Drawing and Sketching - Resources for Artists

Learn about drawing and sketching

This lens is about drawing and sketching. It shares information about drawing and sketching - materials, drawing communities and forums, instruction books and other resources which support the development of drawings and sketches.

New links are being added added on a regular basis. If you like what you see, create a bookmark or link to be able to check back to this site or e-mail this site to a friend who is interested in drawing and/or sketching.

You can find out about...............

Learning to Draw and Sketch - on the Internet

Internet resources providing information, guidance and/or support for developing your drawing skills

Pastels and Pencils - Advice on Sketching by Katherine Tyrrell ASGFA: This page on my website provides information and advice about sketching. This includes downloadable files about starting to sketch and links to blog posts about sketching toolkits and materials. In summary it focuses on:

1. Starting to Sketch with Coloured Pencils
2. Advice on Sketching Toolkits and Materials
3. Sketching for Real - background material for a class with assignments

Please note - material is for personal use only - no licence is granted for commercial use.
Sketching for Real: My drawing class on "Sketching for Real"
You can read more about how successful the online class was in my blog posts - see links below.
* Drawing Class 102: Class 3 - Sketching for Real
* 1000+ hits, five stars and two catdrawings - written after 36 hours
* "Sketching for Real" - two weeks and 10,000 hits later - written at the end of the two week online class. At the time of writing the class has now had nearly 27,000 hits
Wet Canvas - the Drawing Classroom Sub-Forum: a website forum which offers Drawing 101 (basic) and Drawing 102 (intermediate) lessons - covering various media and drawing subjects.
About.com Drawsketch - Drawing and Sketching Lessons and Tutorials: drawing - original drawing lessons, how to draw tutorials, drawing gallery and resources. Regularly updated drawing lessons, reviews. Learn to draw with graphite pencil, colored pencil, charcoal, and pen and ink.
Negative Drawing - a lesson from Mike Sibley: Negative Drawing is a conscious method of working that isolates and protects areas of your paper. See Mike Sibley demonstrate the basics and varieties of approaches to negative drawing and try them for yourself in Drawing 102 Class 7 in the Drawing Classroom on Wet Canvas.
Drawing Tips - Top 10 Mistakes Beginners Make: Drawing Tips - Top 10 Mistakes Beginners Make - find out the common mistakes beginners make when they learn to draw, and how to fix them.
Drawing development in children: Two perspectives on drawing development in children of different age groups set side by side
Drawing with Brush and Ink - by Russ Stutler: An article about to achieve variety in the weight of line when drawing and sketching
Sketching With a Moleskine - by Russ Stutler: Russ very helpfully illustrates what happens when you use watercolour in a Moleskine
Depicting Form - Terry Miura Studio Bulletin Board: Drawing - Depicting Form with edges: cast shadows and form shadows
MAKING A MARK Starting to Sketch with Coloured Pencils by Katherine Tyrrell: Starting to Sketch with Coloured Pencils by Katherine Tyrrell. This article looks at some of the issues which sketching with coloured pencils can help you address and basics you need to think about when you're starting to sketch.
Scribd - links to Andrew Loomis art instruction books online: Scribd is a way to easily put your documents online.
Andrew Loomis wrote some of the best art instruction books ever, however as you may know, they are no longer in print and nearly impossible to find.

Drawing - Resource Links

A variety of links to sites concerned with promoting drawing and sketching - and knowledge about how to draw

NEW!!! Making a Mark: Life drawing class - an introduction: It was suggested to me that maybe more people would try a life drawing class if they knew what to expect. So I developed a draft of a guide to life drawing and life classes. I've also decided to try something new. The complete guide has been compiled in pdf format and is available to download from my website publications page.
The Drawing Network: A web site providing information for those interested in drawing research. It presents information on people who have become associated with the Network; recent drawing projects; pointers to institutions engaged in drawing research and links to organisations involved in the promotion of drawing.
New Directions for the Drawing Campaign: My blog post about how the Drawing Campaign is changing
Drawing Power - the campaign for Drawing: The UK campaign to get everybody drawing
Playing with the Provisional: My review of a lecture on the connection between drawing and creativity by Professor Deanna Petherbridge, formerly Professor of Drawing at the Royal College of Art
The nature of serial process: how using themes and repetition in drawing and sketching enables insight, creates learning and improves drawing
Drawing / Sketching on About.com: The About.com website devoted to drawing and sketching
Drawing Resources and Tutorials for Artists and Illustrators: Drawing Resources: Tips, Tutorials, and Techniques for Artists and Illustrators
Studio Tips by Mike Sibley: Pencil Drawing hints, tips, tutorials and techniques - from the leading realist UK artist working in graphite - Mike Sibley
The Drawing Board for Illustrators: Information and resources for illustrators
Drawing: Art Studio Chalkboard: information on drawing linear perspective, atmospheric perspective, values and compositional models
Se.Be.Draw.'s blog of book reviews on the process of drawing: What is the natural order of progression for learning how to draw and paint well? In what order do you put your marks on paper? Over the past few weeks, the author of Se.Be.Draw. has been scanning books on drawing for answers and writing a short review about each book. You can find the results of her investigation in this link
everydaymatters - resource centre: Danny Gregory has started developing a resource centre for 'everyday matters' as a collborative work-in-progress using wiki - check it out!
American Artist: / Drawing: Measuring Facial Features: November 13, 2006: an extract from Measuring Facial Features by Dan Gheno

BOOKS: So you want to learn how to draw?

