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

I enjoy both traditional and digital processes and try to practice both. For my professional work though, I often go digitally. I’m more comfortable with, and it’s faster for me. I can come back on any step of my process, and I love the technical possibilities that digital provides. I use a Wacom tablet and Photoshop CS4. I start from zero in Photoshop, so my digital work is 100% digital. But I also love drawing with good old pens and pencils. Recently my favorite pencil is a Conté Pierre Noire, I love it because it makes really deep blacks. My friend Victoria Maderna also gave me a wonderful little pencil: Schwarz Black soft, by Faber Castell. It’s soft and oily, but not greasy. Sometimes I draw with pens as well. For the colors, I’m an addict of watercolors.

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

I do not prefer pen rather than other medium, but sometimes I feel like drawing with them. My favorites are Pilots, I have several of that brand. I try to use different sizes in the same drawing, but depends, sometimes I start doodling with a ball pen and I end up filling a full page. Another one that I find very useful, is this Japanese ink pen, with a brush: Pentel GFKP. The brush is really good, allowing to vary the line density, and easier to carry on than an ink bottle.

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

As I said, my favorites are watercolors. These are awesome and also frustrating to use, but I love it. I have two boxes of Winsor & Newton watercolors, had them for ages, and they still feel kind of magic. Plus you can take them anywhere, they fit in any pocket! It happens that I use color pencils as well, or acrylics, but I’m not that good with paint. I never trieds oils, and I feel quite ashamed about that haha! In the near future I would like to practice more painting though.

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 quite difficult about paper. For exemple, I don’t like Moleskine paper much, because it’s yellow and you can’t really add water on it. They are good for pens though. I often prefer watercolor paper, or Canson. About sketchbooks, a friend of mine who is an artist too, Jens Claessens, always buy these A4 and A5 books for me, in a little art store of his town. They don’t have any particular brand I guess, they are only huge books with an hard cover, black or blue, with nothing on it, and the paper is perfect for me. That said, depending of the context, I draw on anything, like on a paper napkin, wood, stones, or the walls of my bedroom…

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

I don’t recall this happened, except maybe in school, trying out my schoolmates’s tools. I like being inspired by others but I try not to “copy” other artists process too much. I would be afraid of losing my own personality by trying the tricks of other artists. That said, most of the mediums I use are pretty common. I think it’s how an artist uses a tool that makes it unique, more than the tool itself.

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

I only use Photoshop. I used to mess around a little bit in Illustrator and Painter few years ago, but not seriously. I’m a bit of a noob!

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 for my commission work (for press, graphic novels, illustrations for clients), because it’s easier. I love the freedom that digital process provides me. For quite a long time I didn’t had a scanner, so I learned to draw everything digitally, without traditional sketching. It was more a constraint at the beginning, but in the end it made things easier. I developed my style this way and I can work quite fast now. For my own pleasure I still draw traditionally though, but less than digitally. I sell original artworks on Etsy. I do some when I have time to produce stuff just for fun. No pressure. It seems more difficult for me to work traditionally for a client. I’m not confident enough with it, less practice.

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)?

Definitely all of the above! It would be crazy to say that it’s not helpful. Not especially for creating art, there is tons of full traditional artists that don’t really need a computer as a tool of creation. But for creating a network, contacts in the industry, for job seeking, to have a website, to communicate with clients, to find reference, for inspiration, etc. Computers and the internet are obviously a huge resource.

Like mostly everything else, it also can be a huge distraction and a tool of procrastination. It’s up to people to use it in a clever way. I’m still trying to figure it out!

Thanks Aurélie!

Aurélie Neyret can be found online at her weblog Clo! and on Twitter (@ZeuClo). Prints of her work can be found at INPRNT and some originals are available on Etsy.

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)?

