What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)?

When I’m in the studio, I typically draw with 2B pencils, but any old pencil will do for doodling. I sometimes draw with a non-photo blue pencil when I’m really trying to work something out in a study. If I’m inking on paper, I prefer nibs to brushes, though I’m trying to transition to brushes by working with brush pens. I find the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen particularly fun to use. But lately I really only ink my comics on paper—most of the inking I do is done in Flash MX with an Intuos drawing tablet. People familiar with my work already know I’m a large proponent of using Flash as an inking and drawing tool. I grew accustomed to it through animation; it really creates a fantastic brush-like line once you get the hang of it. I’ve actually written a few tutorials on my blog, Drip!.

If you have a wide collection, how do you decide on which to use on a particular drawing, project, or day?

When it comes to comics, I always prefer working on paper with a dip pen. I really enjoy working with ink, and it’s much easier to lay out a comic on bristol board than it is on a computer screen. Plus I like to work big, normally at 14x17—a screen can feel so tiny. I ink with an assortment of vintage nibs, the Subway Stub being my favorite. But when I’m working on an illustration or just doodling around, my instinct is to hop on the computer and draw in Flash. It’s the quickest way for me to draw something that looks sharp and professional—so, speed and ease-of-use are deciding factors. I’ve mentioned this elsewhere, but in my opinion Flash MX (note, not MX2004) is the best version of the app for drawing and inking. They (being Macromedia/Adobe) screwed something up along the way.

If you prefer pens, is there any particular brand, color, or type of ink you like best?

I haven’t tried too many inks, but Higgins Black India Ink seems to do the trick.

How do you like your color? Watercolor? Acrylics? Oil? Colored pencils? Markers?

I haven’t used gouache or acrylics in awhile. I do most of my coloring in Flash or Photoshop. On a tip from friend and fellow cartoonist Sherm Cohen, I’ve been playing around with a fabulous digital painting app called ArtRage. It’s basically an easy-to-use stripped down version of Painter, offering up only a dozen tools. I couldn’t recommend it more, and its cheap. So, ArtRage for texture and Flash/Photoshop for laying in flat colors.

Is there any particular type of notebook or drawing pad you prefer? Or does any scrap of decent-sized paper work in a pinch?

Any kind will do—I keep a few sketchbooks at a time. One for jotting down ideas and working rough in pencil, and one that I do cleaner inked studies and doodles in. I’ve tried Moleskines, but they are a bit small and I normally feel inclined to dirty them up. I just got a new sketchbook that I’m breaking in. I keep a stack of 11x17 copier paper nearby for drawing because its fun to sketch big and loose.

Do you ever do any kind of post-processing (like adding color in Photoshop or similar tool) to your drawings?

When I begin on paper, my drawings always end up in Photoshop for coloring. I spend time tiling and cleaning up my scans, and I correct the few marks that need editing in my inks. I don’t use white-out as much for corrections anymore, as it can be done just as easily in post on the computer.

Have you ever tried a new pen (or paper, etc) from reading about it, or seeing the results in another artist’s work?

Yes, I’ve picked up tips from an assortment of blogs and on Twitter—a recent tool being the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen. I just inked a comic with it. I’m looking to get my hands on a G nib, and Meg Hunt recently reviewed a Akashiya bamboo barrel brush pen. I love trying new tools, especially when it comes to working with ink. I was recently disappointed by my first chance to try a Cintiq. I like my Intuous, but something about the Cintiq really irks me. Maybe it’s because they are so expensive, but I found it really distracting to have my hand in the way as I drew on the computer screen. Not to mention the gap because of the glass. There is something profoundly predictable and intuitive about working on paper that the Cintiq attempts to mimic (and fails at, in my opinion). We’ll see—I’ll might come around eventually.

Do you have anything you use out of the ordinary for making your art?

Not really. Though, I stumbled upon a box containing my father-in-law’s writing pen from grade school (a dip pen). Drawing with it was what first turned me on to inking with pen nibs, and I seek out vintage nibs because of it.

If you create purely-digital art, what are the software programs you use? Is one used more than another?

Again, Flash MX, Photoshop, and ArtRage. But Flash is open most of the time.

If you work both digitally and non-digitally, which do you find yourself doing more? Is there a reason you would prefer one of the other? Is it because of the tools available in either space?

I work digitally when I want to get something done quickly and if I know I’ll be making edits along the way—traditionally when the piece requires a certain amount of care. Comics, in particular demand a traditional touch, and I like to have the original piece to hold in my hands when I’m done. I’ve worked digitally for so long that I find myself wanting to do more on paper.

I asked about post-processing on a computer, but do you think the computer is a helpful tool for making art? Whether it’’s looking for inspiration online, or using it to build a weblog to promote yourself and your art, do you think a computer is necessary, helpful, or a distraction (or all of the above)?

