Drawing Tools

1. Knife- In my opinion, a knife is something that every pencil artist needs. I use mine all the time. I use it to cut erasers mainly but I have actually used it on a drawing before for cutting out flyaway hairs.

2. Retractable Eraser- This is a must for pulling out highlights and for drawing negative hairs.

3. Kneaded Eraser- I love my kneaded eraser because it can be molded into any shape you want. It's the perfect tool for adjusting tones and for sharpening highlights.

4. Blu-Tak- Blu Tak is a putty designed to stick posters to the wall but it's an awesome drawing tool. It's just like a kneaded eraser in that you can mold it to any shape but it's alot stickier and useful for pulling out lots of tone.

5. Blending Stumps- If you are a blender, these are a must. I use mine all the time. I have several different sizes for different applications. I use the small one for in and around eyes and the bigger one for blending backgrounds. When the tips become dull, they can easily be sharpened again with some fine grade sand paper.

6. Pencils- This is a no brainer, if you are going to draw, you need pencils obviously. There are many different brands to choose from though. Personally, I use Derwent Graphic pencils. I like the way they lay down and the graphite is very consistent. Pencils are available in a variety of tones ranging from 9B to 9H. 9B being the softest (darkest) and 9H being the hardest (lightest). I think anything above a 5H is unnecessary. I only use a couple different pencils while drawing (3B, H, B, 2H, 5H).

7. Mechanical pencils or Clutch pencils- These are very nice because they are always sharp, no need for sharpening. I use 2 different mechanical pencils. One has 3B graphite in it (the taped one) and the other has 2H graphite. I use them for intricate details like around eyes.

8. Tortillons and Q-tips (ear buds)- When you need to blend very small spots, tortillons or q-tips work great. Tortillons are just rolled paper with a sharp tip. Q-tips (ear buds) are typically used for cleaning ears but they work great for inexpensive blenders.

9. Masking Tape- I use masking tape alot when drawing. I use it around the edge of a drawing to give it a white border. It can also be used to keep highlights white. Just cut a small piece and stick it where you want the highlight to be.

10. Kleenex Tissue- I use regular Kleenex tissue for blending. It gives a very soft, smooth effect. Make sure you use aloe-free.

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