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I've been recommending the book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" for years. It was first published in 1979 and is still best book for total beginners out there. If you are just starting out and really don't have any idea how to "see" as an artist, this book is a must.
It takes you through exercises that will enable you to draw what you see, instead of what you think you see. You'll learn to draw shapes and angles of any subject accurately by concentrating on how they really appear like rather than your preconceived ideas of how they look. I even suggest that seasoned artist go through this book to help hone their visual skills. This latest version is fantastic! ORDER ON AMAZON HERE: The new Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain |
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Arches 140 lb Hot Press Watercolor Paper has been my favorite all around paper for quite a few years. Most of my Portrait, Still Life, and Trompe l'Oeil (Fool the Eye) drawings are done on this paper.
It has enough tooth to hold a lot of charcoal or graphite for extremely dark values. With the right techniques, you can produce some very smooth textures. ORDER ON AMAZON HERE: Arches 140 lb Hot Press Watercolor Paper |
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Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Smooth is a great heavy weight paper that works best if your subject mainly consists of a very smooth texture. You won't be able to get as dark with this as some of the other papers that have more "tooth", but given the right subject it is my favorite choice. ORDER ON AMAZON HERE: Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Smooth |
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Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Vellum is the same quality heavy weight paper as the smooth, except the Vellum surface has more tooth and therefore can hold more of the medium. That means darker values are possible with this paper.
ORDER ON AMAZON HERE: Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Vellum |
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The Strathmore 400 Series Recycled Paper is the least expensive of the papers I use and recommend, which makes it great for practicing techniques. It's a lighter weight than the others, but is acid free and can be used for your finished drawings with no problem.
The reason I like the "Recycled" version of this paper is because the color is a brighter white than the regular version of this paper. These pads come in several different sizes and the one from this link is the largest. However, you can save even more money if you get a larger size and cut it in half to get two drawings out of one sheet. ORDER ON AMAZON HERE: Strathmore 400 Seeries Recycled Paper |
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I've been supplying my Live Drawing Workshop drawing students with Blu Tack Poster Putty for years. It's like a kneaded eraser but much more sticky. I use it mostly for cleaning charcoal or graphite from highlights and other areas I want to remain bright white.
I've tried other brands of Poster Putty but noticed that they can leave a residue on the paper that makes it difficult to achieve smooth textures. This is the only brand that doesn't have that issue. In my opinion, it doesn't replace a kneaded eraser because you can use those to drag around on your paper to lighten areas. Because of the stickiness of Blu Tack, it is used in more of a dabbing motion. ORDER ON AMAZON HERE: Bostik Blu Tack |
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I use Drafting Tape to mask of areas of my drawing I want to remain white where the Friskit Film isn't appropriate to use. For instance, if I have a very thin small area to mask the Frisket Film is too thin and hard to manage. It's also great for creating a white border around a drawings with darker backgrounds.
Don't make the mistake of using "Masking Tape" because it will damage your paper when you try to remove it. I've even had some other brands of "Drafting" tape cause issues as well. The ProTapes Pro Drafting Flatback Paper Masking Tape is specially formulated with low tack adhesive for drafting and stationary use. ORDER ON AMAZON HERE: ProTapes Pro Drafting Tape |
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I use these Nail Dotting Tools to create thin white lines or dots against a darker background by using the Indenting Technique. This has become an essential tool when I'm rendering realistic looking hair, fur, and other textures with small details. These seem to come and go on Amazon.com, so if the link on the right doesn't work, just search for "Nail Dotting Tools".
ORDER ON AMAZON HERE: Jsdoin 5 pc 2 Way Dotting Tools |
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I use Frisket to mask areas of my drawing while I render the darker surrounding values or background. Grafix All Purpose Low Tack Matte Frisket Film is the brand I use. This is an essential product for creating incredibly clean, sharp edges on your subjects. This is normally used in watercolor and airbrush techniques but with the right paper, it works wonderfully with drawing media.
For drawing, it's extremely important to order the LOW TACK version to keep it from damaging the paper when it is removed. I also recommend you get the Matte option instead of the Clear. With Matte, you can draw the outline of your subject directly onto the Frisket backing to help you cut out the shapes more accurately. ORDER ON AMAZON FROM THE LINK ON THE RIGHT |
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In my Realistic Drawing with Light, Texture, and Contrast video tutorial, I talk about several different methods of getting accurate proportions of your subject down on your paper. In one of the sections, I demonstrated the use of Graphite Transfer Paper. Some pencil artists really like this method. Although I don't use it very often - for reasons I explain in the video, the brand I demonstrated in the tutorial is available here:
ORDER ON AMAZON |
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I use the BYB E430 Metal Architect Led Desk Lamp in my studio and at my live drawing workshops. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to have good lighting when you draw!
It has six levels of light intensity and four color temperature settings. This allows for maximum contrast on your drawings, and if you're painting, the daylight setting (6000k) is essential for accurate colors. In every Live Drawing Workshop I conduct, I have numerous students ask where they can purchase this because it is built so well and has all the features you'll ever need. ORDER ON AMAZON HERE: BYB E430 Metal Architect Desk Lamp |
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f you suffer from back pain while drawing for long periods of time, this Kneeling Chair could help. This is one of the least expensive options I would consider. I've had quite a few of these through the year. The Sleekform Alpharetta Adjustable Kneeling Chair is my favorite because of the durability and the superior memory foam they use for the cushions. It also is much more adjustable than other less expensive models. This Getting the height and cushion angles set for your body type is really important for kneeling chairs. Trust me... one size does not fit all!
ORDER ON AMAZON HERE: Sleekform Alpharetta Adjustable Kneeling Chair |
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Used in both my studio and at Live Drawing Workshops, this X-Acto pencil is the best Electric Pencil Sharpener I've found to date. It even works on charcoal and carbon pencils. It sharpens many different sizes of pencils including the "fat" ones like the Primo Elite Grande Charcoal and the Kimberly 9xxb.
This sharpener utilizes a flyaway helical cutter to efficiently sharpen pencils without over sharpening. Quick tip... If you're sharpening a lot of charcoals, occasionally sharpen a graphite pencil in it to help clean and lubricate the blades. ORDER ON AMAZON HERE: X-Acto SchoolPro |
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This little inexpensive Hand Crank Sharpener takes large and small pencils and comes with a clamp for attaching to your desk or drawing table. It's the Dahle 155 Professional Pencil Sharpener. The spring loaded face plate grabs the pencil and pulls it into the steel cutting cylinder. It can sharpen to a blunt point or super long and sharp.
I've had several of these available for students to use in my live drawing workshops for over five years, and they are all going strong. Just like with the Electric sharpener above, if you occasionally sharpen a graphite pencil it will keep the blades clean and lubricated for a better sharpening experience when you use it with charcoal or carbon. ORDER ON AMAZON HERE: Dahle 155 Professional Pencil Sharpener |
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A Light Box is a very handy tool to use while drawing for many different reasons. I use the Huion A2 Large Light Box. It's very well made and gets great reviews. One of the lesser known ways to use it is to help you see more detail in the darker areas of a reference photo. If your reference photo is printed on photo paper and you place it on a bright light box, it will illuminate the darker areas allowing you to see detail you wouldn't normally see.
ORDER ON AMAZON HERE: Huion A2 Large Light Box |
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