My 6 Favorite Tools for Analog Illustration
Over the years I’ve developed a couple of different styles that I’m comfortable bouncing between. Dreamy, soft pencils with soft, muted colors, and high contrast blackwork with themes of nature and the occult. Whatever style I’m working in, I typically come back to the same core set of tools to help me get the job done.
Today I’ve put together a list of tools I use to create my illustrations. Since a majority of my work is either initially or entirely analog, those are the tools I’ll be sharing here. Here we go!
1. Pencils
Everything starts with this. Did you know I used to work at a pencil shop? Yep, an old pal used to run a stationery and pencil shop and it gave me the opportunity to learn so much more about these little writing sticks than I ever expected. Did you know that pencils once faced different regulations based on their use?
I keep my daily carry pencil collection pretty simple these days, consisting of only a Palomino Blackwing and a Pentel GraphGear 500. I like the Blackwing because the graphite is soft but not quite 2B soft, and the erasers are refillable. The graphite also builds up and layers very well.
The GraphGear is nice because it’s a drafting pencil, so it’s very precise. You can also buy colored polymer lead for it, which is incredibly helpful for more complex drawings where you’re building up different layers.
2. Erasers
If you’re gonna be sketching, you’re gonna be erasing. I’m not all that picky with my erasers as long as they work. The two that I use are this hi-polymer black eraser for big areas and a Factis BM2 mechanical eraser for precision.
3. Pens
Ah, yes, the main attraction. I know this is why you’re actually reading this. Whenever I post a video to Instagram of me drawing, the most common question I get asked is, “what pen is that?”
The answer changes depending on the day and intention for the final drawing, but here are my favorites.
3a. Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pen
My first pen-love. I started using this marker in college because one of my favorite tattooers used it and I wanted to be just like him. I still love these because they’re archival, are pretty waterproof (though not as waterproof as Copics… I’ll get to that), and make such a black mark.
The downside to this one is that if you have pencils underneath the ink and then go to erase them, some of the ink will probably come up with it. Also, I have so many of these markers that I can only use if I contort my hand into an unnatural position. The nib wears away into a flat top, so at some point, you have to hold the pen perfectly perpendicular to the paper to get the monolines that these pens are supposed to provide.
3b. Platinum Carbon Desk Pen
The name of this one is a mouthful, but this was my second pen-love. It was suggested to me by a friend of a friend and I immediately fell in love. I’ve always wanted to be the person who draws with a nib pen and an ink well, but damn I’m impatient and don’t clean my tools and caring for nibs is like caring for a tiny, needy child. This pen makes me feel like I’m a fancy-pants while also being easy to care for and giving a line character that feels very me (a.k.a. mono-weight and mega detailed). It takes an ink cartridge, which feels much better than trashing a fine liner every time it’s dry or crushed. You can also buy a little converter for it so you can refill the same cartridge with your own ink.
The feel of this pen in the hand is sexy. The extended barrel is a nice balance to the weightier bottom, lending a sense of control and ease. I had one of these that I crushed the barrel on by accident. I continued to draw with just the exposed cartridge, thinking it would be fine without the barrel, but I was wrong. It threw off the entire balance of the pen and was much less satisfying.
The downside to this pen is that it needs to be stored properly. If it’s exposed to extreme temps, it messes with the flow of the ink. If it’s the middle of summer or it’s been in the sun, you might open the lid to find the nib coated in ink. If it’s winter, you might need to spend some time warming it up. Luckily, just the warmth of your hands is enough. How sweet.
3c. Copic Multiliner
This one is a recent discovery. It’s no-frills and gets the job done. They come in so. many. sizes. I use a .03 for my outer linework and a .05 for details. So far I’ve found them to be very waterproof, probably because they’re made for use with markers and other wet media.
The downside to these is the same as with any fine liner - they will probably wear down on the sides/tip., If you have a heavy hand I’d suggest a tech pen with a metal nib.
4. Gouache
It’s taken me a while to get totally comfy sharing my painting process, and it took me a bit to figure out how to use gouache in a way that suited me. When I first tried, I had no control, everything was a sloppy, blobby mess, and despite everyone saying how easy they were and how much like watercolor they were, I couldn’t figure it out for the life of me.
Then I realized the difference between acryla-gouache and artists’/designers’ gouache. The composition of the paint is different, with an added binder in acryla-gouache that makes it act more like acrylic paints. Acryla-gouache cannot be reactivated, though it’s more opaque and dries more matte than regular gouache.
I prefer to use regular gouache because the reactivation means I waste less paint, and it’s slower to dry which gives me more time to work with it. There is a time for acryla-gouache, though, and I’m still developing the rules for myself. Sometimes I combine the two, especially when I need my color to be more opaque.
For brushes, I’m not picky. I use a Windsor & Newton size 1 for the small stuff, and whatever big round brush I have for flats.
5. Sketchbook
No matter how many other sketchbooks I try, I always come back to these floppy Moleskines. There’s something about the paper that gets me. It’s smooth and thin and feels at once artful and unprecious, which is exactly what I need in my sketchbooks. They go with me everywhere and become a record of my existence. They get folded and painted on, with pages pulled out and taped back in, plants taped into the margins and notes and letters tucked into the back pockets. My sketchbooks age with me, and patina like the perfect pair of denim pants or leather boots. I want my sketchbook to become a standalone art object. That’s why I love these Moleskines.
6. Leuchtturm1917 Journal
Maybe this doesn’t feel relevant to an illustration career, but if you know anything about me you know I love to reflect, to write, to plan, and to dream. That all happens right in this little book. Each page is numbered and the front page is an index, so you can note where important entries are and refer back to them. This is crucial for me because I try to keep all of my notes in the same place. The book I use for business notes and accounting is the same book I use for tarot and astrology notes and my deepest dreams.
At some point, I’ll be sure to add on to include the digital tools that I use as well as my scanner and printer – all essential in this work!
What are some of your favorite supplies? I’d love to know!
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