A few of my favorite things.
Pencils
I’m starting here because I start images with pencil sketches.
As cool as the Blackwing pencils are, they are expensive, and you must carry a pencil sharpener. When in the studio, I will reach for a Blackwing occasionally. However, these Pentel Sharp mechanical pencils are my daily drivers. I love the .9mm for the thicker lead. It allows me to stay looser. I’ll love the .5mm for note-taking and executing the finer details in drawings.
The Staedtler Lead holder has been a staple since Mr. Ferbee’s high school drafting class. Again, I love the ability to load different leads mid-drawing without dealing with traditional pencil sharpeners. The cap has a built-in sharpener, and it’s brilliant. I’ve run across so many people unaware of that feature.
The Col-Erase Vermillion pencil is my favorite underdrawing pencil, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find. I had to switch to the Mitsubishi 2637 to keep my favorite color. I found a full Vermillion pencil from Mitsubishi and will report back on it.
Brush Pens
I love a good brush pen. They are expressive and allow an incredible range of mark-making.
The Kuretake Brush Pen No. 8 is wonderful and has a delicate head. I find there is more control in details with this brush.
The Pentel Pocket Brush is a workhorse. It can take a bit more aggressive use than Kuretake, which makes it easier to get dry brush strokes. Eventually, The brush will not snap back like the Kuretake, but at a lower price point, you can have a heavier hand and pick up a new one when needed.
One of my favorite brush pens with a felt nib is the Pilot Brush Pen (Hard). These have a nice range of mark-making as well. I have a slightly heavy hand when inking, so the hard nib is my go-to.
There are a plethora of other brush pens. Jet Pens is a great place to check out various brush pens and other supplies. Sometimes, pens are cheaper here than on Amazon but shipping is a wash until you hit a price point..
Sketchbooks
I’d been using Moleskines for years before finding Baron Fig. Both brands offer great sketchbooks. I prefer the Moleskine Art because the pages are a bit thicker and will take a beating from a variety of wet media. My observational sketching and experimenting happen in the Moleskine Art.
If you're looking for sketchbooks with whiter paper than Moleskine's Art collection, I'd recommend Rendr Sketchbooks.
The Dot Grid Moleskine and Baron Fig are both exceptional. The dot gridis my preferred paper for note taking and working on designs.
I recently started carrying a pocket-size notebook to capture ideas when out and about. Both Baron Fig and Moleskine offer a smaller size.
Moleskine Classic Notebook, Hard Cover,
Large (5" x 8.25") Dotted
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