sketching for beginners

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I want to welcome a talented blogger as my first guest blogger.  She has a great blog CosyCotes.com.  Read her post here then check out her blog.  You won’t be sorry.  She writes about sketching for beginners and supplies to help.

This post contains affiliate links.  Read here for more info.  By clicking on a link and making a purchase it doesn’t cost you more.  Often it is cheaper.

There are so many amazingly talented artists out there that it can be difficult to get the courage to start. Not only that but finding sketching for beginners supplies  can be a difficult task especially when you have no clue what’s good and what’s bad.

I mean, we all have those thoughts, don’t we? How can we compare to these people? There’s no way you’ll ever be as good as them, right? Wrong! Definitely wrong!

We all have to start somewhere and they would have been just like you one day, thinking that there’ll never be as good as others. So, stop! Not everyone has natural talent (although I’m envious of the ones that do!) and all it really comes down to is patience and A LOT of practice.

Drawing isn’t about being the best or the most talented. It’s all about having fun and enjoying what you’re doing. It’s important to always remember that!
So, this is the exact reason I’ve decided to put together this post for J family crafters (you can find me over at CosyCotes.com by the way).

I’ve decided it’s time that people understand exactly what’s involved and that they can achieve it too. More importantly that the supplies needed for sketching for beginners (or drawing at any level, come to think about it) doesn’t have to cost you an arm and leg. It can actually be quite cheap sometimes!
Anyway, let’s get started…

Sketching for beginners essential supplies

Ok, so I know I’ve mentioned a few times that these supplies are for sketching for beginners but to be honest it’s really for anyone out there that’s getting into drawing! No matter what level you’re at, these tools will help you to get the practice you need to keep on improving.
Plus, I also know that there are a variety of different art styles and ways to create ‘art’ but I thought it would be good to focus on the good old-fashioned pencil drawings. After all, it’s where most of us would have started.

1. A pencil

I know what you’re thinking, this one is super obvious. I mean, how are you supposed to create a pencil drawing without a pencil, right? Well, I’d love to know!  However, although it may be the obvious first choice for many of you did you know that the right pencil can make all the difference? Well, it can!

The most common choice is either a  HB or 2B pencil which are both great options. Neither of them lay on the paper too thickly and will allow you to get some nice light strokes. Plus, these are also the sort of pencils that you’d have during your school days. Think about all that doodling you did in your school workbooks!

But, of course, these aren’t your only options. There’s a whole range of pencils available in the graphite range and you really can choose any of them. After all, it’s down to personal preference most of the time.
Personally, I’ve come to the decision that my favorite pencils are actually mechanical. They allow me to get a super light stroke and don’t require sharpening either.

You’ll actually probably read this a lot online too! Mechanical pencils definitely seem to be a top choice for many artists and you can even get multi packs super cheap too! Although, you may choose to opt for a more expensive option further down the line if you find something that really suits you.

2. Paper

Yes, I know, another obvious choice. However, just like the pencil, paper can make a difference. It actually took me a few trials until I found the one that was right for me.

If you’re only planning to sketch for practice then pretty much any old paper will do but for more detailed work you do want to find something more suitable. I’ve tried a few options over the years, either based on recommendations or just trial and error.

One that I’ve seen recommended a lot is bristol board but, unfortunately, it didn’t quite suit my style. It was just too smooth. Something will a little more ‘tooth’ to it seems to work a lot better for me.

I’ve now settled on the daler rowney heavyweight cartridge paper. For me, it’s the perfect mix. Thicker than your average paper and just enough roughness to take the pencils perfectly.
Just remember, it’s personal preference. I mean, you might find that smoother paper is exactly what you’ve been looking for!

On top of that, you’ve got all the other forms of paper. Paper suitable for acrylics or oils or even water colors. They all have a purpose. Plus, some of these paper styles even work great for pencil drawings too! You don’t have to use it for its exact purpose if you don’t want to.

3. Electric eraser

Not only will you want a normal eraser for the general tidying up but electric erasers will make a massive difference to your drawings. Of course, they aren’t going to massively improve your skills overnight but it will help to hide a few sins.
There’s always going to be that one point in a drawing where you think you’ve ruined it all. Trust me, it happens to me more often than not! However, all is not lost.

Having an electric eraser allows you to remove way more than you can with a standard eraser. Even better, it does it with far less smudging! So, if you do happen to be a little heavy handed in one section or decide that you’ve not quite got it right then an electric eraser may very well be the answer!

4. Electric sharpener

Yes, I know it seems extremely lazy, right? That was actually my first thought when it was suggested to me but to be honest, who cares?
I’ve actually been using this for a little while now and I’m 100% sure it was the right choice. It makes a huge difference to your pencils. I mean, I know that sounds odd but it really does help.

I started using the faber castell polychromos pencils which I love but I was having a lot of issues with the lead breaking continuously. This is never a good thing especially considering the cost involved in purchasing them.
However, I contacted faber castell directly and they suggested the electric sharpener. I’ve never had an issue since! So, yes it may seem like the lazy option but it does also have a lot of benefits.

4. Make up brush

I know what you’re thinking, what on Earth does a makeup brush have to do with drