What I Use To Draw (Penciling)

I like to do rough layouts and quick sketching with a red or blue Prismacolor Col-Erase pencil. This is a leftover from when I studied animation at NYU back in the 1980s. I'll often work in red, then go over the lines I want to define and emphasize in blue. The different colors allow me to pick out certain elements more easily.

Like it says on the pencil, you can erase Col-Erase lines pretty cleanly if you don't press down super hard (unlike the regular Prismacolor color pencils, which are greasier and denser).

Then I will tighten the sketch up with a traditional drawing pencil, usually an HB or 2B. Then I take the rough and put it on a Litepad (lite box) and redraw the image onto Bristol board. If the rough is messy or I want to change the size, I scan it and print it out for redrawing.

If I'm just going straight in with a pencil rough or drawing I might start with a lighter lead, a 2H, or an HB. I'll usually work over that with a darker, softer 2B. I currently use Tombow art pencils. You can use any brand, or any lead weight, whatever feels right to you and goes with your style.

If I'm looking to use a more delicate line, if I need to work on tight details or I want to draw lines with an Ames guide and a ruler/T-square for lettering, I'll usually use a mechanical pencil or lead holder or whatever the hell they call them. I can't press down hard with these or the thin, insertable leads will snap. I tend to press down pretty hard when I draw, and it can indent the page, causing a problem when I ink, so these help me lighten up. I use Pentel lead holders, sizes .4 and .5. You can buy refills for the pencils, as seen in the photo. I also use these when my drawing hand is hurting badly, it forces me to use a lighter touch and ease up on my fingers and wrist. On the whole I prefer using regular pencils but these often come in handy.

The thing to remember when it comes to art supplies is that the best tool for the job is the one that helps you get the results you want. It can be a cheap Ticonderoga #2 pencil (which I used to use for a long time), or an expensive , fancy-schmancy art pencil. But there's no "standard" pencil you MUST use according to some art rule. You should try a variety of tools to see what works best for you, what you're most comfortable with, what feels right in your hand. And what you can afford. Art supplies can be expensive, and while sometimes spendy items can be worth it, they don't in and of themselves make you an artist. It's what you do with them that matters. And just because someone whose work you like uses a certain drawing tool, that doesn't mean it will be something you'll find works for you. The result you want is the important thing. Whatever works for you, works. Try things, play around with different tools, see what you like.

I buy most of my supplies from art supply shops online or in some cases, direct from the companies (online). I try not to buy too much stuff from Amazon because they suck, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to keep going.

Hopefully that was of some interest. I'll be posting about inking supplies, erasers and other stuff I use asap.