Just beginning to learn how to draw or looking to improve basic drawing skills - read on..........

When I'm out sketching, I'm often asked to recommend a book to people who want to learn how to draw and sketch. I always recommend one or both of these two books as they're both excellent in terms of what they cover and the approach they use for people learning a new skill or seeking to improve their drawing.

You can read my reviews on Amazon if you want to know more!

Keys to Drawing

by Bert Dodson

"Anyone who can hold a pencil can learn to draw with some degree of proficiency"
Bert Dodson

One of the best ever books about how to draw. Read my book review on my blog to see why I think this is an excellent book for those looking to improve their drawing. It starts......

"Keys to Drawing" by Bert Dodson is one of the first drawing books that I bought after I got back to doing art after a break of over 15 years. It opened my eyes, stimulated my enthusiasm for drawing again and provided me with some really excellent guidelines about what to think about when drawing.

Amazon Price: $15.63 (as of 07/23/2008)
List Price: $22.99

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Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

by Betty Edwards

A book I always recommend to people wanting to learn how to draw. It tackles preconceptions about ability to draw right from the start
Read my book reviews on my blog Making A Mark - So you want to learn how to draw.....

Amazon Price: (as of 07/23/2008)
List Price: $15.95

The Drawing and Sketching Toolkit

Ever wondered what people use for drawing and sketching?

Do you want to know what I use for drawing and sketching? You can find out here PLUS I've also listed the links to sites where other people share information about their basic toolkit for drawing and sketching. Let me know if you think you have a good link for this section.

Pastels and Pencils - Art Materials & Other Resources: A summary of information about the art materials I use and other resources for artists using pastels and pencils
Observations on the waterbrush: Russ Stutler discusses different brands of waterbrush.
What's your favourite make of sketchbook: Artists on Wet Canvas display and discuss their favourite make of sketchbook in this thread
My travel sketching toolkit: An overview of my sketching toolkit for sketching abroad
A portable watercolour sketching kit: A watercolour coloured pencil sketching kit
The Pencil Pages: The most comprehensive website about pencils
Types of Drawing Papers/Surfaces: An article by Murray Chowlosky on different types of paper and other supports for drawing with comments about what sort of media can be used on different types of support
Clairefontaine - Dossiers de produits Beaux-Arts - Inks: How to choose the right paper for using ink in your drawings
A4 paper format / International standard paper sizes: Explains standard paper sizes like ISO A4 that are today widely used all over the world.
Cheating? How to Make a Perfect Work of Art - Victoria and Albert Museum: If artists use optical aids or computers in their art does it compromise their work? Are they in some way cheating? Controversy often surrounds discussions about the use of artistic aids. Yet artists have always used techniques and devices to push out the boundaries of what they can achieve or to make their work easier. This web feature explores some of the tools and 'tricks of the trade' used by artists from 1400 up to the present day and considers how and why these devices were used.
Making a Mark: Advice on Sketching - tips, techniques and toolkits: I've reviewed and updated the page on my website, Pastels and Pencils, which provides Advice about Sketching.

The Drawing Challenge

Blog posts and websites that highlight a drawing challenge

paintings prints and stuff: sketching simple subjects - paintbrushes: "Your task grasshopper, should you wish to take it, is to sketch your paintbrushes."

Vivien Blackburn often gets the total beginners in my classes to sketch paintbrushes. They can be put right next the drawing area so it's easier to do the hand-eye coordination bit and build observational skills. Gaining confidence in achieving the shape and texture of the brushes - making the hair look like hair and the metal look shiny and reflective etc is excellent practice. (See examples in this blog post)
paintings prints and stuff: my day - cartoon strip: Vivien Blackburn makes her day into a comic strip

I went to an artists talk by illustrator Liz Minichiello. After the talk about her work she gave out A2 sheets of paper with rectangles printed and asked us if we would do sketches of our day, with detail and tone, and email/post them to her. 12 rectangles, each about 4 x 2.5 ins. The brief was to do this from memory rather than observation.
Leave a link on Vivien's blog if you have a go at this exercise.

BOOKS: So you want to learn more about drawing?

More advanced books from Amazon

You've worked your way through basic drawing books and now feel ready to take the next step - these books will stimulate your drawing and I recommend them.

The Drawing Book

by Sarah Simblet

Dr Sarah Simblett teaches at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art at Oxford University and has drawings in national and private collections. She's written an excellent book for those wanting to develop their drawing beyond being able to get a realistic likeness

See`my book review on my blog "Making A Mark" - The Drawing Book - into the vivid heart of drawing

Amazon Price: $28.90 (as of 07/23/2008)
List Price: $39.97

In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served.

