What supplies do I use?

What materials do you use to create an artwork is a common question I get asked so here in the short post I will tell you what materials I use and why.

First of, let's start with coloured pencils because let's be honest it's the first art supply you think of when you hear coloured pencil artwork. I have a few different brands of pencils that I use for my artworks but my absolute favourite one is Derwent lightfast, everyone has that favourite item or tool that just works for them that they just can't be replaced by something different and when asked you feel like you can't really give a good enough reason to why it's just works for you, well that's the way I feel this brand of pencil, it just really works for me, Also the fact its lightfast which means it will last and won't fade over time. Other brands I sometimes use is Faber castell polychromos and Caran d'ache Luminance which are both lightfast but I don't have quite the same connection with them. Honestly about 99% of all my artworks are done in Derwent Lightfast.

Paper is the next thing you think about when you think coloured pencil artwork. Ironically paper is the thing I am most the fussy about and to be honest the thing people least expect me to be fussy about especially since there is a misconception that paper is just paper and it doesn't matter which type you draw on, which is definitely not true. To this date I have only ever found one specific type that I am the most happy to use. It is the Strathmore bristol smooth 300 series and the reason I like it so much is the fact for me it just works with how I use the pencils and because like all good quality paper its acid free and archival which means the paper will last and won't yellow over time.

The next items are my unsung heroes the ones people don't normally consider when you think coloured pencil artwork, but play their own role just in a different.

Glassine, I use glassine to rest my hand on when I am drawing it sits between the artwork and my hand and it protects the artwork from getting any oils from my skin on the artwork which over time may start to show and because I store it with the glassine it protects the artwork as well, especially from any dog slobber.

Stick eraser this is a helpful tool for me because this thin stick like eraser that I use to help achieve some of the thinner brightest highlights in an artwork, such as whiskers, because remember coloured pencils can't really be erased like other pencil mediums, so I use the stick eraser to lighten a colour then I go over it with a white coloured pencil to achieve those thin bright highlights.

The next helpful tool which has nothing to do with the artwork but it does make my life that little bit easier when doing a piece of art and that is my pencil pocket wrap from derwent which I use to hold the pencil in for the current artwork so everytime I come to work on the artwork all the pencils I need are already there and organised so I don't have to go hunting for the pencils everytime I need them.

I hope this helps for you to understand some of the tools that go into making an artwork and why I specifically chose some of these to others and what are there benefits for me.