chinese ink painting style. I also use this to spread black ink on dark areas of my sketches.
Escoda Reserva Kolinsky-Tajmyr 1214 No.10 - this is a collapsible pocket travel brush made of kolinsky sable hair. Load lots of paint, great for washes and details too, so it's my general purpose brush when sketching.
Ashley Red Sable No.5 - it's made of red sable hair, and smaller so good for details, but I tend to use the next brush for details. So again, I haven't use this brush for quite some time!
Escoda Perla No.10 - I use No.8 and No.12 of the same brush when painting plein air, so No. 10 is just a nice in-between size for sketching.
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Qn: So what prompted you to get a leather-bound sketchbook, as compared to the padded or spiral sketchbooks?
As I mentioned earlier, I like things that are hand-made so that's part of the reason I got it. But it's not just for cosmetic reason only, of course. I wanted a sketchbook with good quality papers. So, I went hunting for one on Ebay that looks good and also uses good quality papers.
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Qn: What paper do you use inside? They look like hand-stitched paper. Are they?
I contacted the eBay seller who sent me a few sample of papers to try on and I eventually chose the 100% cotton-made paper which is fountain pen friendly (ie. ink doesn't feather on it). Yes, they are hand-stitched and bound onto the leather cover.
Qn: Some of your watercolour paintings are quite big. What are your tips and techniques on scanning them?
I don't scan them since they are too big to fit into a scanner. I use my DSLR camera to take pictures of my paintings instead. I usually do this on a sunny day but under shaded area.
Put the camera dial on Aperture Priority and set it at f/8 which will more or less ensure everything stays sharp. I'll then crop the image with Photoshop before saving them.
Qn: Have you bought any art supplies that you were excited about, only to try it and find out you don't like it as much as you expected? What are they?
Definitely! I have had my fair share of such experiences. Colours that were too opaque, brushes with hairs falling out, papers that have lost its sizing, you name it, I've had it before.
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He has a unique and expressive painting style with influence from Chinese paintings. Oftentimes he can be seen paintings with twigs especially when using blacks.
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Let's take a look at his tools of trade.
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Qn: Wow, you've a lot of brushes. Can you give our readers a rundown of the brushes you use?
From left to right:
#2 Van Gogh 130 Fine Hair
#10 Van Gogh 130 Fine Hair
#14 Pebeo petit gris-pure squirrel
#1/2 650 Goldie fine ox
#3/4 650 Goldie fine ox
#10 2210 Goldie red sable
#6 Rembrandt 136 petit gris pur
#10 daVinci 5519
#28 Van Gogh 130 Fine Hair (I forgot the number)
#22 daVinci Maestro tobolsky-kolinsky
#16 daVinci Harbin kolinsky
#6 daVinci Harbin kolinsky
Qn: Which one is your favourite brush? Or the one you use most often? Why?
#1/2 650 Goldie fine ox and #3/4 650 Goldie fine ox. I like to use flat head brushes.
Qn. You use a lot of blacks for your paintings. Do you use these brushes for that?
Normally I will use #2 Van Gogh 130 Fine Hair and #10 Van Gogh 130 Fine Hair to apply Chinese ink.
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Qn: What's this black ink that you're using? How is it different from other brands?
The brand is Saintograph. It is a waterproof ink.
Qn: I remember you put something into the small bottle. What is it and what's the purpose?
I will insert crumpled gauze into the bottle, the purpose is to hold keep the Chinese ink. It also prevent dipping directly into the ink, especially when using twigs.
If I dip the twig into ink without the gauze, it will be soaked wet with ink and difficult to control. With the gauze, the twig will have sufficient ink but not too wet.
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Qn. You seem to like drawing with twigs. What is it that you like about them?
The line works created with the twigs are full of energy, I like the natural touch of them. I will sharpen them when the nip become blunt. I will sharpen it to draw thinner lines.
Qn: Are there any difference between twigs of different trees or plants?
The major different is between soft and hard wood twigs. Hard wood twigs will produce thinner and harder lines.
Qn: Are there any special considerations when you're using twigs? For example do you have to use a totally dry twig?
Basically I use the dry twig for the outline sketch. If I have decided to work on only black & white sketch, I will use a totally dry twig method.
Qn: Beside twigs, have you used other non-traditional drawing tools.
Not at the moment.
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Qn: I see that you have watercolor pans and tubes. Which do you prefer?
Pans are for travelling and tubes for larger watercolour paintings.
Qn: What brands of watercolour do you prefer? How do you choose your watercolours? What do you think about their characteristics?
Winsor & Newton, I used this brand since high school and familiar with the colour characteristics. I prefer transparent colours than semi transparent colours.
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Qn: Which are your favourite colours? From which brand?
Qn: What graphite pencils are you using? What's the difference between them?
The 3 left-hand one are clutch pencils. I also use Creatacolor graphite sticks of 4B, 6B & 9B.
Qn: Graphite comes off the paper easily. How do you preserve it, or prevent it from making other pages dirty?
I will fix my complete sketch with Schmincke fixative spray.
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Qn: What are those graphite sticks? Why do you keep these pencils and graphite so short? How do you use them?
Those are used short graphite sticks, I keep them as a record of usage.
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Qn: What are the sketchbooks you have tried? Which ones do you prefer? Why?
Daler-Rowney, Moleskine and Sennelier. I prefer Moleskine watercolour notebook (US | UK). I like the paper quality which can hold light watercolour wash well. The binding of the book is also very good.
Qn: Besides using these sketchbooks, what watercolour paper do you use when you're painting larger pieces?
Saunders Waterford (US | UK) cold pressed and hot pressed, 300gsm. Currently Waterford is the easiest paper brand I can get in Penang. I also like the off white paper colour.
Qn: Have you bought any art supplies that you were excited about, only to try it and find out you don't like it as much as you expected? What are they?
Not yet. I will try to find out the unique characteristic of each brand, I believe nothing is perfect.
Qn: Say you have US$150 budget to buy some art materials. How would you spend it?
I will buy some Escoda travel brushes and Winsor & Newton tubes for colour refill. Also 1 or 2 Moleskine A4 folio albums.
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That's Ch'ng Kiah Kiean sketching at the start of the video.
I wanted to feature him for the Art Tools and Gears interview series and have been wondering why he took so long to response, or even seem reluctant.
After looking at his home studio, I know why now. He has a load of art materials, and claims he uses them all. So I might have to split the interview series in several parts.
Meanwhile, I'll give you a preview of his tools first.
If you have an interesting workspace and wants to be featured to thousands of readers, contact me, send me your photos.
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If you have an interesting workspace and wants to be featured to thousands of readers, contact me, send me your photos.
Firstly, can you give an introduction to the readers?
My medium for expression is watercolour but I also use sketches to record my surroundings. My favourite subject for painting is places with heritage buildings.
I love art since young and the passion never dies off. While practicing Architecture in Penang I would allocate times during weekends for my family and for art.
Qn: Can you give our readers a rundown of the brushes you use?
Although my brush case is almost full, there are only a few brushes that I use frequently.
I have from left to right:
No 6 Rembrandt 310 Pure Red Sable
No 6 Goldie 2210 Red Sable
No 8 Goldie 2210 Red Sable
Unknown old brush
No 12 Da Vinci 5519 Red Sable Special Inlaid Liner
No 10 Pyramid Synthetic Hair
No 4 Rembrandt 136 Squirrel (sword point)
No 1/2 Pyramid Synthetic Hair (sword point)
No 2 Saintograph flat brush, Unknown round brush
No 5/8 Daler HP 28 Squirrel
No ¾ Rowney S. 164 Ox Hair
No 6 Rembrandt 132 Squirrel
Qn: Which one is your favourite brush? Or the one you use most often? Why?
I would often begin with No 2 Saintograph flat brush or No 6 Rembrandt 132 Squirrel for broad areas (eg. Sky). No 5/8 Daler HP 28 Squirrel, No 6 Goldie 2210 Red Sable and No 8 Goldie 2210 Red Sable for the main works, and No 12 Da Vinci 5519 Red Sable Special Inlaid Liner for the fine details and lines.
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Qn: What brands of watercolour are you using? Why do you have a preference over this particular brand? What do you think about their characteristics?
My first encounter with artist grade watercolour was Winsor & Newton, and it still remains my favourite brand for its transparency. However it is not available in the Penang market so all these years I have also tried other brands such as Schmincke, Holbein, Old Holland, Rembrandt and Rowney.
Really, there’s no fixed brand in my bag and I have been painting all these years with mixed brands. But one thing I must make sure they are artist grade watercolours.
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Qn: How do you choose the colours? What are the must-have colours for you?
I usually go for 7 or 8 colours that I use frequently, and these few colours stand the test over the years where they most suited my painting.
My favourite colours are Ultramarine, Cobalt Blue, Cerulean Blue, Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Sap Green and Vermilion. The other less use or only as highlight would be Permanent Yellow Deep, Scarlet Lake, Turquoise, Sepia and White. There are also other colours such as Purple, Rose etc which I keep in the bag but not on the palette. Only rarely I squeeze a little bit on the palette when I need them.
Of all the colours, there are 2 key players in my palette, the Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna. With these 2 colours, I could come up with different shades of blues, browns and greys, and add other more regular colours with that would be sufficient for me to complete a painting.
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Qn: Is there a particular way that you use to arrange the watercolours on your palette?
As Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna are my 2 key players, I always put them side by side and in the central position. One side of the Ultramarine would be Cobalt Blue, followed by Cerulean Blue and Turquoise. Next to Burnt Sienna would be Raw Umber and Burnt Umber, followed by Greens. I would place Yellow and Red away from the dark colours to keep them as fresh and clean as possible.
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Qn: That palette container looks familiar. Where did you find that? Usually I see people using metal palettes. Is there a reason why you decided to go with this plastic palette? How do you keep it?
My previous palettes were also plastics (the normal white ones you would find in art supplies). This particular palette was a gift from Kiah Kiean, bought in Taiwan.
It is very compact with 21 compartments for colours arranged in 3 rows with an air-tight lid (well, almost air-tight). The whole palette can be put inside the metal mixing tray, closed up as a compact metal box. When the tray is open, it has 4 mixing areas and you could fix the plastic palette to the tray. Below the plastic palette is a holder where you could hold it with your thumb on one hand and paint with the other.
Qn: How about watercolour paper?
I love Arches watercolour paper (smell is awful!) but this is not available in Penang, I only managed to obtain some from friends. So most of my paintings were done on Saunders Waterford, some (very few) on Bockingford. I always go for the 300gsm rough texture as it suits my style of painting.
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Qn: Can you talk about your water tray? It looks like they can be detached into two pieces.
I can’t remember exactly when I bought this water container, must be around 20 years back, either in Straits Commercial (map) or ArtFriend.
It is very handy with 2 containers (1 full and 1 divided into 2) stack up to become one to save space for storage. The big compartment is the main washing tray while the small ones help me to keep some clean water when I need it.
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What's in your pencil case?
Nothing special really. I have some pencils, clutch pencils, twigs and sharpened ice-cream sticks, pen-knife and erasers.
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Qn: Can you talk about your easel?
I have been looking for easel for quite some time but they usually either not for watercolour or too heavy to carry.
I bought this Holbein aluminium watercolour easel 2 months ago at Straits Commercial and I love it, although not perfect. It is not heavy, easy to set up, can be tilted from horizontal to up right.
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The shortfall is the extended spine is not long enough for full size watercolour paper. Even half size in vertical format would have problem. To overcome this, I use 2 metal clips, tied with rubber bands. The clips help to hold the board in position and the rubber bands will be pulled until the little knob at the central spine of the easel to hold it. Under normal circumstances (not tested yet under strong wind condition) it is pretty stable and I’m happy with this little innovation.
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Qn: Is that dark shade bag a special artist bag? Where did you get that?
It’s not particularly for artists, many designers use it too. I got it from one of the art supplies in Bangkok.
Qn: So what do you put inside that bag?
I use it to keep my watercolour papers and boards. The size nicely takes in my half size board, and there are also some pockets to store the little utensils.
Qn: Do you use any sketchbooks for drawing? If so, what do you use?
I usually have 2 sketchbooks (sometimes 3, no wonder my bag is heavy) for different purposes.
I would use my Moleskine for more precious sketches, and a normal type for practice sketches, or for subject of less significant. I sometimes also use my DIY watercolour sketchbook when I want to do fast watercolour sketch.
Qn: Say you have $120 USD budget to buy some art materials. How would you spend it?
I guess I’m quite happy with the painting equipment I have now, so I would spend on some watercolours and papers. Love to have a good, big size flat sable hair brush, but it would be way over this budget!
Qn: Hi Marc, thanks for helping out with the interview. Do you mind giving our readers a brief introduction about who you are? I heard that you created art for video games, but I can't quite associate your drawing setup with video game art.
Good question! Let’s see….
I went to art school for design/illustration (Alberta College of Art and Design), and I do indeed work in video games. I was an art director for many years, most notably on RPG projects such as Neverwinter Nights and Lord of the Rings online. Eventually I got promoted to concept artist, (technically speaking a step back, but forward for my personal happiness!).
Most recently I’ve been working on the Dragon Age series for Bioware/EA. I also did a short stint as a concept artist in feature animation at Imagemovers/Disney. Now I freelance from my home in Montreal.
I have to admit a kind of artistic schizophrenia. All of the entertainment media art is digital. Usually drawn or painted in photoshop with a graphics tablet. Most of that work is meant to be very illustrative, using a lot of photographic reference and approaching “reality”, even when it’s fantastic subjects.
In my personal work I’m the complete opposite. I have a drawing based approach, very aggressive and gestural, very open to mistakes, weird line work, whatever happens in the moment. I prefer to draw from life, putting myself in front of interesting subjects. You can do your ‘best’ work in the studio, but I also like to experience the world first hand, even if the results are somewhat ‘sketchy’.
Qn: Can you give us a rundown of the brushes you use? Those look really well used. What's with taping for some of the brushes?
You’ll see a mix of nice sable brushes and the cheapest of synthetics in there. I often like a sharp, calligraphic kind of stroke, so I can draw shapes and have crisp edges. The cheap synthetics are actually best for that. But they suck for drybrush, or very expressive thick-to-thin line variation. So that’s why both.
The taping thing is
A: really old brushes with a cracked paint on the shaft can get wet and swell, loosening the ferrule. Newer brushes don’t seem to do this – they probably all have plastic shafts now.
B: I thicken the belly of the brush so they seat into the wire handles of bulldog clips (see shot below, brushes attached to the easel). Otherwise they just fall through.
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Qn: Which are your most frequently used brushes? Why do you like them?
There is a rust-red barreled one in there – (not the bright red one). It’s a #14 Escoda Reserva Kolinsky Sable made in Barcelona. It’s a moderately large brush if you’re working 9x12ish, but the perfect size to do the workhorse drawing at 12x16ish. It’s got a great point, but can be laid on the side for a fat stroke. So If I could have only one brush ever, that would be the one.
Every brush has a role though. That bright red one is a cheap ass thing that I like to use for grinding or stabbing the paper. Drybrushing foliage. There’s a long hair rigger second from the spine on the left – just for small tree branches, long hair on a model, things that need long slender strokes. I have an even longer haired one I should actually switch it out for. The big mop on the left is for skies and big areas of ground. Always use the biggest brush that fits in the shape you are doing.