Anatomy for the Artist

by Sarah Simblet, John Davis

A highly acclaimed book by Sarah Simblett, recommended by drawing teachers as an excellent reference resource for those wanting to draw people

Amazon Price: $26.40 (as of 07/23/2008)
List Price: $40.00

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Drawing: Mastering the Language of Visual Expression (Abrams Studio)

by Keith Micklewright

This book discusses drawing and provides a wealth of examples of the different ways in which artists over th ages have drawn. It's riveting for the examples alone - but also provides a number of useful exercises to expand the drawing knowledge and skills.

Amazon Price: (as of 07/23/2008)
List Price: $29.95

Drawing From Life: The Journal as Art

by Jennifer New

It's a book which excels with the collection and comparison of so many journals - and experiences, ways of seeing and images. Notes and themes from the analysis of people's impulses to record their daily lives using drawing will resonate I know with a lot of people. Anybody reading will respond in different ways to the intensely personal experienced which are often recorded on the pages of the different journals. However, I also suspect that this is a book that people will either adore - or look at in confusion. It probably depends on whether you're the sort of person who is interested in keeping a journal.

See my review on my blog "Making A Mark" - Drawing from Life - The Journal as Art

Amazon Price: $16.50 (as of 07/23/2008)
List Price: $25.00

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Experimental Drawing

by Robert Kaupelis

This book is about drawing; about the experience of drawing and seeing drawings; and about the possibilities of extending our traditional concepts concerning the parameters of drawing (Robert Kaupelis)

It's a book which is a useful textbook for teaching drawing to degree students. It is also very helpful to those with no training in drawing and those wishing to expand their knowledge and skill base beyong that available in most 'how to' books but without attending a formal course. In my view, those who will value it most will be people who want to go beyond learning about basic rendering in a realistic way and who want to learn more about the heritage of drawing and what can be learned from this and the very many different ways in which drawings can be developed.

An excellent and stimulating book - see my review on my blog "Making A Mark" - Experimental Drawing

Amazon Price: $15.61 (as of 07/23/2008)
List Price: $22.95

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The Big Drawing Book Review

...takes place during Big Draw month - October 2007

In October 2007, I'm organizing a project which hopefully will generate a number of reviews of drawing books by people who draw. Read more about it below. The emphasis will be mostly on fine art drawing, sketching and creativity (ie NOT comic books and manga - as those are both a very specialised area)

Making a Mark: The Big Drawing Book Review: An overview of the Big Drawing Book Review
Making a Mark: The Drawing Bible: I've chosen "The Drawing Bible"for my first Big Drawing Book Review because it's a really useful basic guide to drawing for those who'd like to achieve a more painterly effect in their drawings.

The Drawing Bible is full of information in relation to drawing materials, techniques and treatments of different subject matter which is put across in a bite-sized and succinct way. In other words it's both well written - by Marylin Scott - and well edited. Plus it includes some excellent examples of drawings by well known artists.
Making a Mark: The Pen and Ink Book: I am particularly fond of working in pen and ink as anybody who has reviewed drawings on my website will know. The Pen and Ink book by Jos. A Smith (published by Watson Guptill) is certainly one of the things that stimulated my interest.
Making a Mark: The Drawing Book - into the vivid heart of drawing: I've attended two lectures on drawing by Dr. Sarah Simblet in the last 10 weeks. She is an excellent lecturer as well as a practising artist - very knowledgeable and thoughtful with a very bright and energetic approach to providing an insight into the language of drawing.

Her style is reflected in her book The Drawing Book which is described as 'an innovative, practical approach to drawing the world around you'. It is published by Dorling Kindersley (2005) who always seem to produce marvellous looking books and this one is no exception.
Making a Mark: Drawing from Life - The Journal as Art: Jennifer New's book about drawing - Drawing from Life - the Journal as Art - is very unusual book about 'drawing'. It's not a 'how to' instruction book, nor is it an art history tome. What it does instead is look at the multi-faceted way in which people use images in journals
Making a Mark: So you want to learn how to draw.......: Two books I always recommend to people wanting to learn how to draw - plus a review of Betty Edwards' book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.

In my opinion, it's an excellent book for adults who haven't picked up a pencil to have a go at drawing in years. It's also very helpful for self-improvers who have already started to draw again but are finding they continue to have problems in drawing the object they see in front of them.
Making a Mark: Keys to Drawing: "Keys to Drawing" by Bert Dodson is one of the first drawing books that I bought after I got back to doing art after a break of over 15 years. It opened my eyes, stimulated my enthusiasm for drawing again and provided me with some really excellent guidelines about what to think about when drawing.
Making a Mark: Experimental Drawing: This book was first published in 1980 (just prior to his retirement as Professor of Art at New York University) with a paperback edition published in 1992. Since publication, it has been used as a standard text in colleges and universities across the USA. Indeed one of the people commenting on Amazon says there are few books about drawing available which are suitable for use with university level students but that she recognised some of the exercises in this book as ones she herself did in college. Despite its age it's still in print and available via Amazon.

