Art Supplies and Stationery - Pens, inks, papers, and the like.

[Solid Snek]

You could always try a blood jar.

Sakura Microns are awesome as well, but I'm on the hunt for a refillable alternative.

I like Sakuras, too; I try (or at least tried, back in the Before Times when I had a reason to leave the house) to always have a couple Microns and Gelly Rolls on hand. Next to plain old BIC mechanical pencils, they might be the pen/pencil thingie I've bought the most.

I'm doing alot color pencil work over last two years. My go to color pencils are Stabilo Aguacolor, especially this 24 pen set.

Watercolor pencils are really great, yeah! I also like ink pencils, which are similar to watercolours, but layer differently and (I've found) have more intense shades and colours. I'll often use them alongside water pencils, for outlines and shadows specifically.

If you like watercolour pencils, keep an eye out for some ink ones; maybe you'll enjoy them?

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As for me, I'm really not that picky about supplies or brands; I'll usually just use whatever.

However, when it comes to charcoal specifically, I am very partial to CHAR-KOLE

I dunno what the fuck is in this stuff, but it's so much better than regular charcoal. It's got the vibrancy of pastel with the usability of charcoal, and the lines it makes are None More Black. As with the ink pencils, I like using 'Kole alongside normie charcoal, helps get a wider ranger of tone, I find.

 

[The Potatomatic 2000]

You could always try a blood jar.


I like Sakuras, too; I try (or at least tried, back in the Before Times when I had a reason to leave the house) to always have a couple Microns and Gelly Rolls on hand. Next to plain old BIC mechanical pencils, they might be the pen/pencil thingie I've bought the most.


Watercolor pencils are really great, yeah! I also like ink pencils, which are similar to watercolours, but layer differently and (I've found) have more intense shades and colours. I'll often use them alongside water pencils, for outlines and shadows specifically.
View attachment 2195788
If you like watercolour pencils, keep an eye out for some ink ones; maybe you'll enjoy them?

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As for me, I'm really not that picky about supplies or brands; I'll usually just use whatever.

However, when it comes to charcoal specifically, I am very partial to CHAR-KOLE
View attachment 2195808
I dunno what the fuck is in this stuff, but it's so much better than regular charcoal. It's got the vibrancy of pastel with the usability of charcoal, and the lines it makes are None More Black. As with the ink pencils, I like using 'Kole alongside normie charcoal, helps get a wider ranger of tone, I find.

Charcoal intimidates me. It just feels like I am about to make a gigantic mess and like I can't control it. I really want to give it a proper go, but man, am I afraid of it.

 

[Coelacanth]

I got the ruler A format in 135kg thickness, it feels pretty similar to the bristol board that I sometimes do watercolor on so hopefully it will hold up as well. With the comic I'm using it for I've been just inking traditionally and doing digital colors, so it wont need to handle as much ink/pigment as other papers I use for painting. But one thing I do for watercolors is use drafting tape to secure my paper to my work surface to prevent warping.

That's the stuff I've got. Guess I'm gonna have to rely on CSP if I want to add gradients or screentone to anything.

Something else I'm really having trouble with right now is finding a reliable place to buy Pilot drawing ink. Most of the places that sell it don't post to the UK and the one bottle I managed to find turned out to be fountain pen ink (which at least is fairly easy to use). Prismacolor pencils are hard to find too unless you want to shell out a hundred pounds for a set of 72.

 

[Solid Snek]

Charcoal intimidates me. It just feels like I am about to make a gigantic mess and like I can't control it. I really want to give it a proper go, but man, am I afraid of it.

You do make a mess, but it's a lot easier to control than watercolour, or even ink-wash. One good way to break into the medium, I think, is to try a charcoal pencil:

They look, act, and feel just like a regular pencil, only you can smudge the lines if you want! Assuming you've used pencils before, you should find it less intimidating than vine charcoal (which feels weird and is very brittle) or compressed charcoal (similar to chalk or pastel). Also, with the right paper (charcoal paper, or anything else with some toothy texture), charcoal really doesn't move around that much, so you'll only make a mess if YOU WANT to make a mess. It's a controlled mess. Charcoal's not just going to mess itself, unless you either try it on bristol like a madlad, or you wedge your finished drawing in a bag next to your laptop, say.