My favorite drawing tools typically include ink, either with a brush or Pen. I enjoy the immediacy of ink and the way it forces you to accept and respond to the marks that you make. I’ve stopped blocking out my drawings with a pencil at this point and I feel that it has forced me to become more informal in the way I draw resulting in a more natural or organic way of composing images on the page.

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

I almost always work on paper with ink and watercolor. There isn’t exactly a long decision making process involved the materials I use. I try to keep my tools to whatever I can fit in a bag since I am constantly working outside my studio.

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

Whatever is waterproof.

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

I prefer to use watercolor. I enjoy the way it almost sits inside the paper. I feel that I have an extremely sensitive control of the colors by building up layers of washes and glazes. The luminosity of the hue produced by this method is also very desirable.

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?

Like I said earlier, I like to be very low maintenance. Anything I can fit in a bag walking around town. That is my only concern.

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

In addition to painting I am also a printmaker. After printing large editions I am frequently left with small scraps of paper which I usually tear down and keep in a large box in the corner of my studio. I will frequently grab a small handful before walking out the door in the morning.

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

Canvas is too toothy for me.

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

Sometimes If I am commissioned to create a piece of artwork for a band or organization I will start off with traditional mediums but then revise it digitally. Working with clients can sometimes lead to many many revisions and making all of those changes traditionally would simply take too much time so I always keep certain facets of the assignment strictly digital from the beginning allowing the potential for an easy fix. However my studio work is purely traditional.

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

Not that I can recall.

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

Nope.

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

While I could see some real purists harbor contempt for digital media, arguing a loss of sincerity of human resonance, I feel it is just a new avenue in which humans have began to speculate and ask questions about. Digital technology is young and a generally untapped resource. While I still work traditionally I do not feel threatened or angered by the emergence of new technology to create art. I just have’nt figured out quite what to do with it yet.

Thanks Ebenezer!

You can find Ebenezer Archer Kling online at his portfolio website ebenezerarcherkling.com and on his weblog ebenezerarcherkling.blogspot.com. He has also recently started working on the The Paper Girl Northampton Project.

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

I have to admit, being a girl first and nerd second, I spend all of my money on art supplies, video games and shoes. I love my Wacom tablet… one day it will be a Cintiq. Dr. P.H. Martin Concentrated Watercolors are great and last a lifetime. Any old mechanical pencil will do, Prismacolor Pencils (always True Blue and Crimson Red). Any and all paper, the stranger the size and texture, the better. Gray Tombow markers, Copic Markers, Winsor & Newton sable brushes (the Rolls Royce of brushes), acrylic gesso, extra fine sand paper, and Guitar Hero for when I can’t think of anything to do with all those art supplies.

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

I honestly can’t! I go crazy when I walk into an art store, buying everything I see, and then I put it all away in my closet never to be seen again! HAhaha! I usually open it up whenever I feel inspired, get overwhelmed, close the door and walk away. My little sketchbook from my bag and my laptop are usually where all my ideas end up.

If there is a project that can’t be done digitally, like painting a vinyl or a canvas, I usually pull out my P.H. Martin watercolors and some acrylic paint. The two blend well and are incredibly vibrant!

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

I like warm gray Tombow markers, gel pens and Pigma Microns. Also, dried up Sharpie markers are fun to play with, especially when you take out the felt from the inside and ball it up to use as an underpainting.

My friend, Stephane Kardos taught me that. Merci!

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

I usually color everything digitally because it’s 100% forgiving. Plus you can quickly reference textures and photo elements with ease and apply those bad boys to your painting directly.

I think using Photoshop automatically makes you a p*ssy. HAHah! You don’t chose to be, you just become one unwillingly!

I like to think that Photoshop is like a kind, nurturing mother who feeds you three well balanced, delicious meals a day… reads you a bed time story and then tucks you in at night until you realize that you’re thirty years old, have a flabby backside and you haven’t seen the sun in 6 years! So then one day you leave home, finding that the world is a terrifying place and you’re a hot mess!

Traditional media is the reality that’s harsh and unforgiving and it’s tough going to that from something so predictable and forgiving.