Drawing Education

Websites associated with universities, colleges and schools providing an education in the art of drawing

The Prince's Drawing School: This is an educational charity set up by the Prince's Trust and is dedicated to drawing. The faculty of over 35 practising artists work on the premise that drawing is a living, evolving language. The well-lit studios and gallery are in a converted warehouse in Shoreditch, the heart of London's East End creative community.
New English School of Drawing: The New English School of Drawing was started some years ago by a group of young artists. It promotes the practice and understanding of painting and receives sponsorship and patronage. The Drawing School runs many workshops and courses and collaborates with museums, institutions, schools and galleries.
A Drawing Glossary: This is a link a comprehensive Drawing Glossary written by Edward Saywell, Lynn and Philip A. Straus Drawing Intern, 1996-97 and included in the website of the Fogg Art Museum, part of Harvard University Art Museums. It provides definitions and explanations of a number of words used to describe drawings and the media used to produce drawings.
The Ruskin School of Drawing & Fine Art - The University of Oxford: The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, University of Oxford.
Drawing Power: The UK campaign to get everybody drawing
The Art Students League of New York | 215 West 57th Street, New York: Established by artists for artists, and continuing to hold to its founding principles, the League is an atelier school in which the language of art is taught and developed through immersion in the practices of drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking and assemblage. With an emphasis on mastering skills and visual thinking, students engage in the process of making art.
The Drawing Center | New York, NY: The Drawing Center has been a unique and dynamic part of New York City's cultural life since 1977. The only not-for-profit institution in the country to focus on the exhibition of drawings, it was established to demonstrate the significance and diversity of drawings throughout history, to juxtapose work by master figures with work by emerging and under-recognized artists, and to stimulate public dialogue on issues of art and culture.

Called "one of the city's most highly respected small art museums" by The New York Times, The Drawing Center has become the country's preeminent venue for important contemporary and historical drawing exhibitions, attracting more than 55,000 visitors annually from the local area, across the country, and around the world
New York Studio School of Drawing Painting and Sculpture: Exploring drawing, painting, sculpture and art history in depth.
The Ashmolean Museum - Ruskin - The Elements of Drawing: The Elements of Drawing The Elements of Drawing is a searchable and browsable online version of the teaching collection and catalogues assembled by John Ruskin for his Oxford drawing schools

Terms and Conditions: Your use of the Elements of Drawing website is governed by the following Terms and Conditions.......

Sight Size Drawing

The Sight Size Method is a method of constructing realistic drawings with great accuracy that has been used to draw and teach drawing for centuries. It is a method by which anyone with any amount of drawing experience can set up and execute a realistic drawing.

It's associated with classical drawing. The articles which follow describe the method

Check the Charles Sovek link for a shorthand and more accessible version

Ben Rathbone: The Sight-Size Method by Ben Rathbone
I put up this page in 2001 in basic form, expanded the text in 2003, and I've recently revised it again. It gets a steady stream of traffic and seems to help people. I hope you find it useful. -B.R.
American Artist: The Benefits of Sight-Size Drawing: McGuire and others who teach the sight-size method carefully prescribe the way subjects are set up to be drawn and the surface on which the drawings are made.
American Artist: Tim McGuire: Sight-Size Demonstration: View a sight size demonstration by Tim McGuire
Learn to See - Bargue Drawings Copying Technique: Explains the sight size technique for copying Barque Drawings
Charles Sovek, Artist and Author | Lessons from the Easel - The Basics: Line - Sight Size Drawing: Lessons from the Easel THE BASICS: LINE
#3. Sight Size Drawing
Copyright 2003 - All Rights Reserved - Charles Sovek

This is a much more basic and more accessible explanation of sight-size drawing.
Ludlow Art Society - INFORMATION SHEET 2 : On Drawing Sight Size.: INFORMATION SHEET 2 : On Drawing Sight Size.
Applying sight size to a drawing is a good way of disciplining the eye. Acquiring a 'good eye' enables you to assess shape and proportion almost instinctively which is of great value to a painter. Do not become a slave to the method though or your drawing may become tight but apply sight size checks from time to time to make sure your eye is performing well.

BOOKS: Drawing and Sketching

Books from Amazon - more of my recommendations

Keys to Drawing with Imagination: Strategies and Exercises for Gaining Confidence and Enhancing Your Creativity

by Bert Dodson

The follow up to the highly acclaimed Keys to Drawing, Bert Dodson's new book focusing on drawing and creativity. It's PACKED with drawings by Bert and other well known artists illustrating the creativity processes he's talking about in the book.

Read my book review - Drawing with Imagination, strategies for creativity- and about my visit to Bert's studio in Vermont when I saw all the page proofs for this book.

Amazon Price: $19.79 (as of 07/23/2008)
List Price: $29.99

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The Sketching And Drawing Bible: An Essential Reference For The Practicing Artist

by Marylin Scott

I'm happy to have this book in my bookshelves. It's packed with information and represents good value for money. The book is described as being an essential reference for practising artists but I think its primary market is probably the advancing 'hobby artist' rather than practising professionals. However I think most artists wanting to explore drawing further would find it useful both in terms of how drawings can be produced using different media and the different sort of approaches which can be used. I'd also expect it to act as a very useful antidote to any artist who feels their work is in danger of becoming categorised as 'same old, same old'. The sort of artist who likes experimenting, and enjoys a looser and more painterly style of drawing and trying out new things will love it (if they haven't tried everything already!), while it may find fewer fans amongst those wedded to graphite, control and photorealism.

