Sunday 21 March 2010

. I buy this paper as a separate sheet in the local art store, it’s usually size A1 (59.4 × 84.1cm).

Both again have their advantages and disadvantages, I have found the Bristol can sometimes be that smooth that it almost has no tooth to hold graphite, and the Fabriano is sometimes a little too rough to capture the details as well, but in the end, it’s all up to you and I’m sure if you experiment, you will eventually find what’s best for you.

More Information on Paper and Pencils:

v Bristol Board on Wikipedia

v Fabriano History

v Paper Size Wikipedia

v History and Shop for Mechanical Pencils

v Derwent Homepage

v Staedtler Homepage (UK)

v Faber-Castell Homepage (UK)

v Some good info on the history of pencils

Blending Equipment:

These are most certainly not essential and only really need to be used for extra effects, but to honestly state that they just speed up a process but for me, in the meanwhile can ruin it also. Blending can be excellent for a technique used to draw glass. For me I try to use them as little as possible. Many artists use them for drawing women, as we all know, women love to be flattered and especially if she is paying for you to make her look good. They often really don’t like the effects of recreating all her little details, but in my opinion it makes them look glassy. However, in the past when I have used blending techniques, the viewers of my work claim that it looks really painterly. I am yet to notice this, but that’s ok.

Blending can usually be done with the very common blending stump which is usually a tool associated with working with charcoal, however it’s not that limited, you can also use it for graphite or pasted ect. This tool is a pencil shaped implement which consists of tightly wound paper, highly compressed. So it’s basically a blender made from paper. You can use the end for something Brian Duey calls Blended Circulism, which is the pointed part, or, like laying down your pencil for mass shading; well the same can apply for this. I suppose, being creative, you could push the graphite about on the paper in different directions to see what kind of effect you can create. However, blending doesn’t just limit you to this paper stick; you can use a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g which is easy to apply to the paper to rub. Obviously common sense applies, as using a liquid to blend would not work. In the past I have used wood chippings, toilet tissue, my finger (not usually the best as it also rubs on your grease which can be hard to get off and can make your wok look blotchy), a leather chamois, pieces of leather (I have tried both sides), paper, cotton buds (good for details) and so on!! They all create their own unique outcome, and often if you use graphite powder and blend with these things you get some amazing effects. Graphite powder can be bought or as I do, when you sharpen your pencil, either with sandpaper or your ordinary sharpener, just sweep the powder onto your paper.

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