Not for me man, I’m sticking with Photoshop…. and maybe acrylics and watercolors if I’m feeling craaazy!

I really admire artists like Travis Louie, who can achieve what us digital artists can with just their hands and a canvas.

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 love cheapy mini watercolor sets. The color’s usually aren’t too saturated which is great for subtle sketching and quick tonal gestures under any ink or pencil drawings. It’s really fun and not too permanent.

Sakura Koi watercolor sketch boxes are my personal favorite. It’s refillable so you can swap out the little color cakes for any color you choose, which is great because pre-determined watercolor sets usually have a lot of “blah” colors.

And did I mention it comes with a refillable water brush! Sha! Awesome!!

Also Escoda travel brushes are great for field paintings and are gorgeous.

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 like sketchbooks.

As artists, I think we’re a little disorganized by nature, so we have to be extra attentive to our collective selves to keep us from tripping over stacks of papers and spending hours looking for something in a cluttered office. I don’t mind the size or the type, as long as it’s recognizable and in some way bound together.

On that note, I love Kunst & Papier sketchbooks. They have a great variety of sizes and won’t fall apart if they get wet or when you’ve schlepped them around with you for a while!

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

I love series paintings so if I can find a canvas or material that’s an interesting shape with a couple different variations to match, then that’s what I’ll get!

Like any artist who wanders the aisles, wood piles, junkyards, etc. You look for that canvas that inspires you.

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

Always! Photoshop is the artist’s crutch but I love it.

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

Of course! I often look at Cartoonbrew, Conceptart.org, CGsociety.org, and blogs like animationbackgrounds.blogspot.com, and characterdesign.blogspot.com for inspiration.

Blogs are great for getting the artist’s perspective on the project rather than just looking at a finished piece with a limited description.

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

Well sometimes I use a chain saw and human blood but that’s only on special occasions. ….That was a bad joke, I’m totally kidding!! BAAH!

Well, honestly, I sometimes use my hands, cotton, beaver whiskers, sharpened sticks, whatever is lying around that you think might make for a nice effect. Being an artist is being an inventor and an engineer…. and in some cases a MacGyver too.

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

Well I wouldn’t say “purely” but I use a lot of different software. It all depends on the project. As an artist, it’s good to learn as many different tools as you can so you have a bigger tool box, so to speak, when a particular projects presents itself.

For me, I rely predominantly on Illustrator, ArtRage, Sketchbook Pro, Maya, Zbrush and AfterEffects.

These days, I’ve been doing a lot of digital painting so Photoshop and ArtRage are my apps of choice! ArtRage is the MOST fun and only something like $25! Also, Alias’ Sketchbook Pro is great for sketching and cartooning. They have a free trial on their site too so go check it out!

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 usually always start a project with a sketch in my sketchbook or on marker paper. Siiigh… nothing is more exciting than getting a new book of marker paper and tearing out the first page for scannage! Am I right!?? Ooh life’s simple pleasures….

Sooo, I usually start a project using just a regular mechanical pencil and some paper. Then I’ll scan it in or take a digital photo and paint on top of it in Photoshop. I’d say I rely 70% traditional, 30% digital.

I prefer sketching out my ideas before I scan them into the computer because it keeps me focused on the idea rather than the techniques and the color. Too many options can become distracting and before you know it, you have a beautifully rendered, boring idea. Kind of ironic how eliminating your options can make you more creative.

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)?

It can be all of the above! I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent researching something for unspeakable amounts of time when I should have started the project long before. But that’s what’s so incredible! The internet is an endless recourse. I’m going to sound like a huge dork right now, but technology has brought so many ideas to life, so many questions to resolution and so many seemingly unattainable dreams to reality. I’ve met people via Facebook and LinkedIn that are freaking giants in the art world and they’ve taught me so much! Social networks and blogs have bridged generational, occupational and experiential gaps like nothing has ever done before! And online tutorials are teaching people things that us chumps paid, oooh, only about 100K for! Hahah (this is where I break into Kip’s “Technology” song from Napoleon Dynamite). Anyway, I like learning new tools and with the internet and software today, the skies the limit!

