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

I most enjoy working with pencils and permanent ink pens.

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

Often I start making sketches in pencil, but I use pens with lightfast ink on all my final drawings to make my artwork more archival.

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

My favorite pens are from the Faber-Castell PITT artist pens series, especially the pens with black waterproof India ink.

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

I use a combination of water-based painting techniques - watercolor, gouache, and acrylics.

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 like Lascaux acrylics and Winsor & Newton watercolors. I use top quality paints to make sure my artwork will last for a lifetime.

Travel sets are fun, and I do usually take some art materials with me when I travel.

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

My favorite papers to work on are thick handmade papers that are made in France. I love the deckled edge and the textured quality of the paper. It makes the completed works seem almost like “objects.”

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

I do sometimes work on canvas or panel, and I like working on wood very much. Sometimes I carve bits out of the wooden panels to give my images a more dimensional quality.

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

No.

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

I think I am usually more inspired by the imagery in the work, than the actual materials. However, I especially like looking at artwork from other mixed media artists.

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

In my collage work, I use papers that I collect from all around the world. I love Japanese, Indian, Asian, and Italian papers; there are many multi-cultural, handmade papers that I find beautiful.

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 prefer to work non-digitally as much as possible. I just like getting my hands dirty, I suppose!

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)?

Although I don’t use the computer to make my actual artwork, I have found the Internet to be an incredible tool to use in promoting my artwork and making contacts. Through the Internet, I have found an online network of artist and designer friends who are wonderfully helpful, friendly, and like-minded. I don’t know what I did before I met them.

Last year, I bought an iMac and a new digital camera, and I am really happy with both. The quality of the photographs I can make of my work has improved dramatically, and I am now able to print and sell high quality digital reproductions of my artwork in my online shop.

Thanks Stephanie!

You can find Stephanie Levy online on her weblog stephanielevy.blogspot.com, on Flickr (stephanielevy), Twitter (@stephanielevy), and her work can be purchase online in her Etsy shop. Stephanie also runs the wonderful Artists Who Blog.

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.

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

Brush, or nib pen and india ink. I tend to go through phases of what I like to draw with but this one has lasted for quite a while..!

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

Definitely don’t have a wide collection of materials as a student! I use the same pot of ink until it has completely dried out, and I’m particularly fond of an old battered paintbrush with about one strand of hair left in it!

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

N/A, although I do quite like using Rotring pens every now and again. They are nice and inky.

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

I often work in just black and white but if I’m going to use colour I almost always introduce colour into my work through screenprint. I find it really hard to visualise things unless I’m going to screenprint, I think sometimes I get a bit reliant on being able to screenprint because I can’t always! Otherwise I’ll paint with a combination of inks, gouache, coloured pencils and acrylics.. I find it hard to work with just one of them!

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?

Favourite paints..I love really cheap black acrylic from WHSmith, but the rest of my paints are Reeves or Daler-Rowney gouache and Daler-Rowney acrylics, I wouldn’t have said they’re my favourites they are just what I have!

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’m sure everyone has said this but I love Moleskines. Although I prefer just to write and doodle in them than actually properly work in them. Most of my drawings and screenprints I just do onto sheets of cartridge paper.

I like the idea of having lovely chunky black sketchbooks but when it gets round to it I always feel a bit restricted working in a sketchbook.

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

I really don’t like adding colour to work on Photoshop because all I can do is the paint bucket pretty much. If I could do textures etc I’m sure I would use it more. However most of my drawings I do on loose sheets of paper, which I scan in then create layouts and compositions on Photoshop which I usually then print out and screenprint.

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

I once saw a man drawing in Paris with a really chunky propelling pencil and lusted after one for years, but could never find one. When I eventually did I didn’t actually like it…bit of a waste of time really!

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

Not really. I sometimes do collage with old scraps of paper and collected vintage ephemera although these don’t seem out of the ordinary to me! I sometimes introduce textiles and stitch into my work but at the moment I’m pretty focused on printmaking.

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?

Definitely prefer doing things by hand but more and more I find that I need to use the computer for certain projects. I could work purely digital, I would go insane staring at a computer screen. It always feels much more rewarding when you physically/manually produce something as you can actually see the process and mistakes made along the way, where as on the computer that often gets lost, deleted or left behind.

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 as an illustrator its pretty much vital to have a website or at least have an online portfolio of your work because illustrators often get commissioned work through art directors trawling the internet to find new talent, or simply going through links on websites, chances are the links will eventually lead to you.

I look at a lot of illustrators work online and on design blogs etc which I find inspiration from, but its not quite the same as flicking through a book is it?!

Also when doing illustrations you often need obscure images to draw from, and google and flickr are lifesavers in those situations, although again I would much prefer to draw from observation or my own photographs and books.

Thanks Alice!

You can find Alice Pattullo online at her portfolio website alicepattullo.com, on her personal weblog alice-pattullo.blogspot.com, and on the group weblog Illustrator’s Elbow.