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Different Tools

There are many different tools, also called media, that we can use to create art. There are drawing media and painting media.

Drawing Media

Charcoal

  • Made from burnt wood.
  • Great for value studies. Gives us a sense of three-dimensional space and a great range of lights and darks with minimal effort.
  • Known for expressive, direct and immediate qualities. Can create bold, thick lines or be sharpened to a point for more detailed marks.
  • Use paper with a medium to heavy tooth or texture.
  • Can be erased; smudges easily - can be controlled by spraying a synthetic fixative over the drawing.
  • Charcoal comes in three basic types:
    • Willow charcoal is light-weight, hard and brittle. It is powdery and easily rubbed off.
    Vine charcoal is a fine quality natural charcoal made from hardwoods, which offers a full range of tone, yet is easily erased or blended with a paper stump.
    Compressed charcoal is made of powdered charcoal and is available in varying degrees of hardness. It has a good overall considency, but its dense tone can be difficult to erase and blend. It is available in squared bars, rounded crayons, pencils, chunks, and powdered.
  • Begin lightly with the hardest charcoal and gradually darken the drawing with softer charcoal. Do not put harder charcoal over softer.
  • Break into small pieces or sharpen for better control.

    • Graphite Pencils

  • Made of powdered graphite (not lead) fired with clay, ranging in hardness from 6H to 8B, the softest, and encased in wood.
  • A good assortment for freehand drawing includes: HB, 2b, 4b, 6b, 8b.
  • Graphite is also available in bar, crayon, chunk, and powdered form.
  • Use paper with a smooth or hot press surface that has very little tooth or texture.
  • Can be erased; softer graphite smudges easily - can be controlled by spraying a synthetic fixative over the drawing.
  • Begin lightly with the hardest pencil and gradually darken the drawing with softer graphite. Do not put harder graphite over softer.
  • Use a light hand. Be careful not to score the paper surface with the harder pencils.


    • Painting Media

    Acrylics

  • Binder: acrylic polymer
  • Vehicle (solvent): water
  • Ground: prepared(gesso) or raw canvas, paper, wood, glass, etc.
  • Drys fast/permanent
  • Opaque/transluscent/transparent
  • Versatile media - can mimic oil, tempera, and watercolor

    • Oils

  • Binder: linseed oil
  • Vehicle (solvent): turpentine, mineral spirits
  • Ground: prepared canvas, paper, wood,
  • Drys slow/permanent
  • Opaque/transluscent/transparent
  • Versatile media

    • Tempera

  • Binder: gum arabic and water
  • Vehicle (solvent): water
  • Ground: paper, prepared wood panel
  • Drys fast/water soluble
  • opaque
  • dry, matte surface
  • Egg Tempera: egg yoke can be added to make it enamel-like and permanent

    • Watercolor

  • Binder: gum arabic and water
  • Vehicle (solvent): water
  • Ground: paper
  • Drys fast/water soluble
  • transparent to transluscent