Some good sites for meeting other artists are: LinkedIn, Facebook, CGSociety, ZbrushCentral, Etsy, Artist’s Blogs, Artist’s Websites, and Google.

If you play your cards right and try not to freak anyone out (which I’ve done myself too many times to count hahaha) you can directly email your idols using these sites! Just tell them that you’re an artist looking for some feedback, blah blah blah, whatever! More often than not, you won’t hear back, but sometimes you will and that’s what makes it all worth while! One day when we’re all rich and famous artists, someone will randomly write us for guidance and we’ll be happy to help!

Thanks Whitney!

You can find Whitney Pollett online at her portfolio website whitneypollett.com, and on her weblog whitneypollett.blogspot.com.

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

I like mechanical pencils because I tend to draw in a very quick scruffy style and would have to sharpen a normal pencil about every couple of seconds. Even illustrations that end up rather minimal and tight start out as a mess of lines and corrections. For that reason, I also find a putty rubber indispensable, because it can get into all the little nooks and crannies of my drawing. I get into a panic if I don’t know where my putty rubber is. It’s a bit like Dumbo’s feather.

I use a lightbox a lot, because I like to keep my pencil artwork separate and the lightbox enables me to experiment with different approaches to the same illustration.

I use a Wacom when I’m on the computer, although it’s just a little A6 tiddler, so I find it’s only useful for rough sketches and quite broad actions, like using the burn tool in Photoshop.

My favourite pen would be my Pentel brush pen.

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


It generally depends on the subject matter. How a given medium supports what you’re trying to communicate is something that really interests me. For example, I recently drew a character for a story set in the 80s so I’ve used half tones to give the illustration a kind of 80s newsprint feel. If I want to do a creepy, Victorian style illustration I’ll use dense linework and treat paper in Photoshop to make it look older. Upbeat kids stuff might be looser more expressive pencils with bright, fresh watercolours.

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


I’m forever hassling people to take up Pentel brush pens. They’re really convenient and versatile, you can use them in an expressive loose kind of way, or reign them in for nice tight graphic work. That said, I’ve recently started playing around with a mapping pen and have been really pleased with the results. 



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



Mainly watercolours and Photoshop. If I’m using watercolour I tend to make a set of swatches, scan them in and then compose the colours in Photoshop. I also colour things directly in Photoshop, and use bits of texture – old paper, metal etc. to give things a bit more depth. Photoshop is great with watercolours and pencils.

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 using felt tip pens, I think because of their associations with being a kid. If I think of colouring in, I think of felt tip pens. I also like drawing with biros, for a similar reason – it reminds me doodling in exercise books in school.

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 most of my work in A4 sketchbooks with heavy paper with a bit of a grain to it. I need heavy paper because I make such a mess, it needs to be paper that can take a bit of a battering. I like the grain because of the way it picks up the pencil and the smudges…it gives more information to Photoshop that I can play with later, burning bits in or cloning nice bits of texture etc.



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


Pretty much everything goes through Photoshop. I use curves a lot, and the burn and dodge tool. I play with the colour values and I like to use multiply layers, e.g having a bit of old paper as a multiply layer, or having my inks on a multiply layer and colouring beneath. Even the scruffiest sketch gets curved up and has some bits burned in and other bits knocked back.

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

Almost everything I use. I think it’s really important to keep experimenting and to stay clued up. Everything I’ve mentioned so far can be traced back to hearing about it or seeing it somewhere. I picked up the Pentel Brush Pen because the guy who does the concept art for the Metal Gear Solid videogames uses one. The last design studio I worked at had a really healthy culture of trying stuff out and sharing knowledge. I picked up loads of useful bits of Photoshop from the designers there. If I’m not sure how someone’s achieved a particular effect I hunt around on the Internet for a relevant tutorial.