Biggest hurdle, in my experience, is not so much the mess, as it is the inability to erase stuff effectively. Not necessarily the end of the world (again, charcoal's more forgiving in that department than watercolour or ink - you CAN erase to a degree, and even erase-smudge if you wanna get fancy) but if you get carried away and forget to plan for highlights, it can be difficult to pull your tones back. HOWEVER, they also make THESE

which despite what contemporary political cults want you to think, can work quite nicely alongside the blacks. White charcoal pencils are often sold alongside black charcoal pencils, so if you find one, you'll probably find the other. #allcharcoalmatters

 

[Newman's Lovechild]

I always wondered how they burned the wood just right to make it turn bright white.

 

[Maya Amano]

I wish there was a way to use pencil without having it smudge like a bitch. I like how it looks and how it feels to handle, and colored pencils are great, but graphite makes my hands so dirty.

 

[Solid Snek]

I wish there was a way to use pencil without having it smudge like a bitch. I like how it looks and how it feels to handle, and colored pencils are great, but graphite makes my hands so dirty.

Stop putting your hand on the page.

Not being a dick, I do it too. I know the pain of a silver-gray hand all too well.


The simplest solution is also the biggest pain in the ass - just be really cognizant of where you're putting your hand. Draw normally, but either don't let your hand drop at all, or rest it somewhere off the page.

If you don't mind looking like a dumb faggot, you could try putting your sketchpad upright - like on an easel, or even just resting it on a table, against a wall. Then try to draw as if you were painting. It's annoying and not ideal, at least for me, but you could certainly give it a shot. Might work for you, depending on how much experience you've got working vertically.

I also know some artists who use wooden board setups to keep their hands off the page, especially when they're working on something that needs to be perfectly clean. Don't remember what they are called, but if you're doing stuff professionally (even just commissions!) and you really can't stop touching your paper, it may be worth investing in.

-edit- Oh, duuuur. They're called "artist bridges".

You can buy them in most art stores or online, or even just make one for free by putting a ruler / board between some books.

I always wondered how they burned the wood just right to make it turn bright white.

If you don't mind autism, I just looked it up, and found an article asking that very question.

SPOILERS: nobody knows and the companies that make it aren't telling. Theories range from compressed charcoal to conte to pastel to chalk to bird shit (although I think the bird shit is just a joke. Probably.) Personally I'd go with the author and guess some kind of "chalk", since in my experience chalk is the closest "feel" to what I get with white charcoal (not exactly the same, but close).

 

[Newman's Lovechild]

I wish there was a way to use pencil without having it smudge like a bitch. I like how it looks and how it feels to handle, and colored pencils are great, but graphite makes my hands so dirty.

Are you sketching loosely or are you layering a lot of dark chiaroscuro?

To add to Solid Snek's answer, from time to time I would put a little square of scrap paper between my hand and the page. It's a kind of a pain in the ass to move it constantly, but not so much when you mostly just need it for those moments when you really have to anchor your hand.

Then there's that thing about drawing from as far up your arm as you can get, that Snek touched on. Also kind of inconvenient, trying to draw from the shoulder when you're hunched over a small sketchpad, but it can help.

Lastly, try a harder grade of lead?

If you don't mind autism

Shit, why do you think I registered here?

The chalk answer suits me fine.

 

[Maya Amano]

Are you sketching loosely or are you layering a lot of dark chiaroscuro?

To add to Solid Snek's answer, from time to time I would put a little square of scrap paper between my hand and the page. It's a kind of a pain in the ass to move it constantly, but not so much when you mostly just need it for those moments when you really have to anchor your hand.

Then there's that thing about drawing from as far up your arm as you can get, that Snek touched on. Also kind of inconvenient, trying to draw from the shoulder when you're hunched over a small sketchpad, but it can help.

Lastly, try a harder grade of lead?

I sketch out on my sketchbook. I'll see if I can get in the habit of getting an artist's bridge and using it, or using a paper underneath my hand. I have 2B lead only on me right now, how much harder should I go? I've also heard harder grades of lead are more difficult to erase, but if it means that I won't have silver hands as badly as before, I'll try that out.

 

[Solid Snek]

I sketch out on my sketchbook. I'll see if I can get in the habit of getting an artist's bridge and using it, or using a paper underneath my hand. I have 2B lead only on me right now, how much harder should I go? I've also heard harder grades of lead are more difficult to erase, but if it means that I won't have silver hands as badly as before, I'll try that out.

Harder grades lay down less graphite, which means less mess but also lighter lines. It's a trade-off, and you can't really know your preference unless you try out different grades for yourself.

