Fashion Illustration 3(1+2)

Lesson 05 : Art Materials for Drawing & Illustrations

Please Include Information About the Highlighted Text

• Drawing Media – You need to try and test different kinds of pencils to determine which brand or type of pencil you like (usually based on its lead). Pencils come with thickand think leads. They are numbered so that it is easy to pick thicker and thinnerleads. They also give dark and light effects based on the lead and the pressure used. The alphabet “h” after a number denotes a lighter pencil with a thin lead and the alphabet “B: after a number denotes a darker pencil with a thicker lead. For example, 8 B is a think lead dark pencil where as 2H is a light thin lead pencil. 2H, Hb, 2B, 4B, 6B, 8B, etc are available in the market. Steadler is the best brand to buy pencils. A combination of these is usually used for shading. Apart from these, you can also try out graphite rods (completely made out of graphite with no wooden part like in a normal pencil), charcoal sticks, mechanical pencils (where you can insert the lead into the pencil). This can be used for fine detailing as the line quality is very thin.

  You can also use pens to draw. There are a variety of pens available. Gel pens are best suited for drawing compared to ball pens. You have to try and judge a pen based on its ink flow and its tendency to blot. Some gel pens can be used for fine detailing while some thicker varieties are also available.

  Markers can also be used to draw and render. Explore the range of markers available and select the one you are most comfortable with based on efficiency and shaped tips.

• Coloring Media
  • Dry Media –is the media that can be used to render without the need of adding water to the material. There are many varieties available. Some of them are given below:
  • Color pencils – Colored pencils can be used for different kinds of rendering. They can be used to render light weight or heavy textured fabrics depending on the handling of the material. Some of the color pencils that are available are water soluble. After rendering an object, a slightly wet brush can be used to create a water color effect. The best color pencils are available in Steadler.
  • Wax crayons – Wax crayons have a tendency to create a grainy texture. They are ideal to create bulky, rugged, raw textures like drawing fur, boucle yarn, suede, etc. One can also use them on top of a painted picture to create an interesting effect. Crayola has a wide range of crayons available. As they contain wax, the crayons can also be melted to create new textures.
  • Oil pastels - There are many brands and varieties of oil pastels available in the market today. The greater the quality, the higher the ratio of pure pigments to its oil binder and the finer the quality of ingredients – allowing for richer colors and finer technique. Oil pastels may look like crayons but they are smoother, brighter and easier to blend than crayons. They can be used extensively to create a lot of different textures depending on the pressure and handling.
  • Chalk pastels – Pastels contain pigment and a dry binder. The pastels are quite delicate and should be handled carefully. They tend to break and smudge easily. The color effect of the pastels is closer to the natural dry pigment than any other media. They tend to create hazy lines with fuzzy effects when rendered. A fixative needs to be sprayed on after used the chalk pastels as they tend to smudge.
  • Marker pens – They come in a larger variety including different thicknesses and different nib types. Markers tend to blot and bleed, so one must be careful while using them. They also tend to rub onto the paper too much so one should avoid over working with a marker. They are ideal for loose rendering with a hint of the colors of the fabrics. They can be enhanced, if used as a base color and another media is used to detail the illustration.
  • Colored gel pens – Gel pens are ideal for student who are afraid to outline or do the finer details using a brush. They can also be used to create textures and the highlights on garments and hair. A wide range is available including a range in rotoring pens and pens with brush tips.
  • Wet Media – These pigments usually need water to be added before using them. Also, one has to wait for layers to dry out before blending in more colors.
  • Poster colors – Poster colors are basically water soluble colors found in bottles in a thick liquid format. They are not permanent and can get washed away if water spills on a painting. Poster colors are opaque colors. They can be used to render fabrics – light or heavy depending on the handling of the medium.
  • Inks – Colored inks are found in a wide range of colors. They create quite a commercial look and are should be used to create quick illustrations. They also cannot be easily worked with as once applied, it is difficult to rectify them.
  • Water colors – Water colors are usually found in a cake or a paste format. Water needs to be added before using them. The major difference between poster and water colors is that water colors are transparent. They can be used for lighter fabrics and airy effects. Once applied, they cannot be rectified.
  • Oil paints – Oil paint is a slow drying paint with pigments suspended in a drying oil, commonly linseed oil is used. The viscosity of the oil can be modified with the use of a solvent like turpentine or white spirit. Varnish may be added to increase the glossiness of the dried film. The advantage of this media is that the artist can develop a painting leisurely. With oil based media, rectifications are relatively easy. Oil paints blend well together to create subtle variations of color which help in the depiction of light and shadow.
  • Acrylic paints - Acrylic paint is fast drying paintcontaining pigment suspension in acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints can be diluted with water, but become water-resistant when dry. Depending on how much the paint is diluted (with water) or modified with acrylic gels, media, or pastes, the finished acrylic painting can resemble a watercolor or an oil painting, or have its own unique characteristics not attainable with other media.
  • Gouache paints – Gouache, the name of which derives from the Italian guazzo, is a type of paint consisting of pigment suspended in water. A binding agent, usually gum arabic, is also present, just as in watercolor. Gouache differs from watercolor in that the particles are larger, the ratio of pigment to water is much higher, and an additional, inert, white pigment such as chalk is also present. This makes gouache heavier and more opaque, with greater reflective qualities.