Perhaps most important of all is that it will take a newcomer to drawing a very long way from an outline of absolute basics in terms of mark marking and media techniques through to some quite advanced approaches to drawing.

Read my book review on my blog - The Drawing Bible

Amazon Price: $12.99 (as of 07/23/2008)
List Price: $12.99

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Drawing and sketching - Illustrated Blogs and websites

Illustrated Blogs which I often read - in alphabetical order

Learning Daily: Cindy Woods' unique perspective on life
Laurelines: Laura has a new theme for her drawing and sketching each month - and a few sidelines
Crackskullbob: Sparky Donatello draws self-portraits, Starbucks, Norfolk Virginia and off the wall
Vivien Blackburn Sketchbooks - Main Page: Vivien Blackburn's sketchbooks - Vivien has a complete website dedicated to her sketchbooks; she uses a range of media to fill them
paintings prints and stuff: Vivien Blackburn - a professional artist - blogs about her work and how she develops it
EveryDayMatters Bloggers Blog: EveryDayMatters Bloggers Blog: Recent blog postings from members of the Everyday Matters Yahoo! Group
Sketchbooks - a photoset on Flickr: Mattias Adolfsson's pile of fantasy sketchbooks

Drawing and Sketching: Internet Forums

Internet Forums providing information and cameraderie for people wanting to drawn and sketch and improve their skills

The Sketching Forum: A forum dedicated to sketching started by Russ Stutler.
The International Sketchcrawl Forum: There have been 15 International Sketchcrawls - this is the forum in which plans are made and results are posted.
The Drawing Club on Yahoo Groups: This is the Yahoo Group which goes with the collaborative Blog of the same name.
Wet Canvas: Drawing and Sketching - main forum: a forum to discuss drawing and sketching - and to display and comment on work by members

Drawing communities: collaborative and illustrated Blogs

These are blogs which have contributions from a community of artists either on this blog or via a list on this blog

Illustration Friday: Illustration Friday is a weekly creative outlet/participatory
art exhibit for illustrators of all skill levels. It was designed to challenge participants creatively. It's a chance to experiment and explore and play with visual art. Both novices and pros are welcomed alike.
The Drawing Club: The Drawing Club is a blog about drawing founded by artist and blogger Michael Nobbs. Artists and drawing enthusiasts from around the world blog regularly.
Inspire Me Thursday: A weekly dose of inspiration to be creative, try new techniques and explore new mediums. We challenge all artists to get out their art supplies, experiment and CREATE!
Drawn - the Illustration and Cartooning Blog: Now a member of the Times 50 coolest blogs 2006! "Drawn!" is a multi-author blog devoted to illustration, art, cartooning and drawing. Its purpose is to inspire creativity by sharing links and resources. The links and posts on Drawn! are written by a small group of professional illustrators, designers, and cartoonists. Learn more%u2026

Drawing - Graphite, Pencils, Sticks and Charcoal

Heaton Cooper Studio Ltd > Graphite pencils, single and in sets: Graphite pencils, single and in sets - from Daler Rowney, Derwent, Lyra, Faber Castell, Koh-i-Noor, Woolff and Pilot
Heaton Cooper Studio Ltd > Graphite sticks and powder: Graphite sticks and powder from Cretacolor, Derwent, Faber Castell, Koh-i-Noor, Lyra and progresso
Artifolk - drawing pencils: For anyone wanting to sketch or draw, there should be a pencil here to suit. Collections from Faber Castell and Derwent containing sketching and graphic pencils, charcoals and pastel blocks. Tins and wooden boxes of pencils to suit all budgets. Also Faber-Castell TK Clutch & Mechanical pencils and spare leads
Making a Mark: Derwent Tinted Charcoal Pencils: At the end of March Derwent announced a new product - Derwent Tinted Charcoal. These are wood encased pencils (no mess!) which contain a mix of charcoal and small amounts of pigment and clay. It appears to be a charcoal version of the Graphitint pencil.
The Cult Pens Guide to Mechanical Pencils: Cult Pens - The Knowledge - Mechanical Pencils
The Cult Pens Guide to Lead Hardness: Cult Pens Pencyclopedia Lead Hardness
Pencil lead@Everything2.com: Complete definitions of pencil lead types
Dave's Mechanical Pencils - Lead reviews: ?The Lead Cup? ? Lead trials in a sports competition style
Round A ? Parker, Pentel, Staedtler, Students Choice.
Round B ? Faber-Castell, Rotring, Waterman, Zebra .
Round C ? Caran d'Ache, Cross, Micro, Mont Blanc.
Round D ? Insung Hands, Lamy, Papermate, Pilot.
Elimination Round ? Caran d'Ache, Cross, Pilot, Zebra.
Semi-Finals ? Caran d'Ache, Papermate, Pentel, Zebra.
Final ? Caran d'Ache, Pentel.

BOOKS: Rendering and realism in drawing

books on Amazon

Drawing Realistic Textures in Pencil

by J. D. Hillberry

The book is excellent at precisely what it sets out to do - drawing realistic textures in pencil. For those who enjoy and/or want to achieve this sort of rendering of surfaces and textures then this book provides a lot of helpful information and support which is clearly set out and explained.

