Hello from the Sketchy Traveler, a mostly free, mostly biweekly newsletter on sketching, travel, and self-discovery. Paid subscribers make this newsletter possible and keep it free for those peeking out their inboxes. Thanks to everyone for your support! Scroll past the fold for the latest drawing adventures, tips, and tricks.

Recently, I read a fun newsletter from on drawing with ballpoint pens and had someone ask me about the variety of pencil hardnesses, so this seemed like a good time to cover some common drawing tools. A great thing about drawing is that it does not need to be an expensive hobby as a variety of low-cost tools are available to the average person. The easiest are the simple ballpoint pen and the number 2 pencil and you can build on these with a variety of fancier tools.

Graphite Pencils

Pencils are nice as they are a very forgiving tool since you can erase them. You can also smug them to create a variety of effects or hide minor mistakes. Pencils are also readily available since they are sold pretty much anywhere that carries stationery like the grocery store and do not require a trip to an art supply store. Finally, the number 2 pencil is nice as it is hard enough to provide sharp lines while also allowing you to smug it a bit for effects like shading and softening lines.

If you would like to upgrade your pencil, try out a set of pencils from your local art store. The graphite in pencils comes in various hardnesses. The softer the graphite the more the pencil will put down and the darker the line. Softer lead is easier to smug though since it is softer. The hardness of the graphite in your pencil is indicated by a letter (H for hard, or B for soft) and a number indicating how hard or soft the lead is. The higher the number the harder or softer the graphite.

Pens

Pens have the advantage of being more permanent and less messy than graphite while being readily available. The easiest and cheapest types of pens are ballpoint pens. While ballpoint pens are known for their use in offices, they can also make for great drawing tools as bored students have found out for decades. Ballpoint pens are usually easy to find as most places that carry stationery, like the grocery store, have them.

If you would like to upgrade your ballpoint pen look at the micron tipped pens and fountain pens in a stationery section. These pens tend to have more even ink applications than ballpoint pens and their liquid-based inks usually provide a much sharper line than a ballpoint pen. On the higher scale end, fountain pens provide an even ink application with their nib tips, and their links provide a luster to your drawings you will not find with ballpoint of micron pens. You will usually need to head for an art supply store to find fountain pens though.

What tool do you like to use when drawing on site?

Leave a comment

Updates

I have two paintings available for sale in the annual Corvallis Art Center auction if you would like to purchase one of my paintings and support the local Corvallis arts community. Bidding opens on today at 4pm PST at: https://www.32auctions.com/spectacular

I’m giving out 10 free creative coaching sessions this fall to people looking to accelerate their drawing practice or start something new. Let me know sometimes that work for you to learn more about me, coaching and experience how we might work together.

What Now?

Wow, you read all the way to the end of the newsletter. Your dedication shows that you are serious about starting, growing, and navigating a creative practice and life. This is the end of the newsletter, but not the end of your journey. Here are some next steps to deepen your practice:

• Upgrade to Paid to keep this newsletter ambling and access monthly 1:1 coaching as you grow your creative practice.

• Post a drawing to the Sketchy Traveler group chat to get some positive, strengths-based feedback and support from artists, designers and flaneurs around the world.

• Reach out to Logan for a free creative coaching info session to explore your dreams and consider how we can collaborate to accelerate your creative practice, launch something new or navigate a transition.

See you soon at your neighborhood or digital watering hole😊