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Qn: In one of your blog post, you mentioned that "Synthetic is fine. Natural sable is great." Why is that so?
I am on the cusp of ordering a whole new set of brushes. I might go all-sable soon. I just have to get over the mental block of spending $500 replacing all of them at once.
Sable has a few advantages. They hold more water, so the strokes are juicy and can go further. They can splay out and hold their shape, being better for drybrushing, and yet, (with a good one) they can have a very sharp point.
I have to admit, I have found sometimes the point is inconsistent in my old favorite Series 7 Windsor and Newton sables. This is one thing that sucks about the new reality of online shopping. You really should inspect every brush you buy. Most art stores will give you a cup of water to test the points. Not every brush of the same fiber comes out to the same final quality. It’s just the way of natural products.
On the other hand, you can do great work with synthetics, mostly you can’t tell the difference in the finished work. I would say synthetic will get you through your first 2000 paintings just fine.
Qn: Is that a dedicated pouch for storing brushes?
Yes, that’s a brush case – no idea the brand, they are quite discreet – no markings on them. But I’ve seen them at lots of art stores. This is really an important bit of kit. You have to treat the points of your brushes carefully. If you’re going to throw them into a shoulder bag it’s the only way. I have a bigger case for oil brushes with the longer handles.
Qn: What brands of watercolour are you using? Why do you have a preference over this particular brand? What do you think about their characteristics?
I choose them for the pigment, not so much the brand – so I have a mix of Winsor and Newton, Holbein right now. It’s just a matter of what color I need and what’s in stock.
I’m not savvy enough to say the difference in granularity or dispersion – I feel like I go for the color I need and adapt to the situation. The effect of humidity, temperature and paper is much more significant than any minor variation in manufactures paint quality anyway.
So I’d just say you get to know which brand is the shade of a color you like. One trick is, you can read the tiny numbers on the tube to see what it really is made of. W&N Cerulean Blue for instance is PB35. The ingredient names for pigments are standardized, so any brand with the same code is the same color. I bought a tube of Da Vinci Cerulean blue that is based on PB36, thinking it would be fine, and it’s actually a completely different color. Very acidic and greenish tinged. I hate it. It’s a big 2 ounce tube I’ll never use up. Unfortunately, it’s just a matter of experimenting and seeing what you like. I guess my advice is don’t buy the big tubes till you know you like a color.
Qn: How do you choose the colours? What are the must-have colours for you?
My basic colors are: Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red Light, Yellow Ocher, Cadmium Yellow Light Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue. This is a very basic setup based on a warm and cool of each primary.
I have some ‘optional’ colors – I love Sap Green as a basis for foliage. One warm or cool it as required, almost never using it straight up.
I use Burnt Sienna and Prussian Blue as mixes to make darks. Combined with anything really, but often with the Alizarin Crimson.
I have this weird special effect colors Winsor Lilac (an opaque-ish light pink), that I use sometimes just for fun. It’s almost like white gouache and Alizarin Crimson. Something I can’t mix on the fly. I use it in skies for variety and flesh tones.
If I need some super dark darks I use Holbein Shadow Green (a powerful cool dark), Van Dyke Brown (a deep warm dark) and Lamp Black. I don’t use these much, but sometimes you need super dark darks.
It is very useful to have Opaque White Gouache and perhaps an Ivory Black Gouache. You can mix these with watercolor to make ‘body colors’ – opaque mixes that can be used bring back details on top. This is not traditional for watercolor, but can be useful at times.
Qn: Is there a particular way that you use to arrange the watercolours on your palette?
Basically, Primaries on the bottom, Earths and Darks on the side. You’ll see my two reds, two yellows, two blues along the bottom, with the special effect colors next to them. Lilac next to reds, Sap Green next to yellows. Prussian Blue next to the blues.
No particular reason, just habit so you can add new colors and know what’s in the wells. There is a blob of Cad Yellow Medium on there, taking up a slot. I haven’t used that blob in about a year, so I should take it out I guess.
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Qn: What's your advice for beginners looking to buy watercolours? What should they look out for?
I guess everyone knows don’t buy Student Grade paint. It’s basically all filler and not enough pigment, so your images will be weak and anaemic. Artist grade costs more, but it’s the only option really.
My other main peccadillo – I don’t much like pans. Not the dry ones for sure, they are the worst. You can’t get the right amount of pigment when you’re scrubbing them like a bar of soap. Its either too much, or nowhere near enough. To get a nice rich color, sometimes you want to pick up an almost pure dollop of pigment. The pans are just too miserly.
The semi-moist are not really much better. Bottom line: if you use pans, you won’t be able to mix complex colors. You’ll have a hard time making large washes, and/or getting enough pigment strength released from the pan. In general your paintings are likely to end up pale and cartoon-like. Pans are only useful for working in a small sketchbook by the side of the road in the south of France.
Sure, I have used them in the past – it’s how I got started (tinting over ink drawings), but these days I’d rather just draw in ink if I can’t have tube paint for space/portability reasons.
I know Charles Reid uses pans, but he’s super experienced. I think it’s the hard road going that way. So feel free to ignore me, but also add 5 years to your learning curve! Ha!
Qn What are those metal clips for?
Look down to shot of the fully set up easel – see how I use them to hold brushes? (as well as hold the taped paper-and-board on the tray). It makes a real difference – having all your tools at hand.
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Watercolor is a very speedy medium. There are things you just have to do while a wash is wet. Once dried, the paint is inert. So anything that saves you groping for tools is important. You get a better piece if you can have the right brush instantly.
Qn: How about watercolour paper? What do you use?
The ‘correct’ answer is 300lb Arches Cold press. This is really the best paper. It’s got a great texture, great for drybrush effects. And in 300lb weight you don’t have to stretch paper (wont wrinkle).
BUT, I’ve been known to use a lot of cheaper machine made papers – Canson Montval pads and blocks are a standby for field sketching. I sometimes like a smooth, sized paper like the Montval. You can draw a nice sharp detailed image, and washes go on smoothly. So, I’ve done things on cheap paper I quite liked. But I know the Arches 300 is the best way to go, and now that I’m more confident with my drawing, that’s what I’m switching to as my mainstay.
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Qn: And these two are?
Nalgene water bottle – totally leak proof, carry it around everywhere, never had a spill. Use one like it for oil painting solvent as well. 100% reliable. Plus a wide mouth you can swizzle your brushes in.
The ‘mist’ bottle (I think it’s an old hair spray container, must be 20 years old) – this is to ‘wake up’ your old paint in the palette. I mist them before starting, so the paint blobs get juicy and ready to spew color.
Qn: These look like your drawing tools. I can recognize the Lamy fountain pen. The bottom one's a pencil? Can you talk about them?
The top is a Lamy Safari fountain pen. That’s an EF (Extra fine), but I have Fine and a 0.9 calligraphy tip that’s a real bruiser. I use the Lamy house brand cartridges. Lots of people like the suction refill-gadgets to hand-fill with bottle ink, but honestly I can’t be bothered. If I want liquid ink, I’ll just use dip pens or a brush (see below for more on that).
The other reason I like the cartridges is they are NOT waterproof. (I’ll explain why I like that a bit further down.)
Below that is just a Staedtler mechanical pencil. I like a 0.7mm, as it’s a bit thicker line, useful if you’re drawing bigger. And the Kneaded rubber eraser – I think everyone knows these? These rubbery erasers are good for lifting graphite off the paper without damaging the surface. The white art erasers can be too rough on the paper tooth.
The deal with mechanical pencil - some people have been taught to use wooden pencils for ‘expressive line’ – but that’s really not the issue in a watercolor. You don’t want too much graphite under you paint. You can dirty the paper with too much drawing. I like a clean, spidery, drawing that shows through with nice sharp line work. Plus I hate sharpening on the go – either you make a huge mess with shavings, or you have a reservoir sharpener that gets full in 2 seconds and then opens in your bag making a huge disaster.
The brush pen in the shot is the old standby the Pentel Pocket Brush. Also known as the GFKP. Sometimes you have to search that name to find the refills online. It’s really a great brush pen, and I’ve used it for years. This is probably my fourth of these, eventually the cap breaks if you actually use the pocket clip. A very nice responsive tip, very fine lines but can also drybrush or lay down big blacks.
BUT – I will say I’ve switched to the Kuretake #13 brush pen. The tip is a little finer, a little more precise – and the ink cartridge is also NOT waterproof. The Pentel PB is fully water safe. So, again, I’m using the water-solubility as an effect these days.
Here’s a few ballpoint pen sketches with the Kuretake for accent.
Qn: Looks like dip pens and nibs you have above. What are they? How are they different compared to the Lamy fountain pen? I don't suppose you use these for outdoor urban sketching?
I do use them outdoors! – that’s why the tiny bottle of ink, and the even tiny-er bottle for carrying the nibs.
The dip pen is just so much better than any pen-pen. The line is much more expressive, much greater range of thick to thin. Plus you can change ink colors instantly. They are super easy to clean and you just toss them if they get worn out. Cheaper AND Better!
I’m using them for almost everything now. I can hold a sketchpad and the small bottle of ink in one hand, draw and dip with the other. Never had a spill in the three or four months I’ve been using them. Eventually I’ll pour ink in my lap or something, but hey. Live dangerously!
I have to admit – I have not shown any of the recent drawings done with the nib pen. A lot of them are for an un-announced book project. I’m going to have to do some just for the purpose of demonstrating the value of the nibs. It’ll be a year before I can talk about the book I’m hinting at.
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Just a ballpoint. I do a lot of my speed gestures with ballpoint and brush marker. The 3 min or less drawings.
You’ll note all the little tin cases for erasers, cartridges and pens. These were from a Japanese stationary in San Francisco, and I wish I’d bought more sizes. They satisfy my deep-seated Asian need for containers to put inside containers.
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Qn: When I first saw your easel in your blog post, I was impressed. That thing is like a piece of art by itself. Does not look anything like a traditional wooden easel. Where did you buy it? Or how did you make it? There's even a tray below. The setup looks amazing.
My wife is a photographer, so I could see from her gear that camera equipment is much better made than most artist oriented stuff. People love asking about these rigs, but it’s really nothing special. It’s all available at camera shops and online stores.
This was my first setup:
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I don’t mind hauling around a tripod, but most people are not going to want to bother with this. It’s really overkill.
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Ultimately I decided this tripod-and-arm combo was too heavy, too slow to set up. And the side arm (which is meant for an accessory microphone or a small camera) was too shaky.
So I upgraded to a new (more expensive) lighter weight setup:
This bigger black tripod (Manfrotto 055XPROB) is much more stable, goes taller, and has the “horizontal mode”. A really great system. But honestly I could not recommend to anyone they buy this setup, so I wasn’t going to mention it this time. It’s just too expensive, and frankly too big for most people to bother carrying around. But, if you are curious, all the parts are identified in that blog post you saw: People always ask about the easel.
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So this latest setup (the red one) is my compromise between portability and function. It’s a Sirui T-005. I once said I’d only have black camera gear, but apparently the world is moving on without me. Next thing you know we’ll have white phones.
The plastic trays are a product called the Eric Michaels En Plein Air Traveler. If you were a wood worker it would be simple to make your own trays. The connection you need between the tray and the tripod is called a T-Nut. I didn’t need to get crafty as I’ve had the E.M. Traveller for ages. I’d still be using the off-the-shelf Traveler, but I wore out the cheap tripod it ships with.
Qn: Is it heavy? The tripod looks big. Is it easy to setup?
The black Manfrotto 055XPROB is a bit heavy, 5.3lbs (~2.4kg) and 25” (63cm) folded (so carried over the shoulder).
The red Sirui is a slender 2.2lbs (~1kg) and folds down to 12” (30cm) and fits in a bag.
Both are fast to set up and take down and both can go plenty tall for standing to paint. I’m average height and I don’t use them at full extension. The Sirui has a hook under the centre column, from which you can hang your bag – giving it added weight if you need to counterbalance a big painting.
Qn: This is an interesting piece of work I saw on your blog. Seems like some watersoluble ink, but there are also some lines that didn't quite dissolve. What did you use?
This is that thing I was talking about! The water soluble inks. That’s the Lamy Safari and Kuretake #13 brush pen, both using their native cartridges.
You can simply wash it with clear water (being careful what you touch and what you don’t) and get instant grey values – or you can paint in with watercolor, and you colors get an automatic unifying, greying effect as the pen line melts into them. It’s great for an ‘unfinished’ look where the drawing shows through.
I first discovered this whole deal on sketching trip to Newfoundland in 2012. I was using the Lamy 0.9 calligraphy nib, and discovered how awesome it is to use water soluble ink line with watercolor. I have a video flip through (Inspired by parka blog!) of that sketchbook.
Qn: I saw you sketching on a sketchbook during the Urban Sketching Barcelona Symposium. What sketchbooks do you use?
That’s a Stillman and Birn Beta. Which is a damn nice watercolor book. 180lb/270gsm paper in a sketchbook! Got to be the nicest books for field work in watercolor.
For other things, I don’t mind the ubiquitous Moleskine, especially if I’m just drawing in pencil.
But I have to be honest, I am wanting to work larger these days, so I’m all about my 14x18” Coroplast backing boards and cut sheets. They are light enough I can carry a stack of 5 boards with paper on both sides, and that’s always been enough for a day on location.
Qn: Last question that's not related to your tools. I don't usually see video game or movie concept art being created in watercolour. It always puzzles me. Do you know why?
Two reasons. Well three.
1: Rapidity of revisions. In game/film design there is a lot of art direction and back and forth discussion. Working digitally allows you to make infinite changes to the work without ever having to re-do anything completely.
2: Perfection of vision, be it realism or a style or just hyper detail. Entertainment media is all about pushing graphics. Whatever the style we seem to want to constantly push for better graphics, bigger effects, more, more more. Traditional media can’t do this quickly (oil paints for instance are capable of anything, but it takes time). Watercolor is too idiosyncratic. It’s a media for ‘happy accidents’. Water flows into blooms and backwashes. I love the alchemy of water painting. Forcing it to be realistic is a shame. Whenever I see hyperrealist watercolors I just wonder ‘why bother’? It’s not natural to the expressive medium. If you want to obliterate the fluid dynamics and the brush strokes, to have a perfect photographic finish, just paint it digitally.
Third reason is just that it’s much easier to learn to paint digitally. The computer is a skill-magnification device. Like bringing a motorcycle to marathon. Digital art amps up your native ability.
But I’m not setting up for a traditional vs. digital fight. The best artists use whatever they want to get the effect, switching back and forth seamlessly. I’ve seen people paint, scan, do photoshop, print outputs and paint some more. I’ve done it myself in a way, making digital collages of sketches and printing a final drawing on Arches for a painting. You’d be surprised how much traditional art there is behind the scenes sometimes.
I love working both ways, and see some great possibilities for artists who embrace both sides!
Hi, My name is Rinna Clanuwat (facebook | website | flickr | twitter). I am an illustrator, designer and children book author from Bangkok, Thailand. I live to inspire and paint happiness (as well as lots of lots of cats).
