|
|
 |
Drawing Accessory Reviews
Here are some simple and handy drawing accessories that make drawing easier and more fun.
|
|
 |
 Daler-Rowney Artsphere Arts & Crafts Workstation
A compact drawing board solution that doesn't take up much room.
This workstation / drawing board is sturdy, compact, and unique. The whole thing is made out of wood and, besides being pretty, all that wood gives it plenty of weight. (It will hold 8 lbs.) The drawing board rotates on a wooden ball to any angle you want. One short, quick twist of the big handle on the side tightens and secures the board.
We live in a small house and I've been looking for a truly compact drawing board for a long time, so I bought an Artsphere and it's the perfect size. The base is 12' square and that means I can put it on nearly any flat spot in the house that's not occupied by a cat. It's so pretty that I'm leaving it in our living room with the artwork I'm currently working on displayed on top. It not only makes an attractive display, but seeing my artwork from all angles and at odd moments helps me see it objectively.
The only "problem" I have with it are the two wooden blocks that support your paper or canvas. There are several holes in both the long and short sides of the drawing board so you can position them where ever you want, but they're awfully big. They attach with a simple bolt and wing nut, though, so I think a visit to the hardware store could easily solve the problem. (I'll let you know what I come up with.)
Find it here at Dick Blick.
|
|
|
Sav-a-Points
These simple little plastic things are called "Sav-A-Points" and I wish I discovered them a long time ago. As you can see, they're plastic point protectors. I work with very sharp leads most of the time and I like to keep them that way. My pencils get toted all around the house, banging into each other and breaking off their points as they go, so these little gadgets save me a lot of re-sharpening time.
They are made for wooden pencils but I can snug them up over the points of my mechanical pencils and they stay put. They’re made of clear plastic and they are easy to lose, so order a couple of bags of them at a time. They're cheap and you get a little sharpener, too.
Find them here at Dick Blick.
|
 |
|
|
 |
Natural Chamois
The fuzzy soft surface of a chamois cloth makes a wonderful blending tool. You can wrap it around your finger to blend large areas or you can fold it into a square and use a corner for smaller areas. You can "lift" graphite, too, with careful dabbing motions. When it gets full of graphite dust, you can wash it with soap and water to clean it.
Find them here at Dick Blick.
|
|
|
Artograph Lightracer Light Box
I use this light box by Artograph a lot. It makes transferring a rough sketch to good art paper easy and it's great for tracing photographs, too. The light is strong enough to make a line drawing visible through 140 lb. watercolor paper or Stonehenge drawing paper, but you do need to be in a darkened room.
Find it here at Dick Blick.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Alvin Drafting Kit
This drafting kit by Alvin has some very useful drawing tools in it and a mechanical pencil and a pointer, too. These are not tools that I use everyday, but they are very handy in some circumstances. For example, the dividers can be used to take quick measurements, the erasing shield works excellently with a batter powered eraser, a french curve can help you duplicate a difficult shape, and the triangles can be used to make sure your boarders are square.
Find it here at Dick Blick.
|
|
|
Alvin Erasing Shield
This the the same erasing shield that's included in the Drafting Kit by Alvin. You can probably imagine how useful shields are. They're made out of a thin piece of metal so you can erase the shapes with precision. At one time or another, I've used all the shapes in my shield to help erase a precise edge or create a sharp highlight.
Find it here at Dick Blick.
|
 |
|
These images were provided by Dick Blick Art Materials
Free 624-page Art Supply Catalog!
|
|
|