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

Not really. After talking up the computer so much I’d like to say that I’m a big fan of the ordinary! If the audience can understand how a picture was made, then I think that’s another level to the relationship between the work and the viewer. There’s something magical about seeing an amazing piece of art that is just pencil marks on paper.

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

I’m going to continue the trend of contradicting my last answer. I really love drawing in Flash, especially the way you can grab your lines and fills and pull them around until you’re happy with them. Also, Flash and Illustrator are great for more modular pieces – loads of characters and stuff, because you can easily rearrange, resize and edit different elements.



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?


Nothing beats drawing in a sketchbook.

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)?


Well, generally I think computers are great. Especially for getting your work seen, communicating with clients, researching content for work or seeing what everyone else is up to. The danger with computers is that because they’re so clever and offer you so much choice, you can struggle to keep a focus on yourself and your work. Regarding the Internet, sometimes it can be inspiring and sometimes it can be a bit bewildering when the whole creative industry is out there for you to explore and find your place in. Regarding post-processing, it’s always a worry that by the time I’ve inked a sketch and scanned the inks and cleaned them up and moved them about and coloured them and added a texture I may have killed the spark from the original sketch stone dead. The trick with computers is using them to enhance whatever it is that makes you unique as an artist in the first place.

Thanks Chris!

You can find Chris Rodenhurst online at his weblog Sketchybeast.

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

For my sketchbook drawings, I use a Pilot Precise Rollingball V7 (fine tip) Pen..in colors black and red. For my commercial work I use the Wacom Tablet. I also ink my commercial pieces digitally. For Spot coloring and some full page coloring in my sketchbook, I use watercolor brush pens.

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

Trial and Error is the most honest answer. I have tried every pen… every tool on the market. And while I don’t believe that the ones listed above are the best of the best in general, they are the best for me. Everyone needs to find their tool of choice..and sometimes it might take years of experimentation and quite a bit of failure. However, the proper tool can not only make drawing and/or painting easier..but also better looking.

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

Pilot Precise Rollingball V7 (fine tip) Pen- They flow beautifully on the Moleskine paper of my sketchbook. The “FINE” thickness is perfect for me, because the thinner the pen, the more it slows me down. I use the color black for my main drawings, and accent details and fill negative space with a red pen.

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

For my sketchbooks, watercolor mainly…rarely 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?

There are rare occasions where I find myself traveling and working on sketch journals. In those instances, I prefer to use the watercolor brush pens…not any kind of sets, because I prefer to limit my color palette.

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 always use the Moleskine sketchbooks. I use the 100-page one with slightly thicker paper to reduce transparency and support watercolor and/or paint application. The feel of my ink pen flowing on the Moleskine paper alone is reason enough for me to use this sketchbook.

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

Have not painted since college :(

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

My commercial work has gone full digital now. However, I do find myself fixing up, adjusting and adding digital touch-ups to my sketchbook pages. Pretty much every sketch page that I scan is carefully fixed up in Photoshop… even if it is the simple addition of the white color in some spots.

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

Everyone has been praising the pen that James Jean uses. Once I got a hold of a box… I realized that it is nothing more than a very think ball-point pen that has a tendency to smear and is too thin for my taste. But that just goes to show that there is a specific tool for everyone.

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

My sketchbooks are the most experimental works that I have. My recent experimentation was playing with transfer markers and xerox copies…nothing out of the ordinary, though.

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

It’s all Adobe Photoshop. On very, very rare cases, I use Adobe Illustrator…and even more rare cases Corel Painter.

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)?

A computer is a tool. As long as the artist keeps that in mind, it is extremely helpful. Most people these days misuse the computer, causing endless circular debates whether it is good or bad. If you cannot draw..any tool is useless and cannot be used to your advantage. if you can’t paint, oils are us eless too. The only bad thing about the computer is that it allows those without skill to cheat..and those people are the only ones creating the problems in the first place.