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Qn: I see fountain pens and watercolours. Are these the main drawing media that you use? Do you create art digitally?
These are the tools I use regularly. They are easy to carry around everywhere. I find it’s pleasant to go places and do art whenever my idea strikes. Sometimes it’s right in the middle of my meal in a crowded cafe, during traffic jam time, or after a long hike to mountain top, etc. So I prefer light tools, which don’t require much to operate.
I use fountain pens mainly for sketching down my ideas, and watercolour when I paint. I do simple hand painted art most of the time, for you know, sometimes when I turn on any electronic devices I always ended up on Facebook.
For a person with such short concentration span like me, traditional illustration helps me focus better. But, yes, I do digital art from time to time, but I always start by drawing/painting on paper first then continue it digitally from there.
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Qn: Why are there three Lamy fountain pens? Are they the similar? Beside the colour, of course.
I do picture mind-map a lot when I want to structure my (messy) thoughts and I would use my LAMY pens with it.
I have a long history using LAMY pens since college time. I tried several other pens before, but I found LAMY’s weight and stroke the easiest easy to write with.
As for colours, I have purple, blue, and black ink for each pens. Hence the 3 different ones. There’s not much reason behind it beside the fact that it’s fun to draw in multicolour. I wish LAMY would have brown ink though. I tried mixing LAMY ink colours together by myself, but it didn’t come that nice.
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Qn: What's this palette called? Where did you get it? What brand of watercolours are these? What are the colours? Especially the bottom right one.
The first watercolour palette is called “Kuretake Gansai”, Japanese brand of watercolour palette. It’s a gift from my Japanese friend.
I love the fact that the texture of the colour is so smooth and the set came with gold colour too (the bottom right one). Other colours are basic hues - red yellow blue plus brown and green. I think this brand have more colour variety in bigger set, but I have never tried that yet.
Qn: What are the two pens by the side?
The side pens are black line marker and water brush, which I rarely use actually. They just came with the set.
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The second one is Royal Talens Van Gogh. I love that they have many colours I can work with, but I prefer my own selection of colours. So after using some of them up, I replaced some other colours from tubes.
I would take the Kuretake one out with me on the day I want to travel light and use the Royal Talens Van Gogh at my studio or in the situation that I do some serious paintings than quick sketches. I also love the fact that both of these palettes give strong vibrant colours.
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At my studio, I use glass (Hokkaido Morimoto) yogurt bottle as water buckets for I would get 1 everyday from my breakfast.
I always fill up 2 or more water bottles when I paint. One for brush cleaning, one for diluting colours, the other one for soaking brushes (especially the ones I use with black ink - you know how nasty black ink could stick to your brush) while I just can’t be bother to wash them properly yet.
Below is the picture of how I DIY my bottle for the purpose.
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Qn: Can you give us a rundown of the brushes you use?
My watercolour and ink brushes.
1. Royal Talens Van Gogh no.191/6 selected filament (came with watercolour palette). The hair is made from polyester which gives more flexibility. I use this with black ink only.
2. Royal Talens GWVR Van Gogh Visual brush no. 6. It’s a mix between goat hair, ox hair, and nylon. The brush is softer than the previous one. I use this with watercolour for softer smudge effect.
3. The same as no. 1. But I use this one only for watercolour. *note if you mix black ink brush with watercolour brush, the black ink could dull your vibrance.
4-5. Holbien Resable 31R mini no.8 and no. 6. Shorter brushes for going out.
6-7. Raphael 8204 KAERELL no. 4 and no.2. These are hobby brushes actually. But I love that they are not too soft. I use these mainly for calligraphy.
This is my old paint-area sweeping brush. I have been using this for 20 years now.
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Qn: What do you use this bottle for?
This is Extra gum bottle I use as outdoor water bucket. You will be amazed how super seal-tight it can be.
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Qn: That looks like Japanese black ink. Sakura brand? Where did you find this? What's its characteristics?
This is definitely standard Japanese black ink. I got this as a gift from my friend.
Together with my brushes, they became the best waterproof marker ever. I divided only small amount of the ink into tiny glass bottle when I use. I rarely dilute it with water for the stronger marker effect.
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Qn: Those clips are too cute! Painted animal faces, and smiley faces! Where did you buy them?
I found these cute clips in local stationery. They are so multi-purposely useful. I use them to DIY my tools, prevent my tissue papers from flying away when I do outdoor painting in windy places, also hold thick papers together while glue is still wet, etc.
Qn: What's that black and white stripe thing?
Just some fancy tissue papers lol.
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Qn: So what do you use the Scotch double sided tape for?
Sometimes I do pop-up and 3-dimensional arts as well. This double sided tape is so useful for making mock-ups. A lot cleaner than glue.
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Qn: Louvre Acrylic paint. So you use Acrylic as well? These tubes look very new. Just bought them?
Yeah, they had a sale in local shop. lol. I use both acrylic and watercolour for different purposes.
Qn: What's with the big tubes Titanium White and Flesh Tint?
Yes, I use white and flesh tint a lot. Other than that, I will just mix my own palette from basic tubes.
Qn: What paper do you paint on using the Acrylic?
Anything with smooth surface. Most of the time I use ARCHES hot pressed.
Qn: Which do you prefer, acrylic or watercolours? Why? When do you use them?
Watercolour work can be fast and spontaneous. It’s like playing with how water flows and get absorbed on paper. We need to know when to keep going, when to wait. But once we mess up, there’s not much chance of fixing. We will just need to keep going and see how the outcome will surprise us.
Acrylic work is more solid. It gives more time to breath and think while painting. When I paint with watercolour, sometimes the pace is so fast that I don’t have time for deep consideration. But with acrylics, it gives me time to delicately go into details as well as more chance to create my new colour scheme and experiment with it.
To decide which is the better medium really depends on time and result I would like to achieve as well as materials we paint on. If it’s a big mural on brick wall, or painting on some wood panels, then watercolour might not stick. Once I was asked to do a wall painting when I only have watercolour available though. It still worked, but gave out different effects. So I guess there’s no rules on which is better. Just play around and see how it goes.
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Qn: Why do you use baking paper?
For acrylic painting, the proper acrylic pad can be pricy. I found the non-stick baking paper a lot cheaper and could do the job. We can just throw them away afterward without taking time to scrub off paint stains.
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Qn: What are these for? How do you use them? I see that they are Japanese brand also. Where did you buy them?
The left one is the brush cleaner for acrylic. Once the colour dries, it’s not water soluble anymore and become super difficult to clean. If we don’t clean the brushes well, there might be some lumps of left over colour that could ruin brush shape.
The middle and the right ones are flow palette wetting spray and flow medium. Basically they help making acrylic paint dry slower. Hence more flow when drawing lines or continuous strokes. The middle one is a spray that you spray onto the palette before mixing colours. The right one is for dropping into colours while mixing. They work similarly to me.
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Qn: On what kind of artworks do you use these fixative for? So far the tools you showed me are paint tools, the Winsor Newton fixative on the left is for pastel, charcoal and pencils.
Oh I forgot to mention that I do pastels too sometimes lol. So yes, the spray is for coating the pastel painting after it’s done. The right one is the spray for watercolour and acrylic gouache. It makes the painting more vibrant as well.
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Qn: That's quite an interesting book stand you have. It looks like someone is reading the book on the wrong side. Haha. Is that a handmade watercolour sketchbook? Did you make it yourself? The pages look torn. And there's a butterfly in the middle? How did you get that to stick?
You know by now that I adapt whatever available on my table for any purpose I want. Somehow this Peko chan doll is suitable for the book stand job. lol.
As for the book, it’s the handmade book I found in a shop. It’s made of traditional Japanese handmade papers therefore the rims are uneven like that. The butterfly, I tore it out from another piece of paper from the same notebook and glue it with my magic double sided tape.
Qn. So what's your favourite drawing medium? Why?
My most favourite drawing medium would be my brushes with either watercolour or black ink on whatever surface I feel like painting on.
I love using brushes to the point that I prefer them to pencils. I even write down my notes with brushes sometimes lol. You know that I don’t even sketch before I paint, right? Honestly I can’t be bother to draw twice with pencil then brush. I love how I could just dip my brush and go. It feels more fresh and spontaneous. I can also have fine or thick lines as I go along with out changing tools.
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Qn: Do you use any other sketchbooks for drawing? If so, what do you use?
I used to paint a lot on Moleskine watercolour books in different sizes. But also love to collect different types of notebooks with paper that is ok with watercolour or ink. If I found sketch books l like, I would buy few of them to paint on as a collection for a while. Then I would look for different ones for a change.
Qn: Say you have $120 USD budget to buy some art materials. How would you spend it?
Hmmm…
1. Royal Talens or Rapahel or LeFranc & Bourgeois hobby (polyester) brush in no. 2, 4, 6, 8.
2. Normal black ink
3. Middle or upper brand of few basic watercolour hues (red yellow blue green purple brown black)
4. 2 bottles of Extra gum
5. Cheap plastic colour tray
6. Some smooth surface papers
I will also ask for free napkins from any cafe later and I think I’m good to go :)
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Qn: Nice cats. Seems like tabletops are one of the favourite hangout spots for cats. What are their names?
Ha ha they are 2 out of 10 cats I have. They are Dimi and Jamie :)
Qn: Do those cat get in the way of you painting? Have they even gotten paint onto themselves?
Oh yes, most of the time they would love to see how I’m doing and sometimes helping me painting by walking across my work with those fluffy paws dipped into colours from my palette. Sometimes we get nice outcome from our collaboration ;)
Liz Steel: Thanks Parka for asking about my tools and gear - I am going to enjoy this!
I want to say at the start, that in recent years I have seen myself as primarily a sketcher who sketches for myself — not producing paintings to be hung on a wall. I want to record my life in my sketchbook as spontaneously as possible — so I work fast, very fast.
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I take my gear with me everywhere so it must be light but as I often attempt sketches in crazy situations or within very limited time constraints, it must be flexible as well. There is always a tension between a compact kit and being ready to capture the moment quickly. My tools are always changing and evolving — growing and expanding till I realise I am carrying too much stuff and then I pull back to basics.
Qn: Can you talk about the drawing tools you have and use? I know you have a lot of Lamy fountain pens, waterbrush.
I am a bit of a fountain pen junkie — I have been using them since I was about 10 years old when my Dad gave me one of his old Parker pens and I fell in love with the flow of the ink on paper and how much neater my handwriting looked.
Through primary and secondary school, university and 20 years working as an architect I have used a fountain pen off and on. But in 2007 I bought my first Lamy and well that was it — I was hooked — fountain pens all the way now!
This photo makes me quite emotional since the first two pens from the left: Lamy Joy pens (Black and Red) have both been lost in the last 12 months. I now have a white version of the same pen (easier to see if I drop it in a cafe with black sofas!)
So what is the fuss about the Lamy and in particular the Joy? It is a joy to use (sorry about the pun!) for both writing and drawing, it is light in weight. I find the shape of the grip perfectly suits my hand but especially I LOVE the balance of the long tail.
The Joy is the calligraphy model but I replace the calligraphy nib with an EF normal nib.
For me the most important thing about a pen is how it feels in the hand. I do want to find an alternative with a nib that gives varying line thicknesses but with the amount of sketching I do, it is important that it feels right!
I then have a few extra Lamys with different inks or nibs. I like to use different coloured lines in my sketchbooks for variety, maps, notation etc. and although a coloured felt pen does the same job, I prefer using ink.
Lamy Vista (clear safari) with Noodlers Polar Blue ink (love this!)
Newer style black and silver Lamy Joy pen with a GOLD EF nib. The new style Joy is a fraction heavier than the old style... I prefer black and red or white Joys in my hand. This nib is lovely and has more flexibiliy than a standard nib but I am afraid to take it out on location (the nib cost 2 x the price of the pen)
Pilot Parallel Pen in 1.8mm (I also have the 3.5mm size) Quite unpredictable to use ...it was an impulse buy thanks to the influence of Josu Maroto
Rotring Art Pen– this is one of the pens I used as a uni student and used this at work. It is even lighter than the Lamy Joy (old style) but for some reason I don’t like writing with it so would only use it when drawing. It seems to leak a lot so I have since abandoned it- sick of having ink marks on my fingers during client meetings!
Fancy Lamy pen that I bought in the early days to hold my gold nib... But it is too heavy so has a calligraphy nib now.
BTW I also have a small collection of Hero and Sailor pens now and always carry a brush pen. The Pentel pocket brush pen has been a favourite for many years. I do like to have a pen that makes expressive lines — which I use as my 'fast tool'. The specific pen I have with me varies over time but their is always one in my kit.
Qn: What's that small cute pen below? Is it difficult to use?
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It is a Kaweco Sport and tiny with the lid on. Despite my love for long tail pens this one is surprisingly comfortable to hold. I don’t have a converter for it so currently am using it with water soluble ink. I really love it and it is SO cute!
Qn: What kind of ink do you use with your Lamy pens?
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I use Noodler's bulletproof black as my standard ink. I haven't tried any alternatives as I have been very happy with it — and other options are not available in Australia (not that paying for overseas shipping has ever stopped me buying new stuff before!)
I know a lot of people have problems with this ink, but it works just fine for me and I often don’t wait long before putting watercolour over the top. The theories on why it runs for some people and not others include the amount of humidity in the air, the cotton content in the paper, whether you are drawing over graphite and how many stop and starts you have with your line work.
My personal theory is that it is important to keep the ink flowing. My Lamy Joy gets used everyday and I never have a problem... but the ink in pens that sit around do get very sticky.
Qn: Do you ever mix your own ink?
Never have tried that — tell me more... (no! don't tempt me)
Qn: You use a lot of watercolours. What was the first watercolour set you use?
In 2007 I discovered watercolour in a field kit and bought a Cotman kit without any knowledge that it was student grade (I have had no art training or background). It served me very well for about 18 months but then one morning, shortly after starting to share my work online, I woke up and just knew that I needed to buy artists quality from that moment onwards.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. A WN Cotman box replaced with artist quality Daniel Smith & WN watercolour paints
Photo of my using it in Norway on a fast moving boat in a fjord in 2007...(sketching in crazy opportunities has always been a part of my work)
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I am a firm believer in buying the best quality materials that you can afford… but I also don't think that people should rush out and buy expensive art materials if they will never end up using them.
Some of the Cotman kits have great lightweight compact boxes and this first box of mine is one of the best 12 pan kits out there. Cotman are not lightfast and have a lot less pigment — you can get strong colours with them but you have to work really hard. You also miss out on granulation which is my favourite aspect of watercolour. I would love to find a good affordable off the shelf kit for beginners!
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Qn: What's the watercolour box that you're using now? The schmincke one? Why? I notice there are no holders holding the pans down. How do they stick to the bottom of the box?
It is compact but with fold out mixing trays and I like the three divisions to the lid (one for brown/grey/ one for blue and one for green — I try to mix the same colours in the same places in my palette)
I drilled the metal clips off the tray and then fix the pans to it using blutack - that way I can load up the box with more paint!
Qn: What are the different brands of watercolour you use? Do you see any difference between them?
I mainly use Daniel Smith(DS) watercolours as they are the most vibrant colours I have tested.
