Drawing Materials, Tools, Techniques and Safe Studio Practice
The paper tests whether you know which tool suits which job and whether you can work without hazard.
Papers and supports
Cartridge paper around 90–120 gsm suits pencil sketching; Bristol board at 220 gsm and above takes ink and marker; watercolour paper is rated by weight (140 lb / 300 gsm is standard) and surface - cold press has tooth, hot press is smooth, rough holds granulation. Wasli, a layered handmade paper, was used for Mughal miniature.
Dry media
Pencil grades run 9H (hard, pale) to 9B (soft, dark); 2H for construction, 2B–6B for value. Vine charcoal is soft and erasable, compressed charcoal dense and staining. Kneaded erasers lift without abrading; plastic erasers abrade; workable fixative reduces smudging.
Wet media
Indian ink is shellac-based and waterproof once dry, so it clogs dip pens if left. Brushes: round, flat, filbert, fan; sable holds water and points well, hog bristle is stiff for oil, synthetic is springy for acrylic. Never store brushes bristle-down in water.
Safety
Solvents such as turpentine and mineral spirits are flammable and volatile: ventilate, keep away from flames, store in a closed metal cabinet, wear gloves. Pigments containing lead, cadmium, cobalt and chromium are toxic - do not put brushes in your mouth, and wear a dust mask when sanding or spraying. Spray fixative outdoors or under extraction, at arm's length. Cut with a craft knife away from the body and retract the blade. Linseed-oil rags self-heat; seal them in a metal bin.
Worked example
Building an oil painting: thin the lower layers with solvent and add more oil to each successive layer, fat over lean, so the underlayers dry first and the surface does not crack.
Traps
Mixing water-based and solvent-based media; leaving brushes standing in water; spraying fixative too close; assuming a 'non-toxic' label means safe to inhale.