LITMIR.BIZ

      ∆ SUNFLOWER SEEDHEAD

       Helianthus annuus

      49 x 66 cm (19 x 26 in) Pencil PAPERS

      GRAPHITE PENCILS

      Graphite pencils range from the very hard 9H through to the extremely soft 9B, with an F for fine in the middle of the range. For botanical work you will mainly need pencils from 2H to 2B. There are many brands to choose from, but try to select a make that is consistent and non-gritty and that gives a good depth of blackness at the HB grade. Look for leads that are well centred in the wooden shaft and check the wood for any signs of splitting.

      The pencils I prefer are the Derwent Graphic range as they produce a good dense black tone at the HB and F grades. Some makes are quite pale and grey at this level, so you would have to use a much softer pencil to achieve depth of tone, resulting in a loss of precision.

      Graphite can also be used in the form of a propelling pencil. Again the range is wide, with the added variation of width of lead. Generally, good makes come in a range of 0.3mm, 0.5mm and 0.7mm diameter leads and a range of grades. I find the most useful is a 0.3mm with HB and H leads to handle fine detail and clean outlines.

      SHARPENING GRAPHITE PENCILS

      A sharp point is essential when drawing. Rather than using a pencil sharpener, which can produce a short conical point that soon blunts, sharpen graphite pencils with a scalpel for a long-lasting point.

      PAPERS

      For coloured-pencil drawings it is important to have a good quality paper on which to work. It needs to be at least 300 gsm (140 lb) in weight, to withstand the constant pressure to the surface with a sharp point; also the use of erasers and solvents will quickly wear out a lighter weight paper. The paper surface needs to be fairly smooth, otherwise work can look too grainy, but it does need to have some texture in order to hold the pigment on the surface.

      The type of paper I use is ‘hot-pressed’ (HP), which has a slight texture. Other paper types, called variously ‘rough’, ‘cold-pressed’ or ‘Not’ (meaning not hot-pressed) are generally too textured. Very smooth papers such as Bristol board will only take a few layers of colour before the pencil starts to slip and slide over the surface without depositing any further pigment. Whatever make or type of paper you prefer it needs to be acid free (that is, have a pH balance of 7), so that your work can be kept for many years without the paper discolouring. Non-acid free paper can discolour alarmingly in just a few months, spoiling your finished work.

      There are many quality makes of watercolour paper available, such as Arches, Saunders, Hahnemühle and Schoellershammer, all of which take coloured pencil well. Rising Stonehenge is a popular paper from the USA and a lot of artists working in coloured pencil prefer its softer texture.

      The make I use for preference is the Italian-made Fabriano Classico 5 hot-pressed paper. This white paper is available in sheets and in pads, called ‘Fat Pads’. Fabriano also make another, better quality 100 per cent cotton paper called Artistico, which is also good to work on with coloured pencil, but is creamy in colour. It comes in ‘white’, which is very creamy, and ‘extra white’, which is still cream coloured. White or cream paper is a matter of personal preference; however, as I shall be showing you later, white flowers are much easier to depict on white paper.