Thanks Tin!

You can find Tin Salamunic online at his portfolio website salamunicart.com, on his weblog, on Twitter (@Salamunic), and he also contributes to the group weblog Urban Sketchers.

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

Mechanical pencils and watercolor are my main weapon, and and occasionally Prismacolor markers and Micron .005 pens make special appearances. Mechanical pencils are sort of a guilty pleasure, I put a huge priority on line quality and mechanical pencils give me the consistency I need — if I’m using a Faber-Castell graphite pencil, I can sharpen it to a nub in one sitting. I get a little overzealous with my sharpening.

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

Not so much a wide collection, but a collection to say the least. I’ve done a lot of trial and error and never seem to throw anything away — so my materials are well worn, and for the most part, pretty shabby. I still use this crappy plastic watercolor set from high school, some of my brushes and charcoal may be older than that.

As for particular projects, I rarely have a final image in mind, so what I need for tools changes as I work.

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

I’ve used Micron pens for years, although recently I’ve only been using one — the .005 red. Although the red color is a tiny bit too orange, the width of it makes every line delicate and precise, and also unforgiving. I am a glutton for punishment, I guess.

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

Watercolor has the lower-end range that I really need, it has the capability to deliver a very subtle and muted palette. I use Acryla gouache as a highlighter, which gives me the opacity and saturation that watercolors can lack. I approach oil color in a similar way, transparent colors like burnt sienna is dark and saturated when applied thickly, but when thinned with turpenoid, the color is vibrant and makes for great layering.

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’m in love with Holbein Acryla gouache, which functions more like acrylic than gouache, but their color selection is wonderful — I have a very specific palette of them, about 10, any more than that would give me too many options. I have this terrible Angora watercolor set which has 32 cakes of color, half of which are totally offensive and unusable — and I’ve used it for a year or so. I have some tubes of traditional colors that help me along the way. Everything’s a travel set with watercolor, I just throw everything into a totebag. Oil painting, not so travel-friendly.

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

Moleskines. Moleskines forever. The tone and weight of the paper are perfect, and they put up with the ridiculous abuse I put them through. But otherwise, anything flat will do, legal pads especially.

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

Buying pre-stretched canvas can be an easy option, but building and stretching your own is so much more satisfying! I also enjoy a nice panel of raw birch to scrawl on.

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

I used to use Photoshop to color linework, many moons ago — but presently everything I’m doing is purely by hand. More and more I’ve been thinking about delving more into digital work, I like the idea of flexibility, but there’s also something very significant about having something physical and absolute.

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

Other than a large collection of bones found in the desert as source material, not really.

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, and the internet, are dangerous and amazingly helpful at the same time. I think it’s safe to say that the internet has influenced my artwork a lot, for the fellow artists and the infinite resources — I think artists my age owe a lot to it — and the visibility it provides. Aside from that, I’m terribly distractible and can’t imagine a world without Netflix instant play, or Google image search. I’ll take D, “all of the above”.

Thanks Stephanie!

Stephanie Brown can be found online at her portfolio website blueskycomplex.com, her weblog, Flickr (runsmiles), and on Twitter (@feralcatbox).

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

I’m definitely an old fashioned type of fella when it comes to drawing. My favorite of the past couple years is brush and ink. I have yet to find anything that gives me equal helpings of control and spontaneity. I love the Silver Ultra mini brushes - they keep a fine point and last a while if they’re kept clean. The only thing lacking with the old brush and ink is it inability to travel well. For portability I, like so many, like the .005 Micron in various colors. I love to be able to mingle some different colors in a drawing, especially if I’m working outside or on the subway. I’m also a fan of the Micron Brush Pens. I’ve also become a fan of the COPIC sketch markers. They’re a little pricey, but they’re dual tipped with a fat, flat end and a pretty sharp brush end. I also buy cheap calligraphy markers, mostly in black. I’ve been picking up Elegant Writer pens and using them to death for quick sketches. Again, the variable line is nice and you can do really fast fills. The line decays through the stroke, but that can give things a nice character and give you something more than a flat saturated black - something almost more photographic, especially in small sketches.

