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Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 116

Big Picture in Focus

ULOc: Discuss the basic drawing tools used by majority of artists.

Metalanguage

In this section, the most essential terms relevant to the study of Drawing 1 and to
demonstrate ULOc will be operationally defined to establish a common frame of reference.

1. Drawing Tools – These are practical drawing materials.

2. Pens – can create lines of varying strengths and widths depending on the size of the
point.
3. Paper - has an aura of romance and fascination. It was invented in China about two
thousand years ago.

Essential Knowledge:

In this chapter we will be focusing on ULOc as we are going to understand, identify and
analyze the different common drawings tools used by majority of artists.

Drawing Tools
➢ These tools have changed over the centuries but remains the most versatile,
stable, and practical of drawing materials.

Pens
➢ The history of pens mirrors the evolution of culture,
ancient pens ranged from sharpened sticks and bamboo
branches to beautifully carved bird-feather quills, Pens
today can be made from wood, bamboo quills, metal and
even glass.
➢ Removable pen tips, or nibs, attached to a wooden or
metal holders were dipped into small bottles of ink and the
liquid would be held in the concave back surface of the pen
tip.

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➢ Drawing pens can create lines of

varying strengths and widths
depending on the size of the
point. Dip pens are kept clean by
washing or flushing with water
or solvents, depending on the
type of ink used. Filler pens draw
ink from the ink bottle.

➢ Metal and fiber pen tips are easily

damaged and should be stored in a
container with the pen tips lying
flat or standing up. Ballpoint pens,
fine-point pens/markers, fountain
and cartridge pens, brush pens,
and other types are excellent
modern additions to the artist’s
toolbox.

Brushes
➢ Brushes are surrounded by a sense of romance and beauty. It has been a part of
Western art history for thousands of years. Fine brushes are found in Egyptian
tombs and the Romans employed a great variety of brushes for everything from
fresco painting to encaustic.
➢ Highly skilled craftsmanship is needed to make fine brushes. Brushes can be
grouped into simple categories: soft brushes and bristle brushes.

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Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 116

Soft Brushes Bristle brushes

➢ Soft brushes are made of sable, camel, badger, and other natural animal hairs.
Watercolor painters often prefer well-made soft fur brushes such as sables’ Soft
brushes are also often used to blend dry pigments such as powdered graphite or
charcoal.

➢ Soft fur brushes are, however, prone to wear and tear and do not survive
extended rough use. For this reason, bristle brushes are a good choice for rough
work. They are usually made from a stiffer animal hair such as hog or horsehair

Blending Stumps
➢ These are sticks used
for blending in drawing
made of charcoal, paste
or conte. It is a versatile
tool, the blending stum
can be used on its side
to blend broad areas or
on its point for finer
modulations. Tortillons
are longer and hollow
while stumps are tightly wrapped, solid and pointed at both ends.

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Matina Campus, Davao City
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Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 116

Erasers
➢ Erasers come in many forms and produce varying result depending on the erasers
composition. Kneaded erasers absorb charcoal, graphite and pastel and leave no
“crumbs” on the paper.

➢ Hard rubber erasers smear and absorb the drawing material and remove it in
small crumbs. Erasers also come in materials such as vinyl and latex. While very
effective and leaving less crumbs when used.

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3rd
Floor, DPT Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 116

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 College of Computing Education
3rd
Floor, DPT Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 116

Paper
➢ For many artists, paper has an aura of romance
and fascination. It was invented in China about
two thousand years ago. Other paper-like
materials, such as papyrus and parchment can
be trace back much earlier in ancient Egyptians.

➢ The most common material for making paper are cotton or linen fibers and wood
pulp; the two major types are laid paper and wove paper.
➢ Lain paper pulp mixed with water can settle on a wire screen or framed mold. The
thickness of a laid paper depends on the amount of paper pulp used. The texture
of a laid paper and its watermark are clearly visible when the paper is held up to
the light. Wove paper, is invented in England in the late eighteenth century, it is
the most common type of paper.