Regular pencils you find in a store are almost always 2B, but a normal pack of Art Pencils should have a selection of both hard and soft leads (you can also get different grades of mechanical pencil leads, if you prefer). If you got a couple bucks and access to Amazon or an art supply store, might be a good idea to pick up a cheap pencil set with a good range of leads, both hard and soft; try all the different grades out, and see which you prefer!

(personally I like soft and dark, and I'll even get some weird tactile autism while trying to use harder grades, but other people love them hard. In my experience, soft is better for pencil-based chiaroscuro - when you're working with a strong contrast between dark and light, shadow and highlight - while hard is more the domain of industrial drafting, or when you're doing a preliminary sketch that you plan to ink or paint over. But there's no official rules, and it ultimately comes down to what feels right, and gives you the results you're looking for. You do you!)

 

[longjohn]

I wish there was a way to use pencil without having it smudge like a bitch. I like how it looks and how it feels to handle, and colored pencils are great, but graphite makes my hands so dirty.

Try using a piece of printer paper to lightly rest your hand on, work from one side to another (l to r if you're right handed or top to bottom if you're working with you pad propped up) and work with your shoulder and not your hand/elbow. That is: don't lean on the surface you're drawing on, keep a straight back and try to keep you elbows up. I just work standing personally for this reason. Try a fixative to set your work between layers too. If you just don't like having grimy hands because that shit is hard to scrub off, use rubber gloves and get a good degreasing soap. Master's is an artist brush and hand soap that works well.

 

[Str8Bustah]

If you want to get really good line control, and I mean really good line control, another trick you can use is sketching in biro/ ballpoint pen, or using a fineliner/ arlcohol marker. Essentially anything that forces you to make a mark and commit to it instead of reaching for an eraser.

price and quality doesn't matter much for this stuff, nor does what your produce, anything from drawing boxes in free-hand perspective, to cars, to houses or even people on the train is worth doing, but if you want to use ballpoint and have a brand that has decent flow, I'd go with a pack of zebras.

as for sketchbook size, A5 is perfect for this sort of thing, as it's the kind of workflow where you want to whip your sketchbook out, flip a page open and jot some ideas down, then close it back up again and move on, sort of like taking a photo.

 

[StrawberryDouche]

Oh, I love drafting pencils! I only have one at the monent, a Pentel GraphGear 1000, and I love how it feels in my hand. Made out of metal and has a nice weight to it. Pentel makes a lot of nice drafting pencils in general, I had an Orenz Nero but it sadly shitted out on me. For pens, I have the following:

Pilot Prera with Noodler's Turquoise
Lamy LX with Diamine Ancient Copper
TWSBI Eco with Pilot Iroshizuku Momiji
TWSBI Diamond 580 AL with SketchINK Klara
Kaweco Sport with Diamine Coral
Cross Wanderlust with Noodler's Apache Sunset

I have the Diamine Aurora Borealis and it's beautiful. It does not however live up to the swatches with that rust colored bleed out, but the variegation in the deep teal color as your letters progress upon the paper is gorgeous. I have too many poetic and romantic feelings and conceptions surrounding ink, and I own way too much of it. It's one of those things I have little resistance to along with specialty origami papers.

I have the Moonman fountain pen and I'm mad for it. It writes so smoothly and I love seeing the ink in the barrel.

 

[Maya Amano]

I have the Moonman fountain pen and I'm mad for it. It writes so smoothly and I love seeing the ink in the barrel.

damn I must've gotten super unlucky, I had a moonman wancai and the nib was complete dogshit, it was so scratchy and hard to write with I threw it out

 

[StrawberryDouche]

damn I must've gotten super unlucky, I had a moonman wancai and the nib was complete dogshit, it was so scratchy and hard to write with I threw it out

Or maybe I got lucky. Peter Draws reviewed it and really liked it, so I gave it a shot. Have you ever watched him? I dig his style as an artist and a Youtuber. He's very talented, informative, and easy to watch.

 

[AssRock]

As much as I do digital art for work, traditional media is the shiiiit and I realize I'm a sperg for prismacolor markers. They're far cheaper than Copics and are a fantastic alternative, especially when you can use Prismas and Copic together.

It also depends on square versus rounded barrels; I guess I hold things funny because I've always found Copics to be uncomfortable.

But holy shit getting anything in the EU is a nightmare and having Amazon ship everything to Sweden isn't always convenient. All of the art stores we went to either had knockoff markers with a tiny color selection or expensive kits from Faber-Castel and the ilk, and all I want is a cool grey marker for sharing from pretty much anyone at this point. The knockoffs didn't match their listed color swatches too.