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However, I am not brand loyal but rather test out each pigment in different brands to find the one that works best for me. I also have one or two Schmincke and a few Winsor and Newton(WN) colours that I use.
Art supplies are VERY expensive in Australia and DS are cheaper than WN but WN are available in every art store, DS only in a few.
I personally do not think there is a great difference between pan and tube as a general blanket statement — there is a huge difference between pigments and brands. Some tube paint can dry rock hard and it can be more difficult to pick up colour from them than it is from pans which are designed to be re-wet numerous times. I think the problem is that many people who use pans often don't pre-wet them.
When I am travelling and using them everyday my pan paint have been very soft and vibrant... but as DS paints only come in tube paints that is what I am using these days.
Qn: What's your methodology towards choosing colours?
It is a combination of using a standard split primary with a few earth colours and then a few personal choices based around the colours that I use most. I think it is really important for people to build their palette around their own love of colour and typical subject matter.
As I work fast I do not want to be spending time mixing up a lot of colour and also I only use a very small water container... so I do include a few colours that I know will mix together well and easily.
I love granulating colours and putting down a few juicy washes and let the pigment interaction do the work. I also look for vibrant colours - the Australian light is bright and think my use of colour reflects that.
Qn: I know you like to get different colours to try out. Don't you get confused when there are so many colours? Since each watercolour would have their own characteristic.
No I don't get confused as I know the characteristics of the colours that I have in my palette and I also know what work I want them to do.
I am always comparing new options with the existing 'friends' in my palette. I want those pigments in my palette to be as flexible as possible - so I am always on the look out for the best mixers.
Earlier in the year I had a session with local artist Jane Blundell who really knows her paints and we worked systematically through my palette looking at alternatives to what I had — this was an intensive masterclass...but normally I would just test one colour at a time. I am looking for vibrant mixes and a bit of pigment interaction.
Qn: What other materials do you use besides watercolour? What's your perference? I saw some pencils
Lately I have been very interested in exploring water soluble pens and pencils.
Although I see myself as an 'ink girl' I was surprised earlier in the year that I enjoyed pencil as well — it seems to suit me better than ink when I am working fast. I hate anything that smudges but found that the Derwent sketching pencils (slightly water soluble) don't smudge as much as normal pencil.
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This photo shows some pens/pencils that I used when in Melbourne earlier in the year…and I am not sure how many I will keep in my kit long term.
Qn. Do you have any watercolour book to recommend? You mentioned Transparent Watercolour Wheel.
Transparent Watercolour Wheel was the first book I read that really got me focus on the different types of pigments and why I was getting mud due to mixing too many opaque pigments.
I also read a wonderful blog post by Roz Stendahl on how she choose colours in her palette (that post really should be the thinking process behind setting up a palette).
But my biggest reference is the Handprint site. I have spent hours and hours and hours poring through the pages there. Bruce McEvoy's basic palette rationale and then reading up on pigments.
But that is just about colour …
Qn: Name 8 watercolour colours that you must have.
What, only eight! I love colour so much that it is hard to limit myself but if I have to I would use a standard split primary approach and 2 earth colours
I use an Escoda pocket sable brush #8 as my standard brush. I prefer the Da Vinca travel brushes but they are much more expensive. I love the softness, the hold and the springiness of the sable but unfortunately I wear out the points on these brushes and need a new one every 6 months.
I have tried using full pans and picking up the paint sideways on the brush but still the points wear out. So I am about to try the Escoda synthetic brushes for daily use and see if they last longer - or use they in combination with a sable. I also carry a 20mm flat brush (synthetic) and a rigger brush.
I want to try using a squirrel brush and am playing with a small synthetic dagger brush at the moment (always trying new things!)
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Qn: I remembered you baked your tube colours once. Why did you do that? Did it damage the colours? Won't they just dry by themselves overnight or over a few days?
I have had problems with paint running all over the place after leaving to dry for 2 days so I like to allow for a full week before using them.
However I often don't have that amount of time. Through a friend I heard about a trick of putting them in the oven for 1 hour or so on 50C (just a bit hotter than a hot day!) I find it works very well and I always ventilate my oven well afterwards. But one time however I was careless about the temperature! (actually I have done it twice)
Qn: You're an architect, right? Are the tools you use for work different from leisure art? How are they different?
I have worked for an architect for nearly 20 years and have always done a lot of freehand drawing even in these days of computer domination. Some of the drawings and tools that I use are
working drawings as I design. Done with ink pen on yellow trace (or butter paper) and I work very rapidly. The faster I draw the more design options I can explore.
sketches of design concepts for preliminary meeting with clients. Ink or felt pen sketches over basic computer generated 3D models. Often coloured with markers (such as Copic or Admarker) and/or coloured pencils
more polished sketches for submissions. Similar to above but a composite of freehand and computer images. Put together and enhanced in Photoshop
lots of freehand details issued to builders during construction - drawn with felt pen on tracing paper.
So basically mainly dry media either on bond paper or trace paper. A degree of modification in photoshop is normally done. It needs to be flexible and easily modified.
This year I have been doing some architectural illustrations and they are ink and watercolour on watercolour paper.
Qn: I remembered you have this cloth band around your wrist. What's that?
A black sweat band for wiping my brush. To clean my brush and preserve my water as long as possible I dip and dab
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Qn: Which sketchbook do you use?
I like using the A4 watercolour moleskine in landscape format for my travel sketchbook — I like the paper — it suits my use of both ink, watercolour and watercolour pencils and the larger size gives me plenty of room for text, maps and collage of tickets and bits and pieces that I collect during the day. It is a little heavy to carry around as a daily sketchbook.
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Qn: You're also trying out some Stillman & Birn sketchbooks. What do you think about them?
I love the Stillman and Birn sketchbooks.
I love that they have a bright white range - the Alpha and Beta paper.
The Beta paper is 270 gsm and beautiful to work with - but with only 52 pages in a sketchbook I go through it too quickly. I am using one right at the moment and nearly half filled it in a week. So for my daily sketchbook I love the Alpha paper (120pages, 150 gsm). It is not watercolour paper but can withstand a lot of water and mixed media and is perfect for my day to day scribbles and sketches.
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I have also recently tried the Zeta paper which is smooth and 270 gsm. It was great for ink work and would suit a lot of people's ink and wash. I like to get more interesting effects with my pigments and this paper didn't perform as well as the Beta or the Alpha.
Qn: I read in a post you were recommending some colour pencils for a class you were teaching. What are they?
I like to have a small collection of watercolour pencils with me for three reasons
for quick sketches when I am on the run and standing up.
for adding tone and colour when inside museums or churches etc where I can't use water.
for adding texture. I mostly add watercolour over the top rather than just water.
These are Faber Castell and are by far my favourite brand of watercolour pencils. I also like some of the Derwent Inktense colours but sadly they are not lightfast. As you can see in this page what I 'should' have in my bag and what I end up with changes over time.
Qn: Have you ever bought something from the art shop, went back and tried it and dislike it?
Yes - occasionally! I have a few tubes of paints that I bought and didn't like. But sometimes I do find a use for them down the tract in my architectural illustration work. I still haven't found the perfect watercolour paper that suits my work.
Qn: Which scanner do you use? I noticed that even when scanning a spiral sketchbook, the scanned image appears to be perfectly sharp, even when there are areas of the paper not touching the surface of the scanner glass.
Epson V500 Photo scanner and have had it for a number of years and very happy. The spiral book you refer to was the Stillman and Birn zeta paper and at 270gsm it did sit nice and flat on the glass.
I always scan with a large heavy book over the top to flatten the sketchbook as much as possible. Ideally I scan with the spine of the book perpendicular to the direction of the scanning light so it doesn't pick up as much of the shadow in the spine. I then join using photo merge in Photoshop (don't always do this but it gives a much better result!)
I also pick up the white of the page with the magic wand and use the dodge tool to lighten it manually. I don't use levels to do this as it causes the light watercolour to blow out. (I have a 'how I scan' post on my to-do list!)
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Qn: You've an interesting carrying bag? Tell us about it. What's your bare essentials sketching tools?
I am always looking for a handbag that is light (less than 500gsm) looks smart and has good front pockets for quick access to art tools. The secret of sketching especially when travelling is to be ready to go in a few seconds!
I am also developing the ‘perfect’ pen holder - this current prototype which I took to Barcelona in July is working well but I will make some adjustments in the next model. The idea is to have a pen holder that is compact, that allows every tool to be easily accessible when in my bag pocket and that can also be taken out and hung around my neck while sketching.
90% of the time I use my Lamy pen and watercolour and Escoda 8 brush but I also like a few watercolour pencils and 1 expressive line pen(a brush pen) as my 'fast tools'.
Qn: Last question, what media are you looking forward to try next? Why?
Well I really want to develop my watercolour skills primarily ... am I am looking for the perfect fountain pen with expressive lines. But in terms of something different...
I have a desire to do more studio work, work bigger on canvas (even abstract) and try oils (though I am not sure when I will find the time for that!)
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Parka: Special thanks to Liz Steel. I might have gotten carried away by asking so many questions. *laughs*. She writes even more on her blog.
Qn: Can you give our readers a little introduction of yourself?
Hello! My name is Favian Ee. I'm working as a visual effects artist for movies. I've been drawing since young, specialising mainly in comic and cartoon illustration. Nowadays I also do a fair bit of urban sketching.
I studied computer engineering in university, but went back to animation school for a complete career switch. Some of my works can be found on my art blog at http://fav-art.blogspot.sg. I also keep a travel sketching blog at http://sketchpacker.blogspot.sg and update it now and then, especially before and after a trip.
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Qn: What are colour pencils are those? Seems like a mixture of two brands.
The solid-coloured ones are Prismacolor. I was given a set ages ago. The greys are Derwent Colorsoft. There are a couple of Col-Erase ones on the left, some Cretacolor ones, and a couple of Conte pencils. I've since added more Prismacolors to my collection and repacked my pencil wrap a bit.
Qn: What's the pencil wrap that you're using? Is it good at protecting the pencils?
It's a Derwent pencil wrap. It protects the pencils well. Once rolled up, the pencils provide support for one another. I don't find my leads breaking in the wrap.
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Qn: Are these the same colour pencils as above? What pencil case is that. Looks like leather?
Yes, these are from the same set above. I just got this Global Art Pencil Case today. It holds 24 pencils, but in a very tight fit. Reviews say the elastic bands are very tight. I wanted to see how the pencils fit so I took some of the Prismacolors and put it in. It can hold other kinds of pens and pencils. It is genuine leather but very affordable. Comes in canvas and different colours, and also different sizes holding 48, 72, and 120 pencils.
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Qn: What's this bag used for?
This is a pen case made by Lihit Lab. I use it to hold a basic kit, especially for traveling. Currently it holds my mini travel watercolour box, 3 travel brushes, 3 Pentel waterbrushes, 5 Micron pens, a pencil, a white gel pen, 3 Hero fountain pens, an eraser, a plastic card, a small piece of sponge, and even a small box of 6 Koh-I-Noor watercolour pencils. I used to use a Smiggle case, but found this more compact.
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Qn: What watercolours do you use? Do you have any preference for specific brand?
I use Winsor and Newton, Holbein, Schmincke, and ShinHan. This is my mini travel set comprising of W&N half-pans, Holbeins and ShinHans (squeezed from tubes). I like the greens by ShinHan (a Korean brand). Holbein is an affordable option and pretty good. This set is chosen for transparency, so my Schmincke colours (which are mostly opaque) aren't represented here.
Qn: What watercolour box is that? It looks customised. Usually there's some sort of pan holder in the middle, right?
It is a Rembrandt box for 12 half-pans. I took out the holder so I could fit more pans in (stuck to the base with blu tack). It holds as many colours (actually a little more) as my 24 half-pan W&N set, but occupies less than half the space.
Qn: Do you prefer watercolour tubes or pans?
When I'm on the go, I tend to use pans because tubes can be messy. I'll squeeze the tubes into empty pans and let them dry for 2-3 days if I want the colours in my set. They are just more convenient that way. But if I'm painting larger pieces at home, I might opt for tubes.
Qn: What's that shiny thing beside the watercolour pans?
It's a bullet. I'm kidding. That is an Ashley 2000R travel brush. Size 5, red sable.
Qn: Do you use any other watercolour brushes?
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Yes. I have a couple of Da Vinci kolinsky travel brushes, another size 12 Da Vinci Maestro, a size 16 Escoda Ultimo mixed-hair mop, and several smaller Raphaels and other random brushes.
Qn: What watercolour paper do you prefer?
I haven't tried many watercolor papers, but from those I've tried, my favourite is the one used in the etcetra sketchbook produced by Grandeluxe. It doesn't dry too quickly and allows you to play with your colours more. At the same time it doesn't dry too slowly either. Moleskine's is not bad too, but they are much more expensive.
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Qn: What do you use these bottles for?
They are for holding water for painting. The Nutella one was given to me by my brother and sister-in-law (with the Nutella inside!). It holds the same amount of water as a film cartridge box, but is more stable. Its small size makes it easy to carry around for quick sketches. Fits nicely into my waist-pouch too! The pink one at the bottom is used when I need more water. It is collapsible, so it's quite compact to bring around.
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Qn: These look like dip pens. Can you give us a rundown on them and what you use them for? What's the difference? There are quite a lot of them.
I began using dip pens when I was doing more comic illustration. I did a comic book once using the Japanese G nib, but have since moved away from them as they laid down too much ink for my liking. I stick to the Hunt 102 and Hunt 107 nibs now, which are preferred by comic artists in the west. The 102 has good flex for line variation, but at the same time it has a fair amount of stiffness and gives me good control over my lines. The 107 has less flex and gives a more even line. I also use a Hunt 56 pretty often. It is a very flexible nib that gives a broader line than the 102.
Dip pen nibs are broadly classified into writing and drawing nibs. Drawing nibs tend to have a sharp tip while writing nibs may have sharp, flat, or even circular tips. Some specialty nibs may have several tips per nib - something resembling a comb - that allows you to write or draw parallel lines. There are even nibs made in other shapes like that of a hand, and even the Eiffel Tower! Those are mainly decorative.
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Each nib has its own characteristic, such as stiffness and ability to hold ink. Some nibs come with a reservoir that increases the capacity before you have to recharge the pen (i.e. dip it in the ink bottle again). It takes some experimentation to find something that suits your drawing style. The shank of the nib that connects to the holder comes in about 3 or 4 standard shapes/sizes, so it's important to get the right holder for the nib you are using. Be sure to try your nibs on the holder before buying to make sure it fits.
Dip pen holders come in different shapes and sizes too. My favourite is the aluminium one in the middle that holds a nib at each end. Each end fits a nib with a different type of shank, and they can be unscrewed or tightened to attach the nibs. For calligraphy, some holders have an armature that hold the nib at an offset angle. They are called oblique holders and are used normally for writing rather than drawing. When choosing a holder, the most important thing is whether it can fit the nib you want to use it with. The next thing is whether it can hold the nib tightly. If the nib is too loose, it may slide into the holder when you apply pressure, or it may rotate while you are drawing, affecting your artwork. The third thing is ergonomics (and, of course, cost).