Laid Paper Wove Paper

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➢ Types of Paper
Drawing papers come in four
basic formats:
• Pads with sheets
bound to a glued or
wire spine

• Individual sheets

• Rolls

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Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 116

• Hard-bound
sketchbooks

Sketch Papers and Newsprint

➢ Sketch paper refers to a range of
different papers, from newsprint to
a higher quality acid-free paper.
Newsprint is commonly used for
charcoal sketching because of its low
price, it is often used for beginners.
Newsprints ranges from smooth to
rough and it is good for markers,
pastels, charcoal, and crayons. It is
less appropriate to graphite pencils
and other fine-point pens because of its soft woven and absorbent texture.

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Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 116

Charcoal and Pastel Papers

➢ Papers for charcoal and
pastel need to have
enough texture to hold
the grains of the drawing
medium while laid papers
are commonly marketed
for charcoal and pastel,
but rough textured woven
papers can be excellent as
well. Pastel papers are
coated with a fine layer of
sand bound by glue to the
paper, these provide a
rich, toothy texture for
the pastel to cling to.

Colored Craft Papers

➢ There are varieties of colored papers
in diverse sizes, textures, and hues.
These include craft papers, printer
papers, construction papers, and
decorative papers. It is used for craft
and design projects.

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3rd
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Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 116

Commercial Papers
➢ Commercial papers made for industrial or
office use are often being used in drawing
such as Printer paper, letter paper, ledger
paper, and inexpensive surfaces for
drawing. But, if you use a commercial
paper, please do pay attention to its acid
content and permanence.

Papers made from rice and other fibers

➢ There are papers made of other things
other than linen, cotton fibers, or wood
pulp that is available in art supply stores.
Rice Paper used for calligraphy and
watercolor is note made from rice at all. It
derives from the fibers of the rice paper
plant, a small tree. Rice papers come in
various densities and textures that includes
ornamental elements such as colored
fibers, threads, or even leaves.

Sketchbooks
➢ Sketchbooks used to be beautifully hard
bound with covers of leather or heavy
papers. Some sketchbooks are likewise
handsomely hardbound, while others are
soft cover books bound with glue.
Sketchbook papers may be laid or woven,
hot or cold compressed, and varied in pH
designations, others even have colored
papers.

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3rd
Floor, DPT Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 116

Self Help!
You may refer to the following sources below to help you further in understanding your
lesson:
Al Gury (n.d). Foundations of Drawing: A practical guide to art history, tools,
techniques, and styles.
Peter Stanyer (2003). The Complete book of Drawing Techniques: A
Professional guide for the artist.

Let’s Check!
l. Directions: Read the sentences carefully. Choose your answer in the box provided
below. Write it on the space before the number. Letter only.

A. Sketchbooks C. Erasers E. Pens

B. Paper D. Brushes

_______1. It comes in many forms and produce varying result.

_______2. It was invented in China about two thousand years ago.
_______3. These are beautifully hard bound with covers of leather or heavy papers.
_______4. It has been a part of Western art history for thousands of years.
_______5. It can be made from wood, bamboo quills, metal and even glass.

Let’s Analyze:
Which of the following drawing tools do you find most useful? Why?

In A Nutshell!
In this chapter, we discussed the different basic tools that are commonly used by
artists. There are many kinds of materials that can be used, but these are the most common
materials known by few. I want you to take down notes and explain what you have learned
in this chapter.

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3rd
Floor, DPT Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 116

Q & A List:
Q and A: Questions and Clarifications: Write your questions on the box below.

Questions Answers

Key Words Index:

Rice Paper Commercial Papers Paper
Charcoal Papers Pastel Papers Blending Stumps
Drawing Tools Colored Craft Papers Brushes
Sketchbooks Sketch Papers Eraser
Newsprint Drawing Papers

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