Bristol or cardstock is preferable, but fucking expensive compared to a Canson or Strathmore fine tooth sketchbook, which also holds the color and doesn't bleed too awfully, the only problem is, is that "softer" paper will wick the moisture from your markers and dry them out faster.

If anyone wants to hook me up with a lifetime supply of Pentel P205 pencils, I will rove you rong tiems.

 

[TenMilesWide]

Some years back I managed to snag a 500-page ream of A3 bristol for only $20. I can only assume it was some sort of typo when they were setting up the amazon listing (after I bought mine the price shot up to $200) but I'm basically set for life as far as art paper goes.

ETA:I'm really impressed with chinkshit knockoff copic/touch markers. The color selection is obviously not as good as the real brands and it's a bit of a gamble whether the markers you get actually have ink in them (and unlike copic, you can't just buy refills), but at a dollar or less per marker I'd say they're worth it

 

[Weeb Slinger]

I dabble in origami.

There is a misconception that the cheap packets of colourful 6-inch squares, sold in some art supply shops, are proper origami paper. That stuff is lousy for almost everything. It doesn't feel right under the fingers and doesn't hold its shape well.

As far as I am aware, the only bespoke origami paper is Origamido, which produced in limited quantities by Michael Lafosse and Richard Ale. It is designed to form a well-defined crease while retaining its integrity. As paper goes it is phenomenally expensive - I've seen 40cm squares of it selling online for around $17- and that's before postage. I have never folded with it and probably never will.

In London, the best outlet for paper is Shepherds Bookbinders, which is close to Victoria station. Again the prices will make your eyes water. I tend to go for the cheaper sheets of khadi paper, which is like a more robust and fibrous tissue paper and comes in a variety of colours. If I am making a model that can be made with a heavier paper then I usually go for a big sheet of elephanthide - I wish they still made it in petrol blue.

Generally the more complex models, that require multiple folds in the same area, can only be made using very thin paper.

 

[Amber the Hedgehog]

I dabble in origami.

There is a misconception that the cheap packets of colourful 6-inch squares, sold in some art supply shops, are proper origami paper. That stuff is lousy for almost everything. It doesn't feel right under the fingers and doesn't hold its shape well.

As far as I am aware, the only bespoke origami paper is Origamido, which produced in limited quantities by Michael Lafosse and Richard Ale. It is designed to form a well-defined crease while retaining its integrity. As paper goes it is phenomenally expensive - I've seen 40cm squares of it selling online for around $17- and that's before postage. I have never folded with it and probably never will.

In London, the best outlet for paper is Shepherds Bookbinders, which is close to Victoria station. Again the prices will make your eyes water. I tend to go for the cheaper sheets of khadi paper, which is like a more robust and fibrous tissue paper and comes in a variety of colours. If I am making a model that can be made with a heavier paper then I usually go for a big sheet of elephanthide - I wish they still made it in petrol blue.

Generally the more complex models, that require multiple folds in the same area, can only be made using very thin paper.

I have had great success with marker paper, that stuff for copics and alike. It's thin, strong and holds cresses well. You can find it relatively easy and cheap especially since you aren't concerned with ink flow. It comes only in white but the surface has nice shine because the paper isn't meant suck the ink too fast. You need to cut it to right shape but it's not that big bother and I find it easier to cut other shapes than squares from A4 anyway. If you are mostly concerned with training or getting right shape it's perfect.

 

[Weeb Slinger]

I have had great success with marker paper, that stuff for copics and alike. It's thin, strong and holds cresses well. You can find it relatively easy and cheap especially since you aren't concerned with ink flow. It comes only in white but the surface has nice shine because the paper isn't meant suck the ink too fast. You need to cut it to right shape but it's not that big bother and I find it easier to cut other shapes than squares from A4 anyway. If you are mostly concerned with training or getting right shape it's perfect.

Do you know how it adapts to wet folding? I mostly fold from 50cm squares because of the complexity of modern designs. I've had a look around the internet and I see that you can obtain an abundance of A1 sheets for a relatively decent price per unit so it might be worth it.

At the moment I am using a roll of something that was sold to me as green tea paper. It has great cornflake-size flakes of tea leaf in it (which is annoying from a folding perspective) and it's thin but very tough. It has a rag like consistency. If you hold a piece in your hands and attempt to pull it apart, it will warp before it tears. It will accept a crease, however its flimsy clothlike nature makes it tricky on small detailed folds, although I suppose that you could say the same of any low gsm paper.