Lyra Graphite Stick 9b

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The first appearance of graphite encased in wood dates from around 1565, close to the time natural graphite was first discovered in Cumbria. Other natural sources exist in Siberia, Germany and in the USA. However graphite is now artificially produced by heating cokes (another carbon allotrope) at high temperatures. By combining different drawing media you can both draw and paint, keeping your options open and your work progressing in exciting directions. These ruins are in an area of the Pennines I know well and I never tire of them. Returning to the same motif is never boring – connections become deeper, drawings become stronger and emotional responses to the subject are all the better for it. Charcoal and Graphite both bring different properties to your work. Beginners may find it useful to weigh up the pros and cons of using both drawing materials, before settling on one to start with. Charcoal Pros Charcoal Pencils offer all the benefits of compressed charcoal, but with the convenience of a wooden case. Working in much the same way as a traditional pencil, charcoal pencils allow you to work with precision – without messy hands! Their wooden case means they are less likely to break, and they can be easily sharpened to a fine point. They’re fantastic for artists looking to try out charcoal, but who want some of the familiarity of a pencil. Tinted Charcoal

Extra precision is maintained by keeping the pencils sharp. Derwent’s wonderful lightweight desk sharpener has not disappointed me yet and remains sharp. Since I’ve owned one I find I use far more wooden pencils, of all sorts.

All discounts against RRP are made against the United Kingdom Recommended Retail Price (RRP). Unless specified, offers and vouchers are not valid on products which are already discounted from RRP, gift vouchers, books and from the I LOVE ART range. If you are working solely with charcoal, try out as many types as possible to see what types of marks you can achieve with them. Using combinations of natural and compressed charcoals will allow you to explore a broader range of shades. Charcoal powder. Liquid fixative is especially effective to use with Nitram Charcoal Powder. Apply liquid fixative to a support and then sprinkle the charcoal powder into the media for some great textural effects. There are many more techniques to discover with this exceptional medium.

Graphite is an allotrope ( different structural form) of the element carbon. Although both Graphite and Charcoal are carbon based, the atomic structure of each varies quite dramatically. In graphite, carbon has a uniform arrangement, in distinct layers. Between these layers are very weak chemical bonds. As you draw, these weak bonds break allowing each layer to effortlessly leave the main graphite crystal. This property is how pencils glide so easily over your paper. They leave marks from tiny shards of graphite sheared from the main crystal. How do you make Graphite? Draw from life. Join a life-drawing class. There is nothing better to sharpen your creative drawing skills. |Graphite and Charcoal are staple sketching tools for almost all artists. Whether you’re a painter, sculptor, life-drawing enthusiast or sketch as a hobby you’ll most likely have used both. You’ll probably find a mix of the two in many studios and workshops. While both are carbon-based, the differences in their atomic structure result in two very different drawing experiences. You may find yourself asking which is better for beginners – graphite or charcoal? Which format should you buy? What working properties will they bring to your next project? We aim to answer all these questions and help you work out which will be perfect for your artwork. Graphite vs. Charcoal – An Overview A variety of graphite tools are available – each bringing their own unique working properties to your art. Graphite PencilsAncient Hawthorns – Honister Pass, The Lake District, mixed-media drawing with Wallace Seymour Liquid Graphite on Canson Moulin du Roy Not 140lb (300gsm), (51x56cm) Get straight to the point! Keep your pencils sharp with the Derwent Manual Super Point Helical blade sharpener. Robert Dutton is a UK ambassador for Canson papers and Nitram Charcoal and an associate artist for Unison Colour pastels and Derwent. He has won awards for his work and is a popular tutor, leading a number of creative painting and drawing holidays and short breaks in the UK and Europe. For more information, visit www.rdcreative.co.uk As you build up your confidence using graphite and charcoal separately, you could move onto combining them both in a drawing. Using both materials alongside each other can create an interesting contrast between matte and reflective areas.

If you’re working with charcoal you may come across tinted ‘White Charcoal’ pencils. Technically these aren’t ‘true’ charcoal as they are made up of white pigment and binder, but they can be used alongside charcoal in your artwork. Graphite turns out to be an excellent conductor of heat and electricity, even in small quantities. In fact it's often used in motors. And because of its hexagonal molecular structure, graphite slides easily across other graphite molecules, making it an excellent dry lubricant. Graphite is found in artists' materials and pencils, in various ratios of graphite to clay (which binds it together); a 2H would have a higher clay content, while a 2B would have more graphite. Pennine Showers and Melting Snow, mixed-media drawing with ink and pastel on white Canson Mi-Teintes Touch 350gsm, (50x65cm) The word pencil comes from the latin ‘pencillus’ that means little tail and originally referred to a small brush used for working in ink during the medieval times. Our modern pencils earnt this name by having a wooden pencil and a small pointed tip like a tiny brush, or ‘pencillus’, would have.Graphite pencils are made in different degrees of hardness by regulating the amount of clay added. The greater the quantity of clay, the harder the lead and the lighter the overall drawn line will appear. The grades available range from H (hard) to 9H (very hard). And B (soft) to 9B (extremely soft). HB and F are intermediate grades. You can find out more about Graphite Pencils in our Choosing the Right Graphite Sketching & Drawing Pencil article. Tinted Graphite Caran d’Ache Technalo RGB Water-Soluble Tinted Graphite Pencils (left) and Derwent Graphitint Tinted Graphite Pencils (right) Mechanical and Clutch Pencils are plastic and/or metal barrels into which you insert a graphite lead. You feed through the leads to the tip of the pencil by repeatedly pressing the button at the top of the barrel. Graphite Pencils are perhaps the first drawing tools you’ll be introduced to as a beginner. They’re simple and easy to use, and most people are familiar with them outside an art setting. Derwent Graphitone is a very stylish and pure graphite water-soluble pencil available in 2B, 4B, 6B and 8B. I find they dissolve better than other brands to create sumptuous passages of tone. Layering one tint over another is pure joy.

Limit your drawing periods to just one hour (or less). This will force you to focus on the essence of the composition and create freer, looser drawings filled with excitement. Sketch, sketch and sketch! The more you draw the more confident you will be as an artist. Good drawing means great painting. Liquid charcoal (see above). Without doubt one of the most exciting media for artists keen on exploring expressive drawing techniques is liquid charcoal. Wallace Seymour Original Liquid Charcoal (60ml tube) and Nitram Liquid Charcoal (50ml tube) are both excellent. Use to create fantastic expressive drawings and tonal painting effects.

Charcoal and graphite do have their similarities. Typically you use both on paper or card, where they rely on the tooth of the surface to adhere. You can also layer both of them to create deep shadows, or apply delicately to render areas of light. Both charcoal and graphite are compatible with a variety of drawing accessories – like tortillions, putty erasers and blending stumps. They are also inexpensive, so they are great as the first stepping stones in your creative journey. Charcoal (left) is matt and dusty. Graphite (right) is less dusty but more reflective