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

For a drawing day at the Natural History Museum, or the subway, I like to make purposefully random selections. A handful from the maker bin, and then try to go make it work. Illustration can get formulaic by design, so a strange assortment of pencils and pens can be really helpful to get out of a drawing rut.

For an illustration, I’ll generally rough in pencil, and then move right to ink, or gouache of late, to lay out the line structure.

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

As far as ink, I’m still trying to find the perfect ink. Since I use a lot and can correct in photoshop after the fact, I will use the old standard, Higgins waterproof black. I find it’s pretty wishy-washy. For more gallery type drawing I have been using Speedball’s Super Black India Ink. It gets better coverage and cavernous deep blacks. Although it professes to be non clogging, I find just the opposite. It can get a little chunky, and even syrupy if left open even a little too long. It also has a slight but noticeable bleed. I have experimented with Bombay inks as well, but find they have an iridescence I’m not too fond of.

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

I was an acrylic painter for a longtime, and love the saturation. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older I’ve moved to watercolor and gouache paint gouache. Gouache can give you that really nice saturated color without the chunkiness of acrylics, along with a really nice matte finish. Since a lot of my work is reduced pallette work, it’s nice to do a full tone of watercolor on the bottom with a little mask to leave some of the white of the paper showing, and then draw with gouache on top.

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?

For watercolors and gouache, I definitely like the Winsor & Newton stuff, and for watercolor I do use a Winsor & Newton 14 color travel set as my default setup. It does have some drawbacks - the cools in travel sets always seem to be a little weak. I pull out the cobalt and substitute cerulean (I love the plastic-y, processed look of cerulean). I will also premix some gouache in the water dish that I’ll use as my major line color. I also have a Daler Rowney 12 set that Ive been pretty happy with too, and is a little smaller.

Is there any particular type of notebook or drawing pad you prefer? Or does any scrap of decent-sized paper work in a pinch? / If you paint, is there any particular type of canvas you prefer? Do you like to paint on wood or any other materials?

In general, I think paper is the most underrated supply people buy. Unfortunately, sketchbook are always notoriously filled with weak paper: 60lb paper is just sort of weak for my purposes. That does lower the price point and make it more expendable, which I suppose is the point, but I find sketchbooks a little frustrating to buy. I generally use the Daler Rowney bound sketchbooks. My favorite, which I’ve had a hard time finding of late, is the Canson Balloon Field Sketch book. It’s wire bound from the top which I definitely prefer. Dealing with the gutters in the bound sketchbook can be frustrating when you just need that extra half inch to make it work. I also like a Il Torchio notebook my cousin brought back for me from Florence. It has a really nice tooth and holds up really well for 50lb paper. My other little fettishy sketchbooks are a 3” by 5” R. Baldwin 150 gms cartridge paper book from England, and a 4”x 5” Daler Rowney Fabriano colored paper sampler book.

As far as painting, if I’m working on canvas or board, it gets the same treatment. I use the NY Central Acrylic Gesso - about 5 layers - and sand it down to as glassy smooth a surface as I can get.

I’ve come to prefer painting on paper, and haven’t found anything I like better that Arches 300lb, hot press for gouache and acrylic and cold press for watercolor. I also like their 140lb cold press for mixed media work and watercolors with very controlled but small bleeds. I will also use Strathmore smooth Bristol, but mostly for work line work that then gets re-colored in photoshop. Rives BFK is a close runner up, probably my drawing favorite for straight ink and pencil.

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

I often do, especially for quick turnaround illustration assignments. I still draw everything by hand but will work with black and two or three arbitrary colors (generally a hot and a cool) to flesh out the design, and then assign them new colors in Photoshop.

