I used to sketch when I was growing up. After high school I lost interest when life hit me square in the face (I'm 31 now) now I want back in to it. I have looked all over the web for a great place to help me out and after much searching I found Drawspace. Why I am not having to pay good money for the lessons here is beyond me. This is a gold mine of information. I'm hooked once again.

On to my question... In the past I just drew with what ever I could find #2 pencils chain feed computer paper what ever pen was lying around... you get the idea. I want to take these lessons seriously not just pick and choose what I think I need to know. I want to learn how to use a complete pencil set so what brand is best to work with?

I'm looking both at what will give me the most bang for my buck as well as what the ultimate would be so I can make an informed decision when I go to my local craft store. I have already made a list of what I need based off one of the first lessons I just want to fine tune my list a little.

If this is the wrong place to post this question I am sorry.

Being new myself I can only make an opinion. I really like generals pencil brand, it makes the perfect line between quality and price. Though beware of brands that offer prices that are too low, as these pencils tend to be mostly wood and if you draw like I do, than they will be gone in a week. Look for a nice set with a realistic price and a full pencil set. I myself am fond of the "woodless" pencils that are pure lead, I highly recomend them!

As far as the brands go I really only think the difference of price here is paying for the name mostly. Colourlot is good for lower price and it works just as well Generals, but take advice from the adepts here... Anyway, good luck drawing!

Are you going to buy online or in a supply store like Michaels? If you have a Michaels near you, make sure to sign up for their newsletter/emails on their site first. A lot of the stuff in their store is pretty expensive compared to many online sites, but if you sign up for emails, they usually send out at least one or two 40-50 % off one item coupons each month. You can save a lot if buying a set. I agree that General's is a good brand to start out with. You can get nice results, and you can always try other brands later on....it won't be long until you need more.

If buying online, I recommend dickblick.com for selection and good prices. You can buy sets or individual pencils there. I have several brands, including Generals, Faber-Castell,...and most recently I purchased some individual Staedtler, Mars Lumograph pencils. I like all of them, but am really enjoying the smoothness of the lumograph pencils.

You also want to have something other than printer paper. A good choice on the lower priced end would be something like Strathmore or Canson. For drawing final illustrations, it's best not to go with any paper that is less than 80lb. If you like drawing in the smaller size ( like printer paper ) , Canson has a 9 x 12 drawing paper tablet that is a nice 111lb strength. They might make it in larger sizes, but I have not found it as of yet. If you want to pay a little more,...Stonehenge drawing papers are nice.

Really...there are so many types/brands out there, you might feel overwhelmed when you start shopping. Just set a budget for yourself to start, and if you really get back into the drawing again, you can always spend the money on the pricey stuff later on when you need more supplies.

Buying a set of pencils to start with is fine but after you draw for a while, you will get a good feel for the pencils you use most and just buy replacements.

Paper is important. Buy good paper which is not necessarily "sketch" paper. I have my favorites, which are Canson Bristol smooth and Strathmore Bristol smooth (for graphite this is my favorite) and also I like Stonehenge. For colored pencil projects, I like Stonehenge, Strathmore Bristol Vellum and Mi tentes. It is all a matter of preference, though. Try a few things and if you like them, buy some more.

I use General graphite pencils and my favorites are: HB, H, 2H, 4H, 2B and 4B

For Colored pencils, I love Prismacolors which are wax based pencils and Faber Castell Pollychromos which are oil based. Wax pencils are smooth and fun but can develop wax bloom after many layers but this is easily wiped off with a tissue.

There are lots of other types and if you decide to try colored pencils, buy a small set and try them out first to see if you like them...

Happy drawing!

I'm by far an expert but I can share some of what my research and trial and error have come up with..

A lot of folks like the 2mm clutch pencils.. these are used a lot in drafting. Staedtler leads seem to be popular.. I really want to like these because they are very convenient. less hassle sharpening, always the same weight and length, etc..

My experience is they just didn't work out for me but I do use them in certain areas from time to time.. your milage may vary as a lot of folks do like these.. best place I've found for both a variety of clutch pencils and leads is http://www.draftingsuppliesdew.com/

What seems to work for me are the Derwent Graphic brand of pencil. These are wood cased pencils, I've seen these at Michaels they are available at Blicks as well.. A nice quality pencil at a resonable price..

I picked up some Caran d'Ache Grafwood the other day. These may become my favorite.. A little on the expensive side at almost $3 a pencil but OMG they are so smooth and rich.. hard to discribe.. I also like that the case color matches the hardness.. makes it easy to find the one you want while you're drawing.. I'm surprised I don't hear more about these.. You can find these at Blicks..

Some papers I've liked are both Canson and Strathmore..

Drawspace certainly has the most extensive library for learning about drawing I've seen and this community is excellent.. but another site you might enjoy is WetCanvas.com tons of info there as well..

hope this helps!
Deborah

Deborah I really like the Caran D'Ache pencils too - but I found that it's really important with them to have a very good sharpener. The little cheapies from the grocery store just don't get a good point. Caran D'Ache have a wonderful feel and produce good tones - well worth the price.

When I first started out, I liked using the Reeves brand. They come in a set with a wide range of hardness - I think from 4H to 6B, and are very affordable and very available. They hold a point quite well and sharpen up in any sharpener. I still use them for quick layout sketches - or when I've misplaced all my other pencils (it happens ) I never really snuggled up to Derwent or Generals - don't know why.

I think it's a matter of trying a few of different brands until you find something you really like. Same with paper really, but don't expect copy paper to produce the results of good quality sketch paper. Sometimes if you have discount stores nearby like Big Lots, you can grab sketch pads of *fair* quality for a couple of dollars. If you want something to keep in your bag for quick sketches, it's a good bargain.

For on-line shopping, I like Jerry's Artarama and Dick Blick too.

If you are shopping out in the real world (not on the internet) shop smart. I've noticed that the Micheals store (at least in my area) tends to over price stuff. Check in your local Staples or Office Depot if there's one around and compare prices. Quite often they will have a *small* art supply area, but - for instance - I found they sold sets of Prismacolor pencils (same number of pencils, same quality) for HALF the price of Micheals.

That was your money-saving tips of the day from Cheapskate Starving Artist in NC!

lol