I find it extremely useful—I’d be kidding myself if I didn’t say so. But in addition to the tools I use (like Flash), the online community of artists is an endless source of inspiration and the Internet provides a wonderful way to connect with like minds. You need to know when and how to tune it out, but it’s here for good…and I think for the better.

Thanks Bob!

You can find Bob Flynn online at his portfolio website www.jinxthemonkey.com, his weblog Drip!, Twitter (@bobjinx), Flickr (bobjinx), and contributing to the group weblog, Creative Juices.

What are your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)?

Pencil and paper. I like to keep things simple, with as little as possible in the way between me and the art. I construct my drawings in a non-photo blue pencil, then render them in either drawing pencil (2B & 2H) or in ink with a # 2 brush and disposable pens. From there, the work is (usually) scanned and colored digitally.

If you have a wide collection, how do you decide on which to use on a particular drawing, project, or day?

The tools used will depend on what the finished work will be used for. Comics will usually get the ink/color treatment, while illustrated works (e.g. a book cover, CD liners) may end up as a full-on digital painting.

If you prefer pens, is there any particular brand, color, or type of ink you like best?

I use disposable Micron pens. I used to depend on a set of Rotring Isograph technical pens that had an incredible ruler device in the lid of the case, but that set doesn’t seem to be made any more, and the other technical pens I’ve used just don’t perform as well. Microns (or any other brand of suitably dark brush pens) are quick and easy to wield, and give me a good solid ink line.

I also like to use a generic Staples brand black gel pen for sketching and looser work. It gives me a nice heavy black line, but allows me to more expressive and impulsive than do the Microns.

How do you like your color? Watercolor? Acrylics? Oil? Colored pencils? Markers? All of the above?

I like my color digital, if possible. I do use a Wacom at times, but, since I work from varied locations, I’m most comfortable with a mouse, and I love being able to manipulate photographs to add texture to my color. When I do paint a piece by hand, I prefer acrylics thinned with linseed oil (it slows the drying time and lets you work the paint better).

If you do use paints, inks, pencils or markers for coloring, are there any in particular that are your favorites? Do you prefer travel sets or do you need a full set of colors?

Winsor & Newton acrylics work just fine for me. I’ve also got a travel set of Pelikan watercolors that I’ve had forever that I sometimes use for painting backgrounds. I’ve gotten pretty good at mixing colors by hand, so I tend to work with a limited palette when I paint. I don’t have room in my studio or in my head for a wide range of colors.

If you have a different set of tools for working in your studio (or office, or home, or on the couch) and out in public (at the park, or a coffee shop), what are the differences?

My studio tools are mostly digital, excepting my drafting table. It’s a huge wooden job with a built in light table that some friends gave me for a birthday a couple of years ago, and it’s an object of pride in my studio. When working away from home, I mostly use a mechanical pencil or the Staples brand pens I mentioned earlier.

Is there any particular type of notebook or drawing pad you prefer? Or does any scrap of decent-sized paper work in a pinch?

Strathmore bristol for finished pencil or ink work. For sketchbooks, it’s a matter of what’s at hand. I’ve got sketchbooks ranging in size from about 3 inches square to 11 x 17, although if given a choice, I’d rather do my rough work on plain old bond paper. Comes from all those years spent doing phone doodles in an office environment.

If you paint, is there any particular type of canvas you prefer? Do you like to paint on wood or other material?

For commercial work, I prefer a nice smooth Hi-Art illustration board. I sometimes like to mix ink with watercolor with acrylics, and nothing else takes the various media quite as well. Occasionally, I’ll work on canvas board or plywood with lots of primer, but they’re exceptions.

Do you ever do any kind of post-processing (like adding color in Photoshop or similar tool) to your art?

Yes. Almost always. As I mentioned earlier, I enjoy fiddling around with photographs to add textures to my art, and a judicious use of filters can save me hours of drawing and painting time. I prefer working with The Gimp, but until they add proper CMYK support, I’ll be working with Photoshop as well.

Have you ever tried a new pen (or paper, etc) from reading about it, or seeing the results in another artist’s work?

I use the Micron pens because a friend (Ian McDonald, creator of Bruno the Bandit recommended them to me, and I happen to really like his inking, and especially his lettering. I got the trick of using linseed oil with my acrylics from a book by Boris Vallejo, and from being very frustrated with the quick drying time, because I like to fiddle around with my colors once I’ve laid them down.

Do you have anything you use out of the ordinary for making your art?

Is Google still considered out of the ordinary for this sort of thing? For reference, there’s no better tool than Google Image Search. Also, Wikimedia Commons is the source of many a photographic texture for me. I’ve also just started using a program called Ginipic that searches various image sources like Google, Flickr, etc., but I’m still getting the hang of that one.

If you create collages, where do you get the materials and objects you use in your pieces?

I don’t do collages as such, but I will sometimes scan objects from around my house to use as textures.

When creating your digital art, what are the software programs you use? Is one used more than another?