One more note about dip pen nibs is that they usually come with a thin layer of grease to prevent rusting. You need to get the grease off before using them or it will affect the flow. Some people rub it off with an eraser. I prefer to pass the nib quickly through a lighter flame and burn the grease off. It's quicker. But don't hold it in the flame too long or you might ruin the nib.
Qn: Do you use technical pens, if so, what do you use?
I don't use technical pens like the Rotring types. As a comic artist, I tend to like some line variation. If I want to draw with even lines, I usually use felt-tip Micron pens. I use mainly Sakura's Micron pens for the archival ink and darkness of the blacks. Not all blacks are equally black, especially when it comes to felt-tip pens.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: What are the items in this set? What are they used for?
The leftmost pen is a Hero 578 curved-nib fountain pen. It is very versatile and allows me to draw thin as well as thick lines depending on the angle with which I'm holding the pen. I usually load it with Calli ink because it's waterproof and quite affordable. However, the ink can dry and affect the flow if the pen is not used in a while, but usually dipping the tip in some water would get it working again. That failing, it would be time to wash and flush the pen.
The next 2 are Pentel ink brushes. The grey one has a smaller tip size. The ink is waterproof (be warned: not every ink brush comes with waterproof ink!).
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The 3 blue ones are Pentel waterbrushes of different sizes. The handle is a reservoir for water, so they can be used without having to carry a water container around. Just squeeze to wet the tip, and wipe it off to clean it.
The pouch on the right is the Accurasee Sketch Caddie. It is my favourite travel pencil case. It is about A5 size and has an elastic band that slips over an A5 portrait-format sketchbook (hard)cover easily. It is quite spacious and holds everything in the photo, and then some. On its front it has elastic bands to hold 3 pens/pencils. The ones in the photo are a mechanical pencil, a Pentel pocket brush, and a Pilot Parallel Pen (a flat-tipped calligraphy pen, but I use it mainly for drawing). It also has 2 front pouches for other small items like erasers, cartridges, sharpeners, etc.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Pilot Parallel Pen
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. ShinHan Touch markers
Qn: What are these markers that you use? They don't seem like Copic markers. How do they compare to Copic markers?
These are ShinHan Touch markers. Very similar to Copic, but cheaper. They are very comparable. The colours are vibrant. They are duo-tipped. I prefer those with one flat broad, and one brush tip on each side. They also have another type with a fine and a flat broad. Like Copic, these are alcohol based and may bleed through normal paper. They should be used in well-ventilated areas.
Qn: How do you choose the colours for these markers?
I buy the Touch markers individually and choose them based on the colours I'm most likely to use. Because markers tend to be expensive, I don't usually invest in the entire range. I also try to think what colours I can get if I layer them. I have a set of 6 greys (3 warm, 3 cool) which I sometimes use to layer over the other colours to darken them.
The Touch markers are also mixable using a colourless blender. You can mix several colours on a plastic sheet using the colourless blender and use the blender to apply the colour to your artwork. The blender can then be wiped off for the next use.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Coloured with Shinhan markers
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Coloured with Shinhan watercolours
Qn: What paper do you use these markers on? Are there special considerations when using markers?
ShinHan produces their own marker paper which is surprisingly good. It is very thin and comes in a pad, but the markers don't bleed right through to the sheet underneath, even though you can see the colours on the underside. I don't know how they do it. Other than that, I just use them on any paper that takes markers without bleeding too much. If I'm afraid of them bleeding through to the sheet below, I just put a piece of card or scrap paper under the sheet I'm drawing on.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Faber Castell Pitt pens
Qn: What are these pens are and what do you use them for?
These are Faber Castell Pitt pens. These are the brush-tip variety (they also come in the normal felt-tip pen form). They come in sets (eg. greys, browns, landscape, basic colours, etc.) but may also be bought individually.
I have about 20 of them. Unlike normal markers like Touch and Copic, these are not alcohol-based and will not bleed through paper. They contain pigmented India ink. The colours are not as intense as my Touch markers, and they are not refillable either. However, they are compact and versatile and allow me to use them on normal sketchbooks without worrying about whether they are going to show through the underside of the page I'm colouring on.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Created with Pitt pens
Qn: What sketchbooks do you use?
I use a variety of sketchbooks, but tend to gravitate towards those with multi-media paper, such as Daler Rowney's Graduate and Simply series, Stillman and Birn Alpha and Gamma, and the Sketch2book, which is a handy portrait-cum-landscape sketchbook in one.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Moleskine watercolour sketchbook
I've used Moleskine's watercolour sketchbook as a travel sketchbook too, but that's for ink and watercolour, and not very suitable for colour pencils and markers, for which I prefer less textured paper with a bit of grain.
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Recently I bought a Derwent panoramic sketchbook to do panoramic scenes. It has been quite fun!
Qn: You create artworks for games and videos right? What equipment do you use at work?
Actually I don't do artwork for games and videos in my current line of work, since the films we work on are all live-action. While I was in animation school, however, I specialised in concept art. Most of my artwork then was created digitally, or inked on paper then coloured in Photoshop. The exception was storyboards, for which I tended to use pencils or coloured pencils for the linework. For other illustrations, including my comics, I usually do my linework on paper using dip pens or sable brush and india ink on Japanese comic paper before scanning them and colouring them in Photoshop. Some of those illustrations can be found at http://www.zazzle.com/wensworld.
Today we have Suhita Shirodkar with us. I can't remember exactly where I've seen her artworks but it's probably either on her blog or Flickr page.
I love her fluid lines and use of colours that make her drawings really lively and fresh. She usually sketches on location and occasionally post on the Urban Sketchers blog.
So let's have her tell us more about herself.
Qn: Can you give our readers an introduction of yourself?
I'm Suhita Shirodkar. An urban sketcher, watercolor artist and graphic designer. I grew up in India and now live in San Jose, California.
I love vivid color and pattern, and I particularly like drawing urban landscapes full of people and activity. I attribute my love for crowds and for color to growing up in urban India, where everyday life is a mad whirl of colour, commotion and people.
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Qn: How did you pick up watercolours?
I started out using colored pencil. But I was quickly drawn to the vibrant nature of watercolor, and the ability to mix so many hues with a limited color palette.
I love the wild, untameable nature of the medium. I'm mostly self-taught, but I look at the work of many, many artists all the time, and that might be the best education I have had.
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Qn: What are your favourite drawing tools?
My main drawing tool is an Extra Fine Point Sharpie (US | UK).
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I always have 4 or 5 of these in my sketch bag all the time. I never want to run short of them! 4-5 sharpies is a lot. But i am not super-organized so pens go "missing" in the depths of my sketch bag. Also, I often have my kids ( I have 2, a 6 and an 8 year old) with me when I am out sketching, and they tend to want to use the same supplies as me, so I always have extras.
They're an unusual pen for a sketcher to use but I love that they are waterproof, and also that the ink flows out of them very fast: this makes me sketch quickly to prevent big blots. Actually, I like that they create little dots of ink every time I pause on the page: The little blots mark the pauses they mark the passage of my hand across a sketch.
Qn: What watercolour brushes do you use? I noticed that many travel sketchers like to use waterbrushes. Have you tried them before?
I might be the rare urban Sketcher that doesn't like the waterbrush. I can't seem to get the hang of squeezing down for waterflow and free movement for my strokes: they don't work together for me.
So I stick with traditional brushes : a #4 , #6 and a round #10 or #12.
Most watercolor artists use Kolinsky sable brushes (US | UK), but I find I prefer hardier Cotman watercolor brushes (US | UK). They stand up to a lot rougher treatment than do sable brushes, and I am not gentle on my brushes when I paint!
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Qn: Your sketches are always so colourful. What are some of your favourite colours?
Strangely, my must-have colors are not my brights: they are Payne's Grey, Raw Sienna and Burnt Umber, which help quieten down my super-bright colour palette and add depths and tones.
My brights I change out often: I'll experiment with different reds, yellows and blues, but my neutrals are what grounds my work.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: What are the pens do you use with your sketches? The ink from your watercolour sketches certainly look waterproof.
Yes, it is waterproof. My trusted Extra Fine Sharpie is my most common pen to use, but I'll switch it out every once in a while for a Lamy Safari pen with a medium nib.
Most of the time I'm using Noodler's bulletproof ink in it, but I've been experimenting with more organic line with non-waterproof inks and with using India ink and a bamboo pen.
Qn: I see a normal pencil. What's that used for? How does that compare to the more convenient technical pencil?
I always use a normal pencil, an HB or 2B sharpened with an exacto knife (US | UK, not a regular sharpener )
I like the point I can make like this better than a more mechanical, even point from a sharpener or a technical pencil.
If I use a technical pencil, I find my lines are more angular looking, not flowing. With an exacto-sharpened pencil, I can go from using the point of my pencil to using it almost horizontal to the page for a softer, looser line, all in one stroke.
Qn: What sketchbooks do you use? The watercolour seems to work well on them.
The Cachet books are great value for money, but I can't seem to find them anymore. I love the paper quality on a Moleskine, but don't always like the warm-colored paper: it works well in the summer when most scenes are bathed in a warm light. But in the winter, I feel I have to fight the paper to achieve a cooler, crisper light.
My current favorite is the Stillman & Birn Beta series (US | UK) of books which have bright white paper and hold up fabulously to my heavy use of pigments and water. They're quite heavily sized, so the pigment takes longer to dry, but it works for me because I work wet in wet. And, I always have a second sketchbook around so I can let one sketch dry while I start on another.
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Qn: I was looking at your sketches from way back and noticed that your sketchbooks are mostly spiral bound. Do you have a preference towards spiral bound sketchbooks? Why? I mean sometimes it's difficult to draw across the gutter where the spiral is, especially when you want to complete a wide scene.
Yes, it is hard to compose and draw across the gutter, but I rarely do that. What I gain with a spiral bound book is convenience: I can fold the books over easily when I sketch. I am often drawing standing, and I have been moving to larger and larger sizes(I use my 9x12 inch Stillman & Birn sketchbook quite a lot lately) so spiral bound books really work for me.
Qn: Do you use loose sheet watercolour paper?
Not often. Unless I am working on commercial illustration work, and then I use Fabriano watercolor paper (US | UK) in larger sizes.
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Qn: What's the carrying bag that you're using? Is it good for carrying drawing materials? Is it heavy? Do you have a stool to sit on?
My bag is a Timbuk2 messenger bag (US | UK). I really like how comfortable it is to wear and that it's waterproof, so if I were to get rained on, my books are relatively safe. I've used a backpack at other times, but I prefer wide-format bag to a tall one, as it makes it easier to reach for things.
I own a Walkstool (US | UK), but don't end up using it much. Usually the best vantage points for me to draw from are places where I have to stand to draw. Or, I am happy to squat on a pavement and sketch most of the time.
Qn: Who's the next artist do you think we should feature?
That's a hard one, I can think of so many.
I'd love to peek in the sketch kit of Inma Serrano. She is a genius with color.
Or, of an artist I follow on flickr known as mango Frooty.
Or Shari who has a way with light and watercolors that is poetic.
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You can check out more artworks from Suhita Shirodkar on her blog, Flickr page and Etsy store:
We have Katarzyna Kozlowska aka Lady2 (DeviantArt | facebook), an artist from Poland to talk about her drawing tools today.
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Her coloured pencil drawings and portraits really captured my attention, especially the eyes of her subjects. She has even created a tutorial on drawing eyes with coloured pencils.
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Alright, let's get on with the interview.
Qn: Can you give our readers an introduction of yourself?
I don’t like to talk about myself – it’s always so hard! My works do it instead of me. But to be serious: I am an average girl from Eastern Europe. Bein’ into drawing since I was a little girl… And began to draw seriously in 2009. Now I’m studying an architecture. And all my free time I spend on drawing, sketching, learning about art etc. My whole world is about this art thing. I also do private and commercial commissions. Still trying to develop in this direction...
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: It seems like coloured pencils are your preferred drawing medium. Why do you like about them?
You got me! I have to admit that I discovered coloured pencils recently…
Previously I drew only using ordinary pencils you find everywhere. But I came into the conclusion that it’s time for small changes. So I’m still learning how to use them... However, I'm charmed by power of these little bastards! :D
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Qn: What brand are these coloured pencils? Can you talk about the colours here? This is an interesting set of colours. I see mainly flesh tone colours, with reds, a blue, purple and green.
This is probably one of my favourite sets for drawing people. Because of a range of tones here - you can draw any type of skin tone without getting an artificial feeling. And it’s Polycolor set by Kooh-i-Noor. I really love them!
For a long time I hesitated on buying them because they are not cheap. However, everyone recommend them to me so I decided to take a risk. And I was not disappointed!
These are by far the best coloured pencils which I had the pleasure to draw. They are very soft and soooo easy to blend ... Perfect.
Unfortunately, I have a fairly small set. That is why I support them with Polycolor. Together make my perfect duo.
Qn How long do the colour pencils last? Your drawings are quite large. I suppose you would use up the pencils very quickly? Are the pencils sold separately?
This may seem strange, but colored pencils are more efficient than a pencil. They are expensive - but they are worth it. All the pencils I’ve got you can buy separately. However, it is more economical to buy the whole set.
Qn: What are the qualities of a good quality coloured pencil?
For me, a good coloured pencils must be sufficiently high quality that can be really easy to blend. And of course my must have is a wide range of non-standard colours.
Qn: Where do you buy the pencils? At art stores or online? I'm asking this because some artists are afraid of buying their pencils online for the fear of them breaking during shipping.
Usually I buy in the shops stationary. However, for few times I have ordered things on the Internet. They are so well packed that there is no way to break during the delivery.
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: Can you give us a quick rundown on the pencils you use? What's the difference between the technical pencils? What's that cute yellow pencil(?)?
In the picture you can see my personal set of pencils which I usually use when I draw black and white works.
After many years I collected the pencils which I think are best for me. So you can see 2h, 2b, 4b, 6b, 9b in different brands. I totally love Faber Castell green pencils. They are sooo cool! I also use two mechanical pencils: 0,5 and 0.3 mm.
Hhaha that cute yellow pencil is my mechanical eraser. The best they’ve ever invented.
Qn: What eraser do you use? Is it good? Some erasers can be quite brittle.
I use my cute yellow eraser. It is compact, does not leave streaks … There is nothing worse than drawing spoiled by bad eraser. So I recommend mechanical ones.
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: What paper do you use? I see some Daler Rowney and Canson drawing pads. The Canson drawing pad above seems to be for pastel work. Do these papers work well with coloured pencils?
I have tested sooo many papers from sooo many different brands that I found that Daler&Rowney paper is the best for me. They are really high quality and quite cheap. Also the texture is excellent for any mediums.
The Canson one is for pastel medium but I bought it to try coloured pencils on it… We will see how it works.
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: What are some of the sketchbooks you use?
The best paper is from Daler&Rowney so all my sketchbooks are from this company. The black one is sooo great because it’s got spirals and you can draw easily on each sides. The one with butterfly is the one I’ve handmade.
Qn: How do you protect your artworks? Pencil sketches in sketchbook have a tendency to smudge when in contact with other pages. How about the single sheet artworks?