However it is not a 'learn how to draw' book as such. For those who want to learn how to draw at either a basic or advanced level there are other more helpful books which provide a more rounded perspective on drawing - and its scope and practice.

Read my book review on my blog - 'How to' render realistic textures in pencil

Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 07/23/2008)

Drawing from Line to Life

by Mike Sibley

Highly recommended by a lot of artists who enjoy drawing animals.

This book is currently not available from Amazon in the USA but is available from Mike Sibley (see his website)

Amazon Price: (as of 07/23/2008)

Drawing and Sketching Pens

Heaton Cooper Studio Ltd > Drawing and Sketching Pens: Drawing and Sketching Pens
Large selection including Rotring, Pentel, Faber, Edding, Zig
Cult Pens: Cult Pens - Top-quality writing instruments at discount prices. Large range of hard-to-find pens, pencils and accessories.
Cult Pens Pilot G-Tec-C4 Microtip Gel Rollerball: Cult Pens - Pilot G-Tec C4 Microtip Gel Rollerball
Making a Mark: The Rotring Art Pen: When I first started drawing in pen and ink I struggled to find a suitable pen to draw with. However, once I came across the Rotring Art sketching pen I was in raptures - it's a very nicely balanced pen which seems to make the lines flow very easily! My favourite is the one with the exyra fine nib which I find I can use right way round and in reverse. There was no stopping me once I'd discovered their 'marron' sepia coloured ink as well - I started drawing absolutely everything in ink!

BOOKS: Books about Drawing and Drawing materials

books from Amazon

Two really excellent books originally published by Watson Guptill as part of their series on Art Materials and Techniques

The Drawing Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist (Watson-Guptill Materials and Techniques)

by Richard McDaniel

Read my book on my blog - The Drawing Book - Materials and Techniques

McDaniel's assertion that there are an extraordinary assortment of possibilities for drawing materials leads to a comprehensive review of art materials for drawing at the beginning of this book. You can see the Table of Contents covering materials, courtesy of Amazon. I've not seen a better review of drawing materials before or since. It's obviously written by somebody who knows and loves his drawing materials. His section on drawing tools and supplies is also excellent. This is the book which opened my eyes to what was available and kept me looking for certain items for years!

However, having said that, it is very much geared up to the American reader and information or commentary on how supplies are available on a global are very limited - however this is as much a function of the age of the book as anything else.

Amazon Price: (as of 07/23/2008)

The Pen and Ink Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist (Watson-Guptill Materials and Techniques)

by Jos Smith

Read my book review on my blog - The Pen and Ink Book

At the time of writing the book its author, Jos. A Smith, was a Professor of Fine Art at the School of Art and Design at the Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York and had been since 1961. He obviously brought a wealth of practical information and experience to developing this book. I'd liken aspects of his style to a very contemporary version of Albrecht Durer. I would expect most artists to find the range of excellent artwork in this book by Prof. Smith and others to be extremely stimulating.

The subtitle of the book is "materials and techniques for today's artist". One of the bonuses of the this book is his very comprehensive treatment of materials for drawing in ink

* 10 pages devoted to pens and brushes,
* another ten pages on inks and then
* 12 pages on paper and supports.

Amazon Price: (as of 07/23/2008)

Drawing supports: paper, boards and sketchbooks

Paper size - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: Comparison of the most common paper sizes. There have been many standard sizes of paper at different times and in different countries, but today there are two major systems in use: the international standard (A4 and its siblings) and the North American sizes.
Paper and Supports: Resources for Artists: This lens is another in the Resources for Artists; series. It aims to provide information about and links to suppliers of fine art paper products and other non-canvas supports used by visual artists who draw and paint.
Making a Mark: Which sketchbook?: I'll show you mine if you show me yours! Now I know this has been discussed before (but I can't find it!) but I think this exercise bears repeating!.......

Drawing Accessories

Art Equipment - Resources for Artists: This site is for visual artists. It provides: links to:
items of art equipment and tools;
recommended ways of putting together toolkits and
recommendations for equipment for working in the studio or plein air
Additional information about specific media are available in other featured lenses
Artifolk - Pencil Extender: Penhttp://static4.squidoo.com/images/icon-reorder.gif
reordercil Extender/Lengthener - When your pencil becomes too short to hold, just insert it into this handy tool and carry on using it!
T N Lawrence & Son Ltd - Fixatives: Various types of fixative
Artists Network - A Word about Drawing Tools - by Butch Krieger: A Word about Drawing Tools - by Butch Krieger

