Draw With Me - Week 2

Hello my Artsy friends...so glad you had a moment and stopped by.

So here we are...week 2...are you ready to choose some paper?  Just to let you know I am a paper fanatic...but that's another story. (sigh)  I will digress at another time.

From my experience I have narrowed down the paper pool quite a bit just out of personal preference and that is what you should do as well.  Try a bunch of different papers...colours, weights, finishes and you will quickly discover which papers will bring out the best of your work and which ones you really enjoy working on. This I think is key...drawing is an experience, something so joyful you must make it the very best you can...it will reflect in the finished work...it will shine.

I tend to go through phases...by this I mean extended periods in which I will use only one type of paper, pencil etc. until I feel I have exhausted all I can from the experience.  This doesn't mean I won't revisit this whole scenario at a later date but if it's working who am I to tamper with it?

This also works if you are creating a series...you want to keep the same feel, the same energy (there is my word for this year) to keep the emotion flowing...to bring it full circle.

So enough about that...on to choosing paper.  The best that I have found that work for my style of drawing is Bristol...smooth Bristol to be more precise...though Bristol vellum works very nicely as well.  My pencil work involves a great deal of detail and using a smooth surface allows me to get into the tiniest of crevasses to create shadow or line.  The papers that I use the most are Strathmore 2-ply Bristol smooth (400 series), Strathmore 100lb. Bristol vellum (300 series) and Canson 100lb. Bristol vellum (Foundation series).  The vellum tends to have a bit more of a 'texture' to it's look though it remains very smooth.

For this new drawing I will be using the Canson 100lb. Bristol vellum...I'll try to show you the texture thing though you may have to head to your favourite art store (oh darn, such a hardship) to check them out for yourselves. (as she skips happily to her car)

Any questions please leave a comment or e-mail me directly

Happy choosing. :)

Sheila

Post Script:  I have done many a drawing on watercolour paper just to have the texture thing happening and it works fabulously, though a note of caution...it's a little rougher on your pencils and you may end up covered in a dusting of graphite and it gets everywhere...but that's entirely up to you.