For All my works I use an ordinary hair spray :D Yes I know that it’s seems weird … but it really works and it’s waaay cheaper than professional sprays.
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Qn: How do you scan the large drawings?
I visit the printing press - where they have professional scanners.
I always packed them into the paper tube. It’s so strong that nothing can be damaged.
Qn: Who else do you think we should feature next?
There are so many great artists, it's hard to choose one. Maybe Jennifer Healy– she is my great inspiration!
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That's all from Katarzyna Kozlowska. You can check out her works at
His artworks are usually rendered with meticulous line work. His whimsical characters and creations from imagination are wonderful. The style is bold and striking.
In this interview, we'll talk about the drawing tools that he use to create those illustrations.
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Qn: Let's talk about your pens first. What pens do you use? What do you like about them?
I use Uni Pin Fineliners. What I like about them is that they are light, feels very comfortable when used and most especially, don't smudge on my sketchbooks. The tips are felt tip with sizes ranging from 0.05 to 0.8. For larger areas that need to be entirely black, I use Sharpie black markers to save time.
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Qn: How long can the pens last? Have you considered using technical pens that are refillable?
For my Moleskine drawings, one pen can last for approximately 8 hours of continuous drawing and can fill up two or more pages depending on the complexity of the doodle.
I have tried using refillable pens before but most of them are just good when used for the first time and not once refilled. The strokes will vary — depending on the number of times the pen was refilled. I don't have all the patience.
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Qn: What are some of the other drawing tools that you use besides the pens?
The markers, colour sticks, pencils. We'll talk about paper and sketchbooks further down.
Aside from the pens I also use oil pastels, rulers, sharpie markers, a drawing tablet and the good old pencil.
Qn: Have you tried other pens before?
Yes of course. I tried different multiliners before from different brands before I settle down on using Uni Pins which I felt more comfortable and reliable.
Qn: I see there's a Wacom tablet there. What model is that? What type of artwork do you use the tablet to create? What do you think about working with a tablet vs working with pens?
It is a Wacom Bamboo Pen and Touch. I use it in refining, cleaning up and coloring drawings on Photoshop or creating an entire digital doodle work. I don't use it often though since I still prefer everything done the traditional way.
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Qn: What sketchbooks and paper do you use? Do they work well with your drawing materials?
I use a regular A4 multi-purpose paper for most projects or just quick sketching sessions. I use a Canson A3 drawing sketchbook for more complicated drawings. My first ever sketchbook dedicated to doodling is the Berkeley Sketch Pad with pages same as with the quality of a regular watercolour paper.
Most of the time, I always bring with me my Moleskine pocket sketchbooks for quick doodling when boredom strikes.
Oh by the way, I also tried using a blackpad before to explore more possibilities in drawing but I haven't been making any progress after drawing in two pages of it. Probably a new goal for next year.
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Qn: For the Moleskine sketchbooks, do you draw on every page? When you scan the drawings, does the drawing from the previous page make an impression on the scanned pages?
I draw on every page-spread. When you are using a Uni Pin on a Moleskine sketchbook, there is a least chance of making an impression on the current page from the drawings of the previous pages when scanned. The pages in moleskine are sturdy and thick enough to avoid it. And that's one reason I like about this sketchbook.
Qn: Who else do you think we should feature next?
Swedish artist Mattias Adolfsson who has been a great inspiration for me. Google his name and you'll see why you need to feature him next. :)
Francis Theo is a sketcher from Urban Sketchers Singapore. Since joining the group in 2012, he has been sketching frequently and has now filled more than a dozen sketchbooks.
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Qn: You are more a pen and ink guy. Can you talk about the pens you have used in the past and which ones do you use most often?
Qn: I noticed you use a variation of sketching papers. Can you elaborate on your drawing process and how each different kind of sketchbooks appeal to you?
I sketched on any paper that I can get hold, Chinese rice paper, back of parking coupons, pastel paper, home made sketchbook from recycle paper, cheap and expensive sketch books.
When I joined the Urban Sketchers Singapore in 2012, I have no confidence in my sketch. I sketched with a pencil and go over with pen. After a few sketchwalks I begin to sketch with my first HERO 9018 pen, the rest are history.
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Most of my sketches are landscape format. Moleskine Japanese Album and Daler Rowney Panorama Sketchbook are ideal for my need. The accordion design of Moleskine Japanese Album allow me to continue sketch a whole street scene or merging from one scene to another.
I used Square format sketchbooks for sketching tight subjects and the good thing is that I can spread open to sketch landscape format.
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When travelling I prefer to travel light, the ideal size to bring is the landscape format (21 x 13 cm ) sketchbook. It is light to carry can slip into my sling bag easily.
Qn: You use dry medium like coloured pencils for some of your works. What are the appeal of coloured pencils for you?
The coloured pencils are not my favourite, I preferred the 4 in 1 coloured pencils. All I need for field sketching is a sketchbook, one 4 in 1 color pencil and a pencils sharpener. I use the Caran D’ache coloured pencils at home, it is too bulky to bring out for field work.
Qn: What watercolour brushes are you using currently?
I use Taklon Ashley, Holbein, Pentel pen brush, some old brushes from BVI days ( can’t read the brand ) and Make-up brushes from my wife.
Qn: What are art supplies do you hope to get in the future for your drawing purposes?
More choices of affordable good fountain pens, drawing inks and sketchbooks.
Qn: What are things you look out for when urban sketching?
Since I was a teen, I have been fascinated by buildings, cityscape and landscape, especially old buildings.
Instead of drawing them I photographed. Because of my photography background, I approach my subject and capture from a photographer perspective — compose and visualise in my mind before I sketch.
Qn: Who's the next artist do you think we should feature?
Don Low, my idol. He multi talented artist . He will inspire a lot new artists.
For this interview we have Richard Sheppard. He's a freelance illustrator and fine art artist whose art have appeared in books (e.g. An Illustrated Journey) and galleries. He has also authored a book called The Artist on the Road based on his 2009 trip in Greece.
Qn: Tell us a bit more about yourself. How long have you been creating art or sketching?
I attended Arizona State University back in the 1980s then transferred to the Academy of Art University in San Francisco where I studied Illustration under Barbara Bradley, Barron Storey, and Howard Brodie. At the Academy, sketchbooks were required and it’s there that I first started sketching out of doors. At the time, it was difficult for me to sketch in public and it wasn’t until I went on an extended sketching trip to Greece that I got beyond my fears.
Since graduating in 1996, I’ve illustrated books, package designs, and publicity materials. I also write and sketch local scenes for our county newspaper. My "Sense of Place" column appears in the Towns section. I’m currently working on my next book "Impressions of Wine Country" to be published in summer 2014.
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Qn: What are your tools of trade on the road, and that you use for freelance illustration?
A few years ago, while preparing for my trip to Greece, I designed a sketching kit that I still use today. It combines a masonite backing board, water cups, and a modified children's paint set. I soaked out the cheap original paints, then replaced them with professional grade Winsor & Newton watercolors. I’m really pleased with the paint box because it cost only $4US, and is as sturdy as the expensive ones in the art stores. Plus I prefer having my colours in a row instead of the typical square box. It saves space.
For my illustration work, I use watercolour, pen & ink, and digital media (Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop). Most of my work combines these media to produce theatre posters, graphics for books, and package designs.
Qn: I read from your blog that you use the Sakura Pigma Micron pens from size 01 to 08? Are they good?
I love Pigma Micron pens. They’re permanent, don’t bleed, and provide a range of line widths even within a single pen. They also come in an assortment of colours, several of which I rely upon regularly.
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The only downside is that they seem to dry up pretty quickly and are not refillable.
Qn: What watercolours do you use? Have you tried different brands?
I use professional grade Winsor & Newton watercolours. I was required to use these paints while in college and have grown accustomed to the characteristics of each colour. Some paints are opaque, others transparent, and still others are sedimentary. Plus the gum arabic binder has a big influence on how the paint handles on the paper.
I know there are other brands that make quality watercolours, but I’m familiar with Winsor & Newton so I just stick with them.
Qn: In the drawing of your tools above, you said you use two colours per oval pan. I suppose your watercolours are squeezed from tubes. Isn't that going to make your pure colours messy?
While painting, I don’t fill the pans with water so even though there are two colours per oval, it’s still easy enough to brush the colour I’m after without the colour next to it getting in the way. I chose to put similar colours together so if they mix a little, it adds complexity to the colour instead of creating mud.
Qn: What do you think of the Winsor & Newton Series 7 watercolour brush that you're using. Is it too big or small for the size of sketches you're drawing?
The Series 7 brush (size 8) is a great sable brush. It holds paint better than synthetic brushes and makes for a better painting experience.
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Note that in my paint kit I use a small piece of kneaded eraser at one end of the tray to hold the brush in place. It keeps the brush from mashing up against the end and ruining the tip.
Qn: That masonite hardboard you use for backing your sketchbooks. Is it necessary?
The masonite hardboard is used as a support for my sketchbook and paint kit while sketching. It’s especially helpful while standing and sketching since my water cups and paints are available for use without setting them down on the ground.
Qn: I see you use the Moleskine sketchbook. Is that the normal sketchbook or the watercolour ones? What do you think about them? Are they worth the money?
Moleskine makes a good quality sketchbook and I especially like that they lie flat during use. But since I learned to make my own sketchbooks, I use my self-mades almost exclusively. At present, I still have a couple of the landscape watercolor Moleskines and will continue to use them until they're filled.
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: Wow, you make your own sketchbooks as well. I saw your step-by-step post on your blog (http://www.theartistontheroad.com/?p=2988) on how to make the sketchbook. You said you could not find the perfect sketchbook. What's your ideal perfect sketchbook? Isn't just more convenient to buy a sketchbook?
The biggest problem with commercial sketchbooks is the lack of paper quality. Most don’t handle watercolour very well and since I love to splash copious amounts of water on the page while working, most papers just buckle. I searched everywhere for a sketchbook that worked with my sketching techniques but eventually gave up on commercial brands.
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Finally, I discovered a near perfect solution with self-made sketchbooks. Its only deficiency is that the binding requires the purchase of a special tool or the help of a third party supplier. Though I tried for weeks to make a stitched binding that worked, it wasn’t until I had the book spiral bound that I found what I was looking for. The spiral binding allows me to tuck the finished pages underneath to save space and to occasionally tear a page out for a friend, sell to a buyer, or toss an unsightly drawing away. But most important of all, I have my favourite paper to sketch on, which is Arches hot press watercolour paper. Even Arches sketchbooks don’t contain the same quality of paper as the full size sheets so making my own sketchbook solved all my problems.
The Cinch works pretty well as a sketchbook binder and I’m glad I bought it. I prefer their metal clamp binders over the plastic spirals because they make a tighter fitting book.
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I’ve used commercial binding services such as FedEx Office (in the US) and they do a good job binding sketchbooks too.
But the reason I bought the Cinch is so I didn’t have to drive and wait for FedEx Office to do work I could do myself. The Cinch can bind just about any size sketchbook I want.
Qn: Are there any special precautions to note when binding your own sketchbooks?
I recommend practicing on cheap paper until you get something you’re happy with. The first time I used the Cinch, the holes didn’t align properly, but after practicing a couple of times, I got the hang of it and it worked perfectly.
Qn: What watercolour paper do you use?
My favourite paper is Arches hot press watercolor paper because it’s 100% rag, archival, and won’t yellow over time. Pigments float on the surface of hot press paper better than cold press, giving the colours a more vivid appearance. It also contributes to the water effects that I encourage in my work. And lastly, hot press enables me to remove (or pull out) paint from the page a little more easily than cold press when necessary.
I scan all my sketches into the computer, and Arches hot press paper shows less paper texture than cold press. I often sketch silhouetted drawings so the removal of the paper texture around the image is important to me.
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Qn: You mentioned the Timbuk2 and STM messenger bags that you use to bring your art tools around. Are they good? Why two bags?
I purchased the Timbuk2 bag for my trip to Greece. It worked perfectly while traveling abroad and was large enough to not only hold my art supplies, but also many other travel items.
But when I’m out day sketching, my smaller STM bag works great. It’s just large enough to hold a couple of sketchbooks, my sketching kit, water bottles, etc. Each bag has its flaws and subtle annoyances, but these two bags are durable and work well overall for my needs.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: What travel stool do you use, if any? Is it heavy and can you fit that into your bag?
On occasion I carry a generic travel stool that I purchased at a camping store many years ago but it doesn’t fit inside either of my bags. It can be useful to have a stool while out sketching, and occasionally, I’ll tie it to my Timbuk2 bag, but I usually forgo the stool and can usually find a place to sit onsite.
Qn: Which artist do you think we should feature next?
Omar Jaramillo. His watercolours are amazing and I’d love to know more about his techniques and tools.
He has mentioned some of his drawing tools in his 2013 sketchbook Enjoy Gaudi but let's take a more detail look at what he uses.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: Let's talk about your pens and pencils first. What do you use? Did you use them to create the drawing above?
Right now I mainly use fountain pens, like Hero or Lamy Safari, but I also use a four colours ballpoint. I started using a ballpoint pen from Uniball, the Eye model, with waterproof ink. The drawing above has been created with the Hero fountain pen, and two Lamy Safari with black and red ink.
Qn: And what pens did you use for the drawings in your book Enjoy Gaudi? I remember there's a picture of a pen that looks like a Lamy fountain pen.
I drew all the book with a Lamy Safari and one Sailor Calligraphy. The Lamy has a Medium nib and the Sailor has a 55º calligraphic nib.
I used Noodler's Bullet Proof Black Ink but I changed to Carbon Ink, which black is deepest and it doesn't fade with watercolour. Noodler's is good but sometimes, it depends on the paper, fades with watercolour.
Qn: What's the clipper at the top right used for?
It is a cheap clipper used in my country for hanging laundry to get dry. I use also clamps but usually I lost them or I lend to people and I forget, so now I use this cheap clipper for holding sketchbook pages in windy days.
Qn: What's the watercolour box that you're using? Is it good? The mixing area looks small.
It is a Winsor & Newton watercolour Artist Field Box. In my opinion it is enough for me, but I know that there are better than mine. Anyway It is useful, sturdy and colours are good. I bought Artist range, it was expensive but people say that student's (Cotman), which is half the price of professionals, are quite good. Mixing area is small but you can open and there are 3 different mixing areas, enough for me, when I'm out.
Qn: The description you've written just beside the water container says that the box set is 15 years old. Have you replaced any of the colours in the box? What are the colours in your box currently?
Once I went to London I visited a Art Shop, really cheap and I bought, the 24 colors metal box, artist range. It is too heavy, too big and I decided to use its pans in my old plastic field box. Originally it was 12 colours:
Burnt Sienna
French Ultramarine
Ivory Black
Permanent Alizarin Crimson
Raw Umber
Titanium White
Winsor Blue (Green Shade)
Winsor Green (Yellow Shade)
Winsor Lemon
Winsor Red
Winsor Yellow
Yellow Ochre
I removed black and white and I added three more: Prussian Blue, Permanent Sap Green, Cadmiun Yellow, Cadmiun Red and Paynes Gray.