I like working with the open source program The Gimp. I find it’s brush scaling preferable to Photoshop’s, and some of its filters work well for me. There are some little interface tweaks in there that I prefer, but that may just be because I’m more used to them. Also, I’ve collected a nice assortment of Gimp brushes from Deviantart and haven’t found Photoshop replacements for all of them yet. If I know that the piece is going to be used digitally, or if CMYK does not matter, I’ll use The Gimp to complete the project. Otherwise, I’ll very often build up most of the piece in Gimp, then export it as a .psd and finish it off with a CMYK conversion and some color adjustments in Photoshop.

If you work both digitally and non-digitally, which do you find yourself doing more? Is there a reason you would prefer one of the other? Is it because of the tools available in either space?

The last couple of years, I’d say about 90% of my work is finished digitally, although it always starts out on the drawing board. I love the tactile immediacy of pencils, pens and brushes, but I also like the speed and intricacy of digital work, so it’s a tossup which I prefer. I work in digital more because that’s where my market is. Most of my clients approach me online, and the work is delivered to them via email or online storage services.

I asked about post-processing on a computer, but do you think the computer is a helpful tool for making art? Whether it’s looking for inspiration online, or using it to build a weblog to promote yourself and your art, do you think a computer is necessary, helpful, or a distraction (or all of the above)?

For me, the computer is absolutely indispensible. It’s a sales tool, a communications device, and a production shop all in one. The internet is the largest swipe file and reference book you’ve ever seen, and the availability of so many free tools for writing, art production and self-promotion has significantly lowered the cost of getting your work out to the public.

It can also be quite a distraction if you allow yourself to get lost in surfing the net or tweaking out your system, but that’s a test of the discipline of the artist. Any tool is only as good as your use of it.

Thanks Mike!

Mike Dominic can be found online at his weblog paladinfreelance.com. His older webcomics can be seen at “The Journals of Simon Pariah” and guest stories at Bruno the Bandit.

What are some of your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet, all of the above)?

I like to start sketching with a simple 6B pencil or a blue pencil, sometimes I use markers, sometimes I sketch directly on Photoshop with a tablet (I have one of those Wacom Bamboo).

If you have a wide collection, how do you decide on which to use on a particular drawing, project, or day?

It depends on the project and on my mood! But I like to try different tools a lot.

If you prefer pens, is there any particular brand, color, or type of ink you like best?

I use those Sakura Micron pens a lot, and sometimes I use Tombow’s brush pens, they have a lot of colors. Sometimes I use white ink Uni-ball Signo Gel Pens to do some details as well.

How do you like your color? Watercolor? Acrylics? Oil? Colored pencils? Markers?

It depends! I’ve been trying acrylics diluted on water on canvas lately… it looks like watercolors. Talens gouaches are fun to use too!

On my sketchbook I use a lot of markers and sometimes colored pencils too.

But mostly I color with Photoshop.

If you do use paints, inks, pencils, or markers for coloring, are there any in particular that are your favorites? Do you prefer travel sets of paints to a full set?

I have a Winsor & Newton travel set for watercolors that I almost haven’t used yet! I need to practice some watercolors! As for inks, simple India ink and a nice Rembrandt number 2 brush.

Is there any particular type of notebook or drawing pad you prefer? Or does any scrap of decent-sized paper work in a pinch?

I have a lot of sketchbooks, with lots of types of paper! For a simple experimental sketch, anything works. For watercolors or any watery paint its better to use Fabriano papers.

Do you ever do any kind of post-processing (like adding color in Photoshop or similar tool) to your drawings?

Yes. I do it a lot! I mostly use Photoshop to adjust levels, colors and to put pieces together when I’m not directly drawing or coloring with it already.

Have you ever tried a new pen (or paper, etc) from reading about it, or seeing the results in another artist’s work?

Yes! I’m always looking for tips on what kind of material it’s best to use! And I love to try new materials or medias.

Do you have anything you use out of the ordinary for making your art?

Hmmm, lately I’ve been sewing up some details on canvas… just an experiment! :D

If you create purely-digital art, what are the software programs you use? Is one used more than another?

Mostly Photoshop, sometimes Painter and sometimes I like to sketch a little bit on ArtRage or Open Canvas.

If you work both digitally and non-digitally, which do you find yourself doing more? Is there a reason you would prefer one of the other? Is it because of the tools available in either space?

I do more digital work. Mostly because it’s more practical for the kinds of jobs I do. But I like to balance it and try to do non-digital work whenever I can.

I asked about post-processing on a computer, but do you think the computer is a helpful tool for making art? Whether it’s looking for inspiration online, or using it to build a weblog to promote yourself and your art, do you think a computer is necessary, helpful, or a distraction (or all of the above)?

I think nowadays it’s more than helpful for me, it’s a necessity! But you need to be careful not to be too distracted with that bunch of information you have in front of you.

Thanks Amanda!

You can find Amanda Grazini online at her weblog amandagrazini.blogspot.com and on Flickr (amandagrazini). Amanda also has some work available for purchase in her Etsy Shop.