Sketching - Resource Links

Links to websites and blog posts focused on the practice of sketching

Making a Mark: Advice on Sketching - tips, techniques and toolkits: My popular advice page providing advice about developing skills in sketching has been revised and updated February 2008
Sketching in Public - a survey: two surveys about the popularity of sketching in public
Sketching with coloured pencils: an overview of my article on sketching with coloured pencils
10th International Sketchcrawl - my contribution: my sketches for the 10th International Sketchcrawl on 1st July 2006
Walk and sketch blogs: a new initiative in 2006 - the "walk and sketch" blog - an aid to regular exercise of the hamstrings and hand eye coordination
Russ Stutler's Sketching Booklist: Russ Stutler discusses various books he's found useful and inspiring for his sketching
Postcard Sketching - by Russ Stutler: Russ focuses on sketching on postcards using a waterbrush in Japan
Making a Mark: Trumpetvine Travels: My review of two volumes of Trumpetvine Travels - which is an e-zine in pdf format with wonderful articles about travel sketching and more with lots of illustrations. Both volumes are freely available to download - but BEWARE they are both extremely large files
Travels with a Sketchbook: Taking a line for a walk - from Le Havre to Rome: A review of Christopher Lambert's facsimile sketchbook journal used during his 1,0000 mile walk from Le Havre to Rome through France, across the Alps and down the pilgrim route to Rome. It shpws what can be done with a small sketchbook, a couple of pens and a few coloured pencils.
Dordogne Painting Days: 'Wet' Sketching in Pen & Ink using washes - includes advice about materials & techniques: Dordogne Painting Dayspaintings & drawings from the south west of france
lundi 3 mars 2008
'Wet' Sketching in Pen & Ink using washes - includes advice about materials & techniques

Travel Sketchbooks

"Painting is just another way of keeping a diary" Pablo Picasso

Links to the websites and blogs of people who sketch when they travel.

Travels with a sketchbook - my website: I've been keeping travel sketchbooks for years. This is the section on my website where I keep extracts from my travel sketchbooks to Europe, Asia, Australasia and North America
Travels with a Sketchbook in......: When I travel, I sketch. When I sketch on my travels I now record it here - along with narrative and some photos from recent trips
Paris Journal by Rozlyn M. Stendahl: Roz Stendahl's Paris Journal. There are more journals on her site plus she explains about making sketchbooks
Shirley sketches London: Shirley illustrates her "Paper and Threads" blog http://www.paperandthreads.com/ from her very first travel sketchbook which she kept when visiting London in July 2006.

SKETCHBOOKS: Travels with a Sketchbook

Facsimile Books on Amazon

London Sketchbook: A City...

Venice Sketchbook (Sketch...

Paris Sketchbook

New York Sketchbook

BOOKS: Facsimile Sketchbooks

Available on Amazon

Read my review in Taking a line for a walk - from Le Havre to Rome

Taking a Line for a Walk: 1100 Miles on Foot, Le Havre to Rome

by Christopher Lambert

Paul Klee once explained that "a drawing is simply a line going for a walk". In the summer of 2000, Christopher Lambert drew a straight blue line between Le Havre and Rome on a map of Europe when eighteen months short of his 70th birthday. He then set off with his all leather Brasher walking boots, a small rucksack, a couple of pens, some watercolour pencils and a sketchbook journal. 1,075 miles and 71 walking days later he arrived in Rome having taken a page each day to sketch and write about what he saw on his trip. This is his facsimile sketchbook

Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 07/23/2008)
List Price: $19.95

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Travels with a Sketchbook in......

a website, a blog and a squidoo lens

People often ask me whether they can have a look at my sketchbooks. This page lets you access some of the sketches in the numerous sketch books that I've used on my travels over the last 15 years or so.

You can see my sketches and read about where and how they were done on my blog "Travels with a Sketchbook in......" (Also see below)

You can read my advice on sketching on my website page Advice on Sketching

Finally, if you like looking at sketchbooks or want to know how to keep one, why not take a look at my lens which is dedicated to information and advice about travelling with a sketchbook.

BOOKS: How to keep a sketchbook

books from Amazon

Everyday Matters

Artists' Journals and Ske...

The Artists Sketchbook (Q...

Create Your Own Artists J...

Watercolor Journeys: Crea...

SKETCHBOOKS: Moleskine Sketchbooks

Available on Amazon

Moleskines are a great small sketchbook. The traditional Moleskine sketchbooks have lovely paper which is great for pencils, pen and ink and coloured pencils - but is not so great for watercolour (hence the new pink one - which doesn't yet seem to be available on Amazon!)

Moleskine Large Sketch Book Writing Journals Book (Moleskine Notebooks and Calendars)

I use one of these all the time - it goes just about everywhere with me.

What I like about it most is that the paper is thick, smooth loves coloured pencils and pen and ink and doesn't change surface if you use a battery powered eraser.

Amazon Price: (as of 07/23/2008)
List Price:

Moleskine Sketchbook Pocket

by Moleskine

The same as above only smaller!

For those occasions when you're only taking a small handbag or bumbag/fannypack maybe just a large pocket.

Amazon Price: $12.00 (as of 07/23/2008)
List Price: $12.00

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Moleskine Watercolor Notebook Pocket

by Moleskine

The much requested version of the sketchbook for watercolourists.

Note the two (lilac wrapper) versions of the Moleskine sketchbook luuuurve coloured pencils and pen and ink but do NOT like watercolour.

Amazon Price: $10.73 (as of 07/23/2008)
List Price: $12.00

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Moleskine Museum Sketchbook - 6 pack: 6 Assorted Colors per pack

by Moleskine

Amazon Price: $120.00 (as of 07/23/2008)
List Price: $120.00

In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served.

