Drawing Media: Artist’s Studio Education

Perhaps the most common of art media, a profusion of drawing choices is available to everyone, including ink, pen, pencil, charcoal and pastel.

Ink – thin, liquid pigment applied to the art surface with a pen or brush. 

Pen – pre-inked drawing implements of various thicknesses, colors and formulations.

Charcoal – burnt vine or wood, natural or processed, used to mark the art surface in black or dark gray.

Pastel – colored pigment in stick form, either chalk- or oil-based, for drawing on the art surface.

Pencil – a broad category that includes graphite, charcoal, pastel and polymer encased in wood.

As each of these media have their own special applications, let’s look at each one individually.

Ink Basics

Ink comes in black, white and every color in between.  While the appearance of all inks is similar, the real differences are in the application. 

In order to be fully satisfied with your ink purchase, make sure you find one that is suitable for your application.  The primary ink applications are:

Drawing – an artist can draw with any kind of ink: acrylic, water-based, opaque, transparent, colored or black.  Drawing with ink is done with an artist’s pen, dipped into the ink and applied to the art surface.

Technical Pen –Rapidograph and other refillable technical pens require very thin ink, one designed to pass thru the tiny opening in the nib, or point of the pen. 

Airbrush – use thin, non-toxic ink when airbrushing so as not to clog the nozzle of the brush, and to not inhale aerosolized toxic paint.  P.S.:  Wear a mask!

Painting with a brush – any ink can be applied with a brush.  Make sure to clean brushes thoroughly, and a safe bet is to use a cheaper brush, as staining happens!

Calligraphy – many inks can be used with calligraphy.  The ornate lettering styles of calligraphy, however, require special shaped pen nibs. 

There are some ink terms that require explanation:

India Ink – not necessarily from India, this term just means that it is black ink derived from charred vegetable oil.  India ink is the most popular drawing ink.

Waterproof – many inks are waterproof, and some are not.  It is very important to know which type to achieve desired performance.

Artist’s Pen – many artist’s pens are rechargeable, meaning that they don’t carry their own supply of ink but must be dipped into ink before applying strokes of color.

Technical Pen – many technical pens require refilling.  Be sure to use ink specifically designed for this purpose, as ink that is too thick will clog the fine nibs of the pen.

Pen Basics

Unlike the pens mentioned under Ink Basics, which require filling or charging with ink, these pens come with their own ink supply. 

The types of pens you will encounter are:

Art Markers – multicolored, sometimes dual tipped pens, typically dispensing water-based ink.  Examples are Prismacolor markers, Tombow Dual Brush Pens, Pentel Markers.

Paint Pens – thick, opaque Xylene-based pens.  Designed for marking on glass and other non-porous surfaces.

Gel Rollers – opaque inks, designed to be used for scrapbooking, journaling, and especially effective on black paper.

Artist’s and Technical Pens (disposable) – pre-filled pens in a variety of nib sizes, for pen and ink drawing, drafting, and commercial layout.

Calligraphy Pens (disposable) – pre-filled pens with a variety of nibs for creating the elaborate writing style characteristic of calligraphy.

Permanent Markers – waterproof markers for shipping labels, and for marking fabric, cardboard and boxes.  Sharpie is an example of a permanent marker.

A Word About Toxicity

If there is concern about toxicity, a water-based marker, such as the Pentel art marker, the Sharpie permanent marker, and many of the artist’s, technical and calligraphy pens are the best choices.  Markers containing alcohol or Xylene, aside from having a strong odor, may be toxic if ingested or inhaled.

Charcoal Basics

Charcoal is what remains when organic matter is burned.  Natural artist charcoal is of willow or vine, and manufactured charcoal is ground with binders and compressed into sticks or pencils. 

Artists use charcoal in its many forms to create varying shades of gray and black in their art. The sides of charcoal can be used for broad strokes, while the tips (or the sharpened ends of charcoal pencils) can be used for more precise lines and details. 

Note:  Charcoal is a friable medium, meaning it’s crumbly and has no binder to hold it to the art surface.  Instead, it wedges into the tooth of the art surface, and any particles that are not wedged in will fall off.  Fixative can minimize the fall off of charcoal particles, but it can also change the color of the art surface. 

Pastel Basics

Pastel is a broad category in the realm of Drawing Media.  Some of the types of pastel you will encounter are:

Chalk or Soft Pastel – pigment mixed with dry, non-adhesive binder.  Chalk and soft pastels are friable media, and as mentioned under Charcoal, may require fixative. 

Oil Pastel – pigment mixed with very dense oil binder.  May be applied to the art surface dry for a drawing effect, or may be painted over with turpentine or other oil solvents for a wash effect. 

Conte Crayon – pigment mixed with non-adhesive binder and wax.  Performs like a cross between a chalk pastel and a child’s wax crayon (Crayola).  The addition of wax makes this medium much less friable, and consequently, much less apt to fall off the art surface.

Pencil Basics

Pencils can be categorized by what’s inside: the core.  Different cores make different marks on the art surface. 

The cores of artist pencils are:

Graphite – like a writing pencil, in hardness from H (hard) thru HB (medium) to B (soft).  The softer the graphite, the darker the mark.  For sketching and drawing. 

Charcoal – as described under Charcoal, but compressed and encased in wood.  Cleaner and more controllable than regular charcoal.

Pastel – chalk or soft pastel, as described under Pastel, but compressed and encased in wood.  Cleaner and more controllable than regular chalk or soft pastel.

Colored Polymer – colored pencils fall under this category.  Pigment is mixed with a polymer binder and encased in wood.  For colored sketching and drawing.

Dry Watercolor – similar in appearance to colored polymer pencils, but the binder is water-soluble.  May be applied dry, for a drawing effect, or may be washed or blended with a wet brush for a softer effect.

Wax – China markers, grease pencils and other media designed for marking non-porous surfaces.

Some Pencil Pointers

Hardness – as mentioned earlier, graphite pencils are rated on hardness: H (hard), HB (medium), and B (soft). The softer the lead, the darker the mark.  H and B leads are also rated by number:  2B, 6H, etc.  The higher the number, the harder an H lead is, and the softer a B lead is 

Drawing Accessories – products to enhance the drawing experience:

Fixative – sticky spray that helps to hold friable charcoal and pastel to the art surface

Stump – pointed, solid sticks of soft paper, used for blending and shading

Tortillon- strips of soft paper tightly wound into a spiral with a tapered point.  Used like stumps

Kneaded Eraser – soft pliable rubber that can be worked into any shape.  Reshaping makes clean surfaces. For correction, creating highlights, etc.

Sandpaper Block – layers of sandpaper attached to a flat wood handle.  The topmost sheet is removed as it wears out or becomes dirty.  Used to sharpen pastels, stumps and to provide dust for the indirect method of drawing, which is to sand dust off pastel, charcoal, etc. and apply this dust to the art surface with a brush.  

Features and Benefits of Drawing Media:

Glossary