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What is Drawing?
What are the possibilities when you begin drawing? Drawings can consist of lines, tone, form, colour, volume, smudges, hatching, or shading. They can possess the crisp accuracy of an architect’s plans in hard graphite or the expressiveness of an energetic life drawing in charcoal. Drawings can map out ideas, or be the idea itself.
Because the term ‘drawing’ can encompass so much, it’s no surprise that this department carries a wide variety of drawing supplies. Whether you’re looking for hard graphite drawing pencils that deliver reliability and a strong, unbreakable lead, or a vibrant lightfast watersoluble coloured pencil, we’re sure you’ll find the drawing tool you need.
The monochrome drama of the softest graphite and charcoal will never go out of fashion. As versatile as it is beautiful, graphite and charcoal are used by both expressive fine artists and those seeking precision, such as architects and designers. Charcoal sticks are made from specially charred willow or vine. Brittle and chalky, they are ideal for quickly building tone and blending with your finger, while still allowing for sharp, crisp detail. Soft graphite pencils (3B - 9B) create rich, expressive black marks, while harder H grades are better suited to crisp, precise, lighter lines.
If you’re looking for colour, choose from wax-based coloured pencils, watercolour pencils, and pastel pencils. Coloured art pencils are widely used by professional artists, designers, and illustrators for sketching, developing ideas, and finished work.
There are different surfaces available to make your work look its best. The finest coloured pencils will glide over cartridge paper and can be burnished and blended. Textured papers such as Ingres help vibrant pastel pencil colours sing, which is why they are often favoured by animal portrait artists. Hardcover sketchbooks will help protect your drawings while creating a lasting visual journal of your creative journey.
For intricate drawing techniques, why not explore silverpoint, favoured by the greatest Renaissance draughtsmen, or the mechanical practicality of a clutch pencil. If you don’t know where to begin, a pencil, drawing or sketching set can be a useful starting point, bringing together a selection of materials to help you explore different techniques.
Guide to Pencils | Guide to Drawing