Sketchbook: My tool kit

So I’m getting back into sketching, but what am I using? Well, when I go out I take my Sketchbook of the moment – it’s the one that I was given when I started my degree in 2010 (big up Lincoln GD!) as well as 2 small pencil cases (don’t ask me why I don’t just have one normal sized pencil case)…

Inside the pencil cases I have a variety of pens. I have explained before about why I have to draw in pen and not pencil, so I’m embracing the range of pens available:

They’re all black (well, no, one is grey) but I like to have different thicknesses for different effects and adding tone etc.

In my pencil cases I have:
– a trusty biro
– a 0.5 Pilot V5 Hi-techpoint liquid ink fineliner
– a 01 Pilot pigment ink drawing pen
– a Faber Castell S PITT artist fineliner
– a Staedtler triplus color felt tip
– 3 fine point Sharpies
– 3 Paper mate W10 marker pens

Why do I have 3 Sharpies and marker pens? Well they are all at different stages of ‘pen life’, so a couple are close to running out and give a nice texture – although recently they seem to have magically replenished themselves back to full which is a bit annoying in a way.

Don’t let this fool you into thinking I collated this group of pens to create the perfect ‘super sketching kit’ because honestly, I know nothing about pens. I didn’t buy any of these pens especially for sketching and I don’t remember the Eureka! moment when I grouped them together (I’m guessing it was back in 1st year) but I think they work quite well together. I guess it’s just been a process of trial and error – some things work and sometimes I get it wrong!

So that’s my tool kit. I was thinking the other day that really I need something in between fine liner and Sharpie – any recommendations? I was looking online the other week and got so overwhelmed by all of the different pens – how am I supposed to know which to pick? I just want one that works ha!

I’ve also been looking to get a bit of colour into my sketches recently, and when I was in Nottingham the other week I walked past WHSmiths and saw an offer that was too good to miss:

This pack of Sharpies usually costs £16.99 but if you buy a pencil case, you get 24 Sharpies for £6.99! WHAT!? That is crazy! So I looked for the cheapest pencil case I could find (£1.19) and headed to the till. I think the offer is still on so get yourself down to the shops now if you fancy a bit of ’80’s glam’ sharpie fun!

What do you like to draw with? Let me know!