Qn: What watercolour brushes do you use? I was looking at your watercolour sketches from Enjoy Gaudi and some of the washes are really flat and even. They are made with from the Pentel waterbrush, are they?
No offense to those who use the finest brushes, but I don't really care about them. I'm more practical and I pay attention to the end not the means, and yes, Pentel Waterbrush fits in my concept of the right material to work far from my studio.
Qn: What sketchbooks or watercolour paper do you use?
I'm quite flexible and I always say that you have to get used to any kind of paper. You should be conscious about it and get the most from your sketchbook, experiment. Then when you get enough experience you can start binding your own sketchbooks with the paper you like, that is what I do when I have a commission. Arches are quite good.
Qn: That's an interesting container that you use to store your tools. A tobacco box? What are these tools? They look different from the drawings in the first picture above.
Yes, it is a tobacco box which my sister-in-law gave to me because she works in a Tobacconist. I do not smoke but I think it is a good box for my drawing tools.
From left to right, inside the box there is a clamp, a brush which was inside my W&N 24 watercolor metal box, three Pentel Waterbrushes with liquid watercolour inside, ready to use.
There are also two Caran d'Ache watercolour pencils (black and white), my syringe with a needle for refilling my fountain pens. With a green, golden ring and black tip, my Sailor Calligraphy fountain pen, two Pentel Colour brushes (Black and Orange), three Pentel Waterbrushes (fine, medium and broad), one BIC black ballpoint pen and one BIC Four Colours ballpoint pen.
Qn: What do you use the Noodler's Rabaul Red for? Is it waterproof?
My Noodlers' Rabaul Red Ink bottle was a mistake. I bought that when my original purchase Noodler's Red Fox Ink (waterproof) was run out. Wrong. It is too much ink (3oz) and after two years It still remains more than a third of it. I thought that It could stand washes but most of the papers don't keep it and it fades. Now I use it for text or monochrome drawings.
When I draw "Voltant per Sants" I got a mountain bike which was quite old. Bicycle is one of my best drawing tools, it helps me for going around and visit places. It is faster than walking, but slower than a motorcycle, and it is greener. One of my dreams will be traveling with my Brompton and drawing far away, who knows.
Today we have James Hobbs from London talking about his drawing tools. He's an artist and freelance journalist. His artworks can be seen occasionally on his blog and the main Urban Sketchers site.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Times Square, New York
His style is that of simplifying, distilling a scene down to the minimal but yet retaining recognisable features of the places and things he draws. Very impressive and challenging.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
He has also recently written a book called Sketch Your World, which you should check if you're into location drawing.
Alright, let's see what he uses to create those drawings.
Qn: How about an introduction for our readers? Tell us what you do.
It's very simple really. I draw in sketchbooks. That's pretty much it. I tend to carry a sketchbook around me wherever I go, but I can go a few days without using it, depending upon what I'm doing.
Doing a drawing a day doesn't really excite me: if I'm moved to draw every day, I'll draw every day but I don't turn it into a mission.
I do make colour digital prints of some drawings, which I sell, and I've been making small drawing-based works on canvas, which has entertained and surprised me, so it's not only sketchbook work, but it all starts there.
I should say now that some of the other people who have taken part in this Art Tools and Gears interview series seem to have a lot of kit. I don't. I like things pared down. I've been under self-imposed austerity measures for decades, because I prefer things simple.
The pens pictured here, for instance: I may take at most two out with me at any time.
Qn: Can you give a rundown of the pens you use for drawing?
I'm still on the lookout for an everyday pen that works for me. I have a heap of permanent black markers that I dip into. I bought another one to try yesterday. I seem to be using the Pentel Green Label (NMS50) most at the moment, and the Edding 400 has had quite a run in my kit. It's fairly obvious that I like a strong black line, but the danger for me is using a pen that is too thick in a sketchbook that is too small.
The big Pentel chisel point (M180) was a bit of a revelation. I'd been drawing on canvas when I came across it, and I was rather amused at how excited I was cycling home with it after I'd found it in a local store. At 14mm wide, it wouldn't work too well in an A6 sketchbook, or many other sketchbooks, come to that. I don't generally like chisel points – a bullet point is preferable. But I'll make an exception with this big beauty.
Qn: Why are these your preferred drawing medium as compared to others?
I drew with a pencil and charcoal for years, and I like them both a lot. I like their organic nature. They seem to have come in from the landscape. The graphite for the early pencils came from the ground of the Lake District in northern England, and charcoal has that Neanderthal feel to it. I've written before about my love of pencils— they are the most lovely things.
But as I am usually on the move with a sketchbook, I've fallen in love with permanent markers, even if I do dislike their plasticity, smell, propensity to stain clothing, and their secrecy — you can't tell at a glance how much life they still have in them as you do with pencils, charcoal or a pot of ink.
What they offer is an immediate, inescapable line. You have to live with whatever marks you make. You can obliterate or create diversions to draw attention away from areas that don't seem to work, but essentially you have to make do with whatever you put down. I like that level of risk. Apart from cycling in London and following the England cricket team, I don't take many risks. Using markers is another.
You also get a lot of drawing done very quickly with a thick marker. I work best, I think, when I work fast. For me, spending too much time getting something small right is the beginning of the end for a drawing. But that doesn't mean being careless. Meticulous abandon is what I'm after. I like the work of those artists who push at the limits of what they can do. Dare to fail, I think.
Qn: What's your watercolour setup like? That looks like a 12-half pan box. What brand is that? How do you find this using this outdoors?
That box has Rembrandt artists' watercolours (US | UK) on its lid, but I realise now that they are mostly Winsor & Newton pans (US | UK) inside. I don't always take them with me, and don't always use them when I do. I'm not sure what you call what I do, but I don't "paint", by which I mean make some finished work in colour from drawings. I did three years of painting at art college, mostly using oil, but now I don't get through paint very quickly.
Qn: What are those brushes by the side?
They are the big Daler-Rowney Petit Gris Pur series 24 size 6, and an ABS series 2 size 8 kolinsky sable. They are both beautiful brushes. I'm not using them enough to wear them out. I've had them both for years, and I understand that ABS isn't even trading any more. I edited a magazine for some time in which we tested different art products each month: this pair came out well, if I remember rightly.
Qn: In the picture above, between the two rows of pans, is that a collapsible brush?
It is. But using big brushes in a small sketchbook works better for me. The small collapsing brush doesn't get used. It's too small, and would be encouragement to fiddle around with details that really don't interest me.
Qn: How do you carry those brushes around outdoors? It seems quite easy to damage the hairs without proper protection.
I have a plastic tube that I carry them about in, but it's not so often they come with me.
Qn: What kind of paints do you use? Do you use acrylic as well?
Occasionally I do use acrylics, particularly on the small canvases I've been working on. The photograph of this box gives the wrong impression, however. I'm married to the artist Naomi Strauss, and from time to time I may just use a squeeze of colour from a tube or two from this box in her studio.
I prefer water-based media. I work small on things that will fit under a scanner, and dealing with white spirit and the smells of oil painting in a domestic environment is not a good idea.
Qn: What's the difference between acrylic and watercolour? When do you prefer to use one and not the other?
I use watercolours when I'm out of the house, and acrylic around the house on canvas.
Qn: Is that a box set of watercolour tubes beside the box? How does that compare to the 12-pan set that you're using?
They are Sennelier watercolour tubes I picked up on a trip around its factory in northern France several years ago. I use them at home from time to time.
Qn: More brushes I see. Those are Pentel waterbrushes. Those with the black ink. Did they come with the black ink or did you fill those? What do you use inside? What's this setup for?
Well spotted. They are Pentel waterbrushes: I haven't been using them for too long, but some of the urban sketchers seem to use them a lot so I've been giving them a go.
I fill two of them with different strengths of diluted ink and take them with me if I'm out drawing to bring some tone to a scene. I use the other two, filled with pure water, with watercolours. But usually, as I said before, I use only a pen. Black and white is a lovely combination for me.
Qn: What do you think about the usability of those Pentel waterbrushes?
I haven't really mastered them. I often seem to get ink over my fingers and over the drawing as I try to get a decent flow. This isn't necessarily to the detriment of the drawing. I enjoy a good accident.
Qn: What sketchbooks do you use? Do you have a preference for sizes? Those don't look big.
The books are mainly a selection of Seawhite of Brighton and home-made, although I have picked up kinds of makes from time to time.
This image includes a Moleskine that I was lucky enough to win from the Urban Sketchers symposium in Barcelona, which I wasn't able to attend.
I like home-made books: the buff coloured one has been covered with an old padded envelope as an experiment.
As with the pens, I'm not set on one brand of sketchbook. Moleskines are beautiful, but I don't often work well in them. I need a sense of play and experimentation to make a drawing work well, and a book that is too precious can put a brake on this.
I usually have an A5 sketchbook and A6 sketchbook on the go at any one time. The A6 will fit into any pocket, and the A5 will be in my bag. Just occasionally I'll work larger. The square one, bought in an Oxfam charity shop in St Ives, Cornwall, was to try something new.
Qn: What's the paper quality in the sketchbook like? What kind of medium can they handle? Since you use markers, do they bleed over? Or do they make an impression on the opposite page that will show up when scanned?
The Seawhite books are 140gsm acid-free cartridge. I'm very happy with them. The good thing about making your own, of course, is that you can put in whatever paper you want, and in any dimensions or format. I do use scraps of paper behind drawings as I work to prevent ink from the markers bleeding through. I save elastic bands to hold pages back and keep books shut. I love a good, thick elastic band.
Qn: What are the challenges of drawing on small sketchbooks?
The challenge is to make something that is lively, varied, bold and that can bear being looked at. That can all happen within 60 seconds.
The challenge, I think, is less about the size, and more about the medium. It's a tightrope, and at times I fall off. I have whole books of disastrous drawings, but they just happen to be small.
It's odd: I only think of small as being an advantage. You don't have to keep remembering to stand back and look at it from a distance in the way you would with a huge work, for instance. I have made very large prints of my small drawings before, and I'm always surprised at how well they still work. The composition, balance and energy of a scene are the same whether a work is large or small. Isn't that right?
Qn: Do you paint on watercolour paper? If so what do you use?
I have all kinds of old watercolour pads and blocks that I work on sometimes, including Hahnemühle and Gerstaecker, but the sketchbooks are what I'm emotionally attached to.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: I can barely make out the label for this photo. Indian Ink, 600ml. Any particular brand? How is the ink? What do you use it for?
The make is Ocaldo. The bottle has been in the cupboard for years, and I'm not sure where it came from. Sometimes I use a brush and ink on watercolour paper working from drawings in the sketchbook. One of these ink works was selected for the Jerwood Drawing Prize show in 2006.
I like drawing to be as simple as possible. Dipping a brush into ink and smearing it on paper is as direct as can be. Using materials of quality that will survive is important in ways, of course: that is being professional. But sometimes the back of an envelope using a ballpoint pen can be the best. I don't want to feel precious about what I am using. I want to feel liberated and care-free. And that's why drawing is so delicious to me. Thank goodness for drawing. It's such a fundamental and joyous thing to do, so it is crazy to make it too complicated.
Qn: Have you ever bought something from the art shop, tried it and disliked it?
I have a small collection of pens that are just too thin for me, but they are always useful for writing with. I write quite a lot in sketchbooks, especially if I'm away travelling.
Qn: Who do you think we should interview next?
Three spring to mind:
Rolf Schroeter: I'm interested in how he uses very thin paper and lets interference from other pages bleed through
Marina Grechanik: she makes fantastically relaxed and flowing drawings
Inma Serrano: her works have a great balance and energy and colour
They are all in Sketch Your World, and they are some of my favourite sketchbook artists.
Today we feature Fabio Consoli, a visual and music artist.
Qn: How about giving our readers an introduction? What do you actually do for a living?
Hi, when I was a child I loved playing in the streets, though I preferred plastering my neighbourhood with drawings to kicking a ball around. Later I studied at the University of the arts of London and at School of Visual Arts of Manhattan.
At twenty-five, I wanted to see the world. Not in a picture book, but with my own eyes, so I started traveling the world on my bike.
Right now I have my own graphic design studio. I do illustrations, I teach graphic design at the Abadir Academy of Arts and sometimes I write illustrated books about my travelings.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: Can you give us a rundown of the pens and pencils that you use?
I like collecting old fountain pens, my favorite ones are a Pelikan that I bought in Paris (a little expensive) and a Raja I bought at the Spitfire Market in London for 5£.
Lately I prefer the Raja fountain pen, his chunky nib creates unpredictable loose lines. Also I used a lot of Sakura Micron pens for more detailed drawings as the ones a did in Madagascar.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
When I travel I bring my Staedtler Mechanical pencil with 2B and 4B, but I love buying pencils on small villages, for me it is like I transfer the energy of the place on paper. For more lose lines I use the Pentel art brush, with which I can do tiny lines and heavy strokes, I think this is the "all in one tool" but in my opinion, to be able to use it very well, you need a lot of practice.
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Qn: What watercolours are those? I see a watercolour box. Are the tubes also watercolours?
They are Winsor & Newton watercolors. The tubes are acrylic colours, I use them when I want some textured flat background, or when I want to cover some drawing I don't like. Sometimes I dilute acrylic with water to have a sort of more textured watercolour. I like mixing media, some times I lay a flat colour with Pantone pens, then add some coloured pencils, then wash it with very diluted acrylic colour. I Just experiment new texture.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: How did you colour the blue for the drawing in the picture above? You went over some black lines. Is the black ink waterproof?
I used a blue Staedler coloured pencil, then acrylic blue colour. For the blue shirt I used cyan watercolour pencil and Pentel Manga Brush. In this way the background is satinated and the shirt is more brilliant.
For the black lines I use the Noodler's bulletproof ink both for fountain pens and brushes. It is really dark and waterproof, just wait let it dry completely before putting water on it.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: What materials did you use to create the drawing above? The hatched lines for the guy, the background of buildings and the yellow taxi.
This is a digital illustration I did for an editorial project. I used the Wacom tablet and Corel Painter. Anyway I used wet acrylic colour for the background and taxi. For the man's suit I scanned a texture, the black lines are felt pens. Everything is digital. You can see more pages here http://www.fabioconsoli.com/nyc-short-novel/
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Qn: So of all the drawing tools that you use. Which are your favourites?
I do love pencils. Give me a pencil and a guitar and you can leave me on desolated Island for the rest of my life :) Also I would bring the Pentel black brush for big black areas and a machete to open the coconuts.
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Qn: Is that the new Wacom tablet? What size is that? What do you think about the tablet?
This is the 24" hd Wacom Cintiq display. This is something that changed my professional career. With this Wacom and Corel Painter I can draw and painting like I am working on paper.
When I work on commercial illustration I have to be very fast and flexible, a lot of corrections and short deadlines are very common. The digital illustration make things a little bit easier and I think that with a lot ( and when I say a lot I mean A LOT) you can get a warm feeling on your illustration.
For personal projects I still love drawing on paper, messing up with colours, having paint ink on my hands, but when I have to work on an commercial project I take my 2B digital pencil and I started sketching on Corel Painter.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: Can you tell us more about the visual music journal that you just started?
Since I was a child i recorded my life, my emotions, with drawings and music at the same time, keeping them separated until today. Now I recognise that eventually they tell the same thing but in a different way.