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

I saw a Marcel Dzama show at the Richard Heller Gallery a few years ago, and it really made me realize the power of working on paper. I had been making acrylic paintings that were really emulating silkscreen and woodcut prints, and realized that they should be on paper to really get that matte finish I was looking for. Acrylic suddenly felt way too plastic.

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

I generally use the edge of an old credit card to apply gesso, a trick I picked up from Tom LaPadula, one of my teachers at Pratt. It saves a lot of time with sanding down a canvas or board.

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?

After a few years of creating art that was about half digital, I’m really trying to move back towards more traditional media. Mostly because I am working in better spaces and have constructed a light table and have the space to really avoid putting things into the computer until it’s sitting on the scan bed.

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 an amazing resource. I was very anti-computer as a young idealistic artist/idiot, and have come around big time. I use to feel that digitally produced work was a rather hack-y type method, but I’ve long since seen the light. What people are doing now with digital collage and painting and drawing is really incredible. I keep finding out people who I thought were traditional illustrators are working totally digitally.

As far as work as an illustrator goes, it’s a double-edged sword. In this economic downturn, magazines and newspaper are having a rough go. As more and more go online, it’s more common than not that the illustrators they used to hire don’t come with them, or if they do, the illustrator works for smaller fees. Conversely, having a website which you can construct and update yourself for free, a blog you can post on for free, and emails which you can send for free - it’s pretty convenient. It does have a democratizing effect of allowing new people to get wide coverage, and allowing me to look at work from all over the world. That being said, it can be a bit of a distraction. It’s easy to find yourself lost in a multimedia labyrinth only to emerge a hour later and none the wiser…

Thanks Andrew!

You can find Andrew DeGraff online at his portfolio website andrewdegraff.com, his own weblog DEGRAFFLOG, and on the group weblog welcome friend or foe.

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)?

The pencil is by far my favorite. I think the ones I use the most are Prismacolor “Turquoise” (they aren’t actually turquoise) and I like them a lot, but I’m really not too picky.

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

I usually start with a medium hard pencil like an HB or H so it makes a lighter line but isn’t so hard that it won’t erase or make an actual dent in the paper. Then I move onto very sharp darker pencils to define lines better and do detail.

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

I don’t use a lot of pens for finished drawings anymore. Sometimes I use Microns, 005 mm. in black ink.

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

I use watercolor, I’m tentative using color and afraid of messing up so I like having the option of doing progressively darker washes.

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 actually do have a small traveler set of Winsor & Newton watercolors that I love. It’s so handy and has all the right colors; usually I only use browns and yellows, and hints of blue and red, and they’re all in that set. I also have some small tubes, also Winsor & Newton, of colors that I use more of, like Van Dyck Brown and Raw Umber.

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

For ideas and sketching I use a spiral bound hardcover notebook, I think the one I have is made by Strathmore. I also have a lot of scraps of Stonehenge paper around which I useful since I do all my finished drawings on Stonehenge (in “Natural” or Warm White color). It’s a cotton rag paper that I found out about through printmaking, it’s smooth and soft and takes color really well.

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

I only use Photoshop for some cosmetic things after I scan them, adjusting the levels and adjusting the colors so it look like the original drawing.

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

I’ve tried Gouache several times because some people can make it look so wonderful, but that’s been an utter failure for me, I just can’t get it to work for me

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

I don’t know if it’s out of the ordinary but one of my favorites is a colorless blending marker made by Chartpak. I used some collage in my work and those pens have a chemical in them that will transfer photocopies to 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)?

Absolutely, I would be lost without it, I use it for blogging and promoting, and most important selling my work.

Thanks Julianna!

You can find Julianna Swaney online at her portfolio website Oh My Cavalier!, on her drawing weblog, and she has some original art, prints, and jewelry available for sale on her Etsy shop.