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

When I began working as illustrator I always used Van Gogh watercolors, but now I prefer to use acrylics and pencils and I use a drawing tablet for the final details or to fill big surfaces.

I use 2B and HB pencils to sketch and sometimes I try to colour with watercolors or coloured pencils.

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

I don’t have a very wide collection, so it’s not a difficult decision. If I use a product and I like it then I don’t need to look for another.

I start sketching with a graphite pencil and after that I try different tools.

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

I don’t use pens very often but I like to ink using my Rotring 0.5.

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

I started using watercolors but now I use acrylics and colored pencils. It depends on the project.

Lately I love to sketch with a red Col-Erase and colour with Da Vinci gouache.

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 watercolor travel set. I use it to paint my sketches. At the moment I am really enjoying using a set of colored pencils by Lyra.

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

With the years I’ve become more and more neurotic about the notebooks. I need one where I write and do my sketches. I was overwhelmed having scraps of paper everywhere with notes and sketches. But I don’t have a preferred brand. The most important thing for me is that the paper is smooth. I think that for writing, the best brand is Clairefontaine. I’ve never tried a Moleskine, maybe I should!

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

I like to paint on wood and on canvas. But I don’t have any preferences. Most of my work is on paper. When I buy paper it has to be minimum 180 grs and smooth.

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

Well, I try to avoid digital post processing but sometimes I make some changes using it. It helps very much.

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 read about the Rapidograph in Danny Gregory’s blog Everyday Matters. I tried it but I’m not comfortable with it. But he does wonderful drawings with it.

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

No, I don’t think so. I use paper when I do collages. Toothbrushes to add color and sometimes I make my own stamp to create a pattern in an illustration. And I use fabrics, too.

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’m always doodling in my notebooks and they’re sometimes a very useful resource when nothing comes to my mind. I start sketching with pencils and I try to maintain this type of line. For other work I try to use not line at all, so I work with the computer a little more. But I work mostly non-digitally. I find that it’s more fun and it’s very relaxing.

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)?

The computer is a great tool. It saves a lot time and effort to try colors on the computer. It’s very helpful for me.

The computer and being online it’s a very fast and useful way to be in contact with other artists, to get to know and to see things in places where I wouldn’t be able to go.

Working alone at home it’s become a very important tool to promote my work and to share ideas with other artists.

Thanks Natascha!

You can find Natascha Rosenberg online at her portfolio website natascharosenberg.com and on her weblog: Natascha’s Blog.

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.

To kick things off, I have asked the Aberystwyth, Wales artist Michael Nobbs to allow us a peek into his artistic toolbox.

What are your favorite drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, drawing tablet)?

I tend to get obsessed with a particular way or working for a while. At the moment I’m using a mixture of (very old) Wacom tablet and a Lamy Safari pen with a medium nib. My finished drawings are currently a combination of inkjet and ink.

Not so long ago I was constantly using a Rotring Art Pen and a Moleskine sketchbook.

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

The advantage of obsession is that I don’t have to make day-to-day decisions. I just pick up what I was using yesterday and carry on. Eventually I get excited about a different way of working and move on to something new. (I do have a LARGE collection of pens so it’s a good thing I’m not indecisive about what I’m working with, otherwise I’d never draw anything).

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

At the moment it’s a Lamy Safari with Lamy cartridges. I do have a converter for it and do sometimes fill it with (waterproof) Rotring drawing ink. I want to get hold of some Noodler’s Ink to try.

How do you like your color? Watercolour? Acrylics? Oil?

I’ve used all of the above in the past. These days I love adding colour digitally with Photoshop.

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 do have a bit of a thing for Moleskines. At the moment though a lot of my work is on thick matte inkjet paper. I have a big pile in my studio. I buy in bulk.

I do always have a Moleskine in my bag, it’s probably a bit like a comfort blanket. I tend not to be able to go out without one.

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

Lots at the moment; both post and pre-processing.

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

Yep, someone just needs to whisper the name of a pen and I want it. I found out about Rotring Art Pens from the wonderful Keri Smith and the Lamy Safari from the hugely talented Swedish artist Nina Johansson. I really want to get hold of some Sharpies to try after discovering New York artist Jason Polan.

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)?

My MacBook (I’m a bit of an Apple geek) is definitely a central part of my practice. I’m very interested in recording and archiving my rather mundane life and the internet (especially blogging) is a great resource for that. I engage a lot with other artists online, Twitter is fantastic for that, and am always looking for inspiration. I mentioned Jason Polan before. I discovered his work when someone told me about him on Twitter and he has made me think a lot about my own drawing practice. It is so exciting when things like that happen, and the internet makes those kind of connections and discoveries so much more possible.

I feel very lucky to be living and working at the technological stage we are at now. I can design and publish a book for very little expense and then potentially get it see around the world. I can put a webpage together to promote a project, I can edit my own films. There are so many possibilities.

Michael Nobbs can be found online at his main website at michaelnobbs.com, and on his weblog at blog.michaelnobbs.com. Make sure and view his recent set of drawings up on Flickr called looking for the joy, and take a peek at his published illustrated journal called “The Beany”. And if you’re not following Michael on Twitter (@michaelnobbs), you’re missing out on a fantastic source of art links and inspiration.

Thanks Michael!