The Visual Music Journal is the recording of my life, made of drawings and music at the same times, a sort of soundtrack for my drawing.
So every week (I hope) I will blog a drawing and I will compose a short piece of music on my guitar. Nothing too pretentious, just rough drawings and guitar music. Nothing more than feelings. I will record live with no audio retouch. In some case it is possible to hear what happens around me, as in the first track where my son plays around and sings :)
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: That's a lot of music instruments you have. I see two acoustic and two electric guitars. What guitars are those?
The acoustic guitars are a Washburn and an old Tamaky (the black one). I have also an Ukulele, but I have to share it with my son who is one year old :)
The black electric guitar is a Yamaha, which is one of my first guitar, it's 21 years old!
The white one is the last arrived in the family a Fender Stratocaster American Standard, which is the one I play more often.
I also use a Fender Tube Amplifier and analog Boss Overdrive and Tremolo. I try to keep the signal as much analog as I can. Other pedals are Boss RC2 Loop pedal, EHX Freeze, Line6 delay, Boss tuner.
Qn: What sketchbooks and paper do you use to create the drawings on your blog? Do they work well with watercolours or markers?
I always used Moleskine pocket sketchbooks 9x14cm, the advantage of using small sketchbook is that they are easier to carry and that they don't attract too much attention when you start drawing on public places.
Even if I use the ones with heavy paper, they doesn't works very well with watercolours and markers, they dry in a irregular way but that's what I like! Sometimes Pantone markers and watercolours are visible on the pages behind, but I like it, it gives a little bit of texture at the page so you don't have to start the new drawing on a completely white sheet, which, even if in a remote part of our brain, it could be a little bit intimidating :)
We have Katarzyna Kozlowska aka Lady2 (DeviantArt | facebook), an artist from Poland to talk about her drawing tools today.
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Her coloured pencil drawings and portraits really captured my attention, especially the eyes of her subjects. She has even created a tutorial on drawing eyes with coloured pencils.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Alright, let's get on with the interview.
Qn: Can you give our readers an introduction of yourself?
I don’t like to talk about myself – it’s always so hard! My works do it instead of me. But to be serious: I am an average girl from Eastern Europe. Bein’ into drawing since I was a little girl… And began to draw seriously in 2009. Now I’m studying an architecture. And all my free time I spend on drawing, sketching, learning about art etc. My whole world is about this art thing. I also do private and commercial commissions. Still trying to develop in this direction...
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: It seems like coloured pencils are your preferred drawing medium. Why do you like about them?
You got me! I have to admit that I discovered coloured pencils recently…
Previously I drew only using ordinary pencils you find everywhere. But I came into the conclusion that it’s time for small changes. So I’m still learning how to use them... However, I'm charmed by power of these little bastards! :D
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Qn: What brand are these coloured pencils? Can you talk about the colours here? This is an interesting set of colours. I see mainly flesh tone colours, with reds, a blue, purple and green.
This is probably one of my favourite sets for drawing people. Because of a range of tones here - you can draw any type of skin tone without getting an artificial feeling. And it’s Polycolor set by Kooh-i-Noor. I really love them!
For a long time I hesitated on buying them because they are not cheap. However, everyone recommend them to me so I decided to take a risk. And I was not disappointed!
These are by far the best coloured pencils which I had the pleasure to draw. They are very soft and soooo easy to blend ... Perfect.
Unfortunately, I have a fairly small set. That is why I support them with Polycolor. Together make my perfect duo.
Qn How long do the colour pencils last? Your drawings are quite large. I suppose you would use up the pencils very quickly? Are the pencils sold separately?
This may seem strange, but colored pencils are more efficient than a pencil. They are expensive - but they are worth it. All the pencils I’ve got you can buy separately. However, it is more economical to buy the whole set.
Qn: What are the qualities of a good quality coloured pencil?
For me, a good coloured pencils must be sufficiently high quality that can be really easy to blend. And of course my must have is a wide range of non-standard colours.
Qn: Where do you buy the pencils? At art stores or online? I'm asking this because some artists are afraid of buying their pencils online for the fear of them breaking during shipping.
Usually I buy in the shops stationary. However, for few times I have ordered things on the Internet. They are so well packed that there is no way to break during the delivery.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Qn: Can you give us a quick rundown on the pencils you use? What's the difference between the technical pencils? What's that cute yellow pencil(?)?
In the picture you can see my personal set of pencils which I usually use when I draw black and white works.
After many years I collected the pencils which I think are best for me. So you can see 2h, 2b, 4b, 6b, 9b in different brands. I totally love Faber Castell green pencils. They are sooo cool! I also use two mechanical pencils: 0,5 and 0.3 mm.
Hhaha that cute yellow pencil is my mechanical eraser. The best they’ve ever invented.
Qn: What eraser do you use? Is it good? Some erasers can be quite brittle.
I use my cute yellow eraser. It is compact, does not leave streaks … There is nothing worse than drawing spoiled by bad eraser. So I recommend mechanical ones.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
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Qn: What paper do you use? I see some Daler Rowney and Canson drawing pads. The Canson drawing pad above seems to be for pastel work. Do these papers work well with coloured pencils?
I have tested sooo many papers from sooo many different brands that I found that Daler&Rowney paper is the best for me. They are really high quality and quite cheap. Also the texture is excellent for any mediums.
The Canson one is for pastel medium but I bought it to try coloured pencils on it… We will see how it works.
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Qn: What are some of the sketchbooks you use?
The best paper is from Daler&Rowney so all my sketchbooks are from this company. The black one is sooo great because it’s got spirals and you can draw easily on each sides. The one with butterfly is the one I’ve handmade.
Qn: How do you protect your artworks? Pencil sketches in sketchbook have a tendency to smudge when in contact with other pages. How about the single sheet artworks?
For All my works I use an ordinary hair spray :D Yes I know that it’s seems weird … but it really works and it’s waaay cheaper than professional sprays.
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Qn: How do you scan the large drawings?
I visit the printing press - where they have professional scanners.
I always packed them into the paper tube. It’s so strong that nothing can be damaged.
Qn: Who else do you think we should feature next?
There are so many great artists, it's hard to choose one. Maybe Jennifer Healy– she is my great inspiration!
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That's all from Katarzyna Kozlowska. You can check out her works at
For this interview, we have Kathrin Jebsen-Marwedel from Germany to share with us the drawing tools she use on her journal pages. She writes and draws so every spread in her sketchbook is like a mini story. Her works have also appeared in the book An Illustrated Journey.
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Qn: Can you give our readers an introduction of yourself?
I’m 48 years old and I live in Kiel, the provincial capital of Schleswig Holstein, the most northern federal state of Germany.
After school I did an apprenticeship as a photographer and after that I studied graphic design. Actually I’m working in a small business for machine engineering in the marketing department and it’s my job to design all brochures, flyers, trade-fair appearances and so on.
I began very early to keep a diary, but I used to fill them with writings about my thoughts and things which happened in my life. When I bought my first Moleskine pocket diary in 2001 I began to do some shy doodles and sketches additionally to the writings.
You have to know that I haven’t done any drawing after my diploma as a qualified designer in 1996, because my professor told me that it would be better if I won’t draw — she thought I wasn’t very talented. Perhaps she was right, but I always loved to draw and I love all this wonderful drawing stuff.
In my pocket diary I wasn’t very obstructed, because I kept it just for me. Who cares when I did some lousy drawings? In the course of time I recovered my fun in drawing and I drew more and more.
When I noticed one day that there are many people around the world who keep an illustrated diary I was so delighted — it gave me such a shot in my arm ;-) I began to follow several people with wonderful journals on Flickr, and in 2005 I began also to upload my drawings. I love the exchange with other people about journaling, drawing etc. That helped to stick to journaling.
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Qn: What are your favourite tools for line work? And also the watercolour brush that you're using since it's in the picture above.
Qn: Can you tell us about the several watercolour box sets that you have? What's the difference between them and are they used for different kind of jobs or purposes?
I’m a drawing stuff victim, and I can’t stop getting watercolours and watercolour boxes. Especially when I see a little watercolour box for traveling I can’t resist.
Those big watercolour boxes (filled with Schmincke Horadam) are really very old (I began to use watercolours in my youth), but they’re too heavy to bring them along for traveling. So I have several small boxes and rearrange them from time to time. One little box is filled with Winsor and Newton, another box with Schmincke Horadam. The little plastic box from Winsor and Newton is my travel equipment. In series it’s filled with Cotman watercolours, but I changed them into Artists watercolours.
Qn: Of all the watercolour box sets, which is your favourite?
I love them all, and I also have virgin unused boxes.
But I think concerning the form and the materials my favourite is the metal box from Schmincke in the drawing from November 10. It has a nice size and provides enough space for MANY colors. ;-)
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Qn: Why did you choose to go with getting half pans as compared to buying watercolour tubes can squeezing them into empty pans?
I choose half pans because I can squash more wonderful colours into a small box ;-)
I never bought tubes because I’m sure that I would waste the valuable colour with my gross sensory motor skills while squeezing them generously into the empty pans ;-)
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Qn: What are these colouring pens that you have here? They look like markers. Are they easy to work with? What do you use them for?
These are Stabilo Point 88 and Stabilo Pen 68. They are very cheap felt tip pens. It’s easy to work with, but it’s not very easy to draw a consistent coloured area. Those pens are good for lines and sometimes to make the contrasts in watercolour drawings more vibrant.
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Qn: Can you tell us about your set of Copic markers? There are a lot of colours I see. Wow, there are also the wide Copic markers, those are not easy to use.
Copics are great. Their smell is unique and can be addictive, because there are so many wonderful colours available. Yes, the bleed across to opposite pages. With a bit of luck you will be avoid spoiling the next 3 pages ;-)
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Qn: What sketchbooks do you use? Most of them seems like daily planners or diaries. Do your drawing materials like watercolours or markers work well on them?
The paper is lousy and has a poor quality. Sorry that I have to say this. So the watercolours and markers don’t work really well on them.
Nevertheless I buy this Moleskine every year again. Perhaps it’s appealing for me to use high-quality colours on lousy paper. When the result is not as expected I can lay the blame on the paper ;-)
Qn: Do you use other drawing paper?
Nearly never. I suffer in stoppages when I’m sitting in front of a very fine paper. I think the drawing on it has to be a masterpiece, and at the same moment I remember that I’m not Rembrandt, so I’m really obstructed in drawing the first line onto expensive paper.
One day I will try it again. In my youth I’ve been better in drawing on high quality papers.
It's great to have Ellis Nadler (website | blog | Flickr) with us for this interview. He's a freelance illustrator who has worked for clients worldwide in the fields of advertising, publishing, editorial and design.
His illustrations have a strong editorial style and are quite delightful.
Let's look at what tools he uses to create his artworks.
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Qn: Can you talk about the pens you use? What's that below the Lamy fountain pen? What ink do you use?
I use Noodler's waterproof fountain pen ink, which allows watercolour to be painted over when the ink has dried. This is a great breakthrough and I am forever indebted to Mattias Adolfsson for bringing Noodler to Nadler! You can see it in the next photo.
The thing below is a Pentel Aquash Water Brush that always accompanies the Lamy. I keep it filled with plain water although you can use any colour with it. You can paint washes with it or use it with pan watercolours. No need for water bottles etc.
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Qn: The three watercolour box sets that you have, what's the difference between them and which do you prefer?
The middle box is a conventional set of Winsor & Newton full pan watercolours. In my humble opinion you don't need more than 12 colours for most jobs. The main items should be two reds (one tending towards blue and the other towards yellow), two blues (one tending towards red and the other towards yellow) and two yellows (one tending towards blue and the other towards red). Don't bother with black.
I frequently carry a pocket set of just 6 colours when travelling and it's perfectly adequate.
The left hand box is a set of pan gouache by Pelikan. Despite the kiddie box appearance, they are of surprisingly good quality. It's very light to carry too.
The right hand box is a strange set of Japanese watercolours ( I don't know the brand because I can't read the Japanese text ). I bought them from Cornellissen's and you can see them on Page 103 of their online catalog. I think they're designed for calligraphy or woodblock printmaking or somesuch, because they feel half way between watercolour and gouache. I love them.
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Qn: What are these brushes that you're using? They look really well worn, especially the one on the right.
Yes, the one on the right is probably 20 years old but still going strong. They are Roberson Kolinsky sable travel brushes with hollow handles that unscrew to hold the tip when not in use. Utterly brilliant and useful.
Qn: What does the brush cleaner and preserver do?
The brush cleaning soap is comparatively expensive but it's a false economy not to clean your brushes thoroughly after each use. Believe me, I've learned the hard way. It seems to remove old paint of all kinds, but there is no ingredient list on the box, so I can't say if it's toxic.
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Qn: The first one looks like a Wacom Bamboo stylus? What do you use that on? How do you like drawing with it?
I'm a big fan of sketching on the iPad Mini. I love it because it's light and fits in my coat pocket. I mainly work out ideas and rough sketches on it but have also produced finished artwork with it. I've tried at least six or seven styli with it, including a couple of pressure sensitive models, but I think that's a whole different interview right there.
Suffice to say I think the Wacom Bamboo is the best all-round stylus. I would say that Steve Jobs missed a trick by not building a digitiser into the iPad. Drawing with your finger is NOT an option, and Apple's refusal to stock styli is just ideology gone mad.
I've tried all the major drawing apps, but I keep returning to the simplest, namely Paper and ZenBrush. An honourable mention for Tayasui Sketches which is like Paper but with layers.
Qn: What's that next to the stylus? What do you use that for?
I've got lots of clutch pencils of various diameters but this is my favourite, and I've never seen another one anywhere. It appears to be made of brass, and I found it among some random accessories in the menswear department of Fiorucci in Paris around 1979. It cost a few pennies, a real bargain. It's loaded with a sanguine Conté-type refill in this photo. Lovely to draw with.
Qn: What are your favourite drawing tools? Are they the same ones that you use to create your coloured editorial-style illustrations?
My favourites are those shown above. I produce my commercial illustrations digitally on a Mac.
Qn: Do you work mainly with traditional medium or digital? Which do you prefer? What digital art tools do you use?
For my personal work I mainly use traditional media, and I would always choose those over digital. But don't get me wrong, I greatly enjoy working with the iPad and iMac. I use a Wacom Cintiq tablet to draw directly on screen. I haven't touched a mouse for ten years! I can't abide trackpads! I mainly use Photoshop and occasionally Illustrator to produce illustrations.
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Qn: Another watercolour box set. This looks like the Winsor & Newton field box but the ones they are selling nowadays are made of plastic. Can you tell us more about your set? Is it heavy?
I included this for sentimental reasons. I bought this as a birthday present to myself many, many years ago. It is hand-made in brass with hinged mixing trays in enamelled metal. It was made by a craftsman in England, but unfortunately I can't recall his name. It cost a lot of money, but it's a lovely object which has acquired a nice patina with age.
I always carry a little pocket sketchbook, the cheaper the better. I keep odd scraps and offcuts of various paper and use a hole punch to assemble a sketchbook using the Roberson's Artists Paper Choice binder shown in the second photo.
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