HOT SHOT 3 – WHAT YOU SKETCH WITH…
Today we we are going to talk about HOT SHOT 3, if you missed HOT SHOT 1, 2 click here to read it.
HOT SHOT 3
What you sketch with, is very important- in fact, this would be one of the main things that will determine whether you’ll keep sketching or not through the years, because what you use to sketch becomes an extension of your sketching hand.
You need to practice with every kind of material you can lay your hands on. Pencil, charcoal, charcoal pencil, ball point pens, felt tips, micro nib pens. Coloured pencils, brush pens etc.
Go to the shops and get a host of these things and just try the out and see which one you are comfortable with.
What you’ll be looking for is something that makes you want to sketch with it more. It’s that flow, that natural affinity to the medium that you are looking out for. Because the reality is: there’s always something that suits each one of us better.
Below are my best sketch materials- if you are conversant with my public transport sketches, you’ll notice I love using the BIC ball point pen and the N75 TOMBOW Dual Brush Pen cool grey one. These two tools have become my favourite sketching tools and an extension of my sketching hand.
Ball point pen sketching kit. I use the pen for the lines and the TOMBOW Dual pen for the tones.
Below is my graphite sketching kit. I use a chunky graphite stick and a mechanical pencil.
My Graphite sketching tool kit- the chunky graphite is used for the tones while the mechanical pencil for the lines.
The main thing is having one sketching tool for broad strokes and tones and another for details. So basically you are sketching with two pens or pencils at the same time. For me it makes life easier!
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Tagged with: Adebanji Alade • ball point pen • graphite • mechanical pencil • sketching tips • tombow dual brush pens
Filed under: Sketchbook
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I love ProMarker pens in shades of warm greys or cool greys, for tonal sketches. My best black is the Pentel brush pen!
I’ll have to really do a thorough research on those Pro Marker Pens-Thanks for sharing, Haidee.
Can’t wait to try the different tools you suggested. I will be driving to the art store tomorrow! Thank you, Sharon in USA.
Brilliant Sharon! That’s the way to go!
Congratulations Adebanji…this is a great blog …inspired! I believe wholeheartedly that sketchbooks are essential to every artist no matter what the discipline and can’t be encouraged enough! I wish you every success with it!
P.S. If I had to choose I think a biro is my all time favourite drawing tool when I’m using my small ‘out and about’ sketchbook.
Yes Ann, sketchbooks ate the gems! And the biro is a wonderful sketching tool!!!
Thank you for the tool tips. I have to get some ABT brushes. Also what exactly is a biro?
Thank you!
Thanks Linnea, a biro is just a simple bic ball point pen. There’s a link to what it looks like in the post where I mention bic ball point pens, click on it and you’ll see what it is like. You’ve probably seen them many times before.
Thank you very much for this post. I was already sure that I can work best with a pencil, but was surprised to find out that a harder pencil (2H) worked very well. But even with those I always face the same problem: Drawing faces in close-up works more or less well (need more practice, of course). But working on a smaller scale, e.g. drawing a face in some distance, gives me a lot of trouble.
Thanks Anne, glad you enjoyed this post. Yes a harder pencil for the lines is good! Practice is key and it’s the only way to resolve difficult areas. I feel drawing faces from a distance is easier because all the details will be left out and it would be easier just to concentrate on the structure and tone. I’ll be dealing with this in some later HOT-SHOTS!
Following your new blog as avidly as your tube sketch one. Favourite sketching tools Edding 1800 Profipen (preferably size 0.1 in sepia), small watercolour box, Pentel waterbrush, sketchpads A5 and A6 (have used WH Smith spiral bound cartridge pads for years, but they have recently changed to a textured paper – horrible!).
Thanks Sonia, I’m happy you are following this one too! I really need to check out these Edding pens. Just like you I hate textured paper-shame they changed!
GREAT ARTWORK, INSPIRATIONAL TO SEE A SKETCHBOOK IN USE FOR DRAWING FROM LIFE.
THE BIC PEN WAS MY FAVOURITE MEDIUM FOR MANY YEARS.
PAUL.
Paul, thanks! It has been favourite for a while too, although nothing beats the good old pencil for me!
great video and comments…love your sketches-real organic and fluid. could you peruse through my facebook photo sketches and give me pointers?….it would be a great help…thanks!…oh and also could you try and get me on urban sketchers?….i really want to be a part of urban sketchers….thank you…best regards,eugene.
Thanks Eugene, I’ll check them out on Facebook. I’ll see what is possible on the Urban Sketchers thing- I think the leader Gabi just chooses people, I just got an invite through my email one day.
You should do a post on your favorite sketchbook types.
I think that’s a good idea, Didn’t think that would be beneficial. But I think I could do that as a side post!
I’m gone to say to my little brother, that he should also go to see this weblog on regular basis to take updated from latest reports.
Enjoyed your video.
Especially 3:45-4:25
What you said has been said over and over again by great artists throughout recorded history :
Nulla dies sine linea — “Not a day without a line drawn”
The best of the good things on your journey my friend, you have a wonderful soul.
Adebanji – Love your Hot Shots!
Question, where did you get that chunky graphite clutch pencil!? I’d love to get my hands on one of them… also where do you get the graphite for it?
Thanks, Adebanji!
– db