Drawing - quotations

Drawing Art Quotations - The Painter's Keys Resource of Art Quotations: Art Quotations about: Drawing
Drawing Quotes - Quotations About Drawing: Quotations about drawing by artists and others.
Quotations Book: Subject - Quotes about Drawing: Famous quotes about Drawing
Think Exist: Drawing quotes & quotations: drawing quotes,drawing, keyword, keywords

Art History - Drawings and Sketchbooks on the Internet

Drawings and sketchbooks which show you how artists have drawn and sketched from life over the centuries up to the present day

Turner Collection - 300 sketchbooks: The Turner Collection at Tate Britain has 300 of JMW Turner's sketchbooks from the 1780s to the 1840s. These include many sketches he made on his travels. Click the sketchbook link to see the sketchbooks or explore the rest of Turner's bequest to the nation.
Showcases :: Leonardo da Vinci's Notebook: This notebook of Leonardo da Vinci is known today as the Codex Arundel. It is not a bound volume, but was put together after his death from his loose papers of various types and sizes.
John Constable's sketchbook: John Constable's sketchbook - kept by the Victoria and Albert Museum
Sketching with Darwin on the Beagle: This is a link to the sketchbooks kept by Conrad Martins when he travelled with Darwin on the Beagle - now kept in the Cambridge University Library
Van Gogh drawings: A sample of the Van Gogh drawings - mainly in pen and ink - seen in the recent exhibition at the Met. Museum in New York
Sketchbooks in the Smithsonian archives: Sketchbooks in the archives of American Art at the Smithsonian Museum "form a vast repository of ideas, perceptions, inspirational imagery, and graphic experiments. As personal records they afford an intimate glimpse of an artist's visual thinking and reveal aspects of their creative process."
John Singer Sargent - Harvard Collection: The Harvard collection has sketchbooks and albums compiled by John Singer Sargent - with more than 800 records - many of which were done on his travels.
NGA - A Century of Drawing: Works on Paper from Degas to LeWitt: Exhibition brochure on twentieth-century drawings, including works by Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso, and Robert Rauschenberg
David Hockney - sketches: A sample of sketches done by David Hockney while in London
Under Cover - Artists' Sketchbooks at the Fogg Art Museum: A website developed for "Under Cover" an exhibition of artists sketchbooks at the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard in 2006.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Works of Art: Drawings and Prints: The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection of drawings and prints - including online access to part of the collection
American Artist:: 10 Great Drawers, (and What They Teach Us): Article by Bob Bahr from American Artist - includes drawings and details of further reading/resources. Artists covered include Leonardo da Vinci; Michelangelo; Albrecht Durer; Peter Paul Rubens; Rembrandt; Charles le Brun, Edgar Degas; Egon Schiele and Kathe Kollwitz.
Il Libro dell' Arte - Cennino D' Andrea Cennini. (The Craftsman's Handbook - translated by Daniel V. Thompson, Jr.): e-book version of the Notebook - this section focuses on drawing
New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1933, by Yale University Press.
Artist Sketchbooks Online: This site lists and provides links to a large number of sketchbooks which range from contemporary sketchbooks kept by ordinary people to sources of sketchbooks by artists of renown, including facsimile sketchbooks which have been published.
MoMA.org | Exhibitions | 2003 | Pencil: Drawings from the Collection: MOMA Pencil: Drawings from the Collection
September 18, 2003–March
8, 2004
Pencil is the most basic of materials for art. Artists have achieved some of their most evocative and powerful works using only pencil. This exhibition highlights pencil drawings from MoMA's collection by many of the most important artists of the past 100 years. Drawings by Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Kazimir Malevich, Pablo Picasso, Alberto Giacometti, Max Ernst, Cy Twombly, Claes Oldenburg, Ellsworth Kelly, and Jasper Johns are included, along with works by emerging artists. A full range of styles?figuration and abstraction, portraiture and landscape, naturalism and cartoonlike renderings?is represented.
MoMA.org | Exhibitions | 2003 | Pencil: Drawings from the Collection: MOMA Pencil: Drawings from the Collection
September 18, 2003–March
8, 2004
Pencil is the most basic of materials for art. Artists have achieved some of their most evocative and powerful works using only pencil. This exhibition highlights pencil drawings from MoMA's collection by many of the most important artists of the past 100 years. Drawings by Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Kazimir Malevich, Pablo Picasso, Alberto Giacometti, Max Ernst, Cy Twombly, Claes Oldenburg, Ellsworth Kelly, and Jasper Johns are included, along with works by emerging artists. A full range of styles?figuration and abstraction, portraiture and landscape, naturalism and cartoonlike renderings?is represented.
MoMA.org | Exhibitions | 2003 | On View Checklist: Pencil: Drawings from the Collection
Works on view as of September 9, 2003
This checklist is subject to change

SKETCHBOOKS: Alfred Wainwright's Lakeland Sketchbooks

Books on Amazon - Drawing the landscape in pen and ink

Wainwright's pictorial guides to the Lake District in the north of England are annotated with detailed hand-drawn maps and drawings of the Lake District. They used to entrance me when I was small and still do. These books are more focused on his sketches and give an insight into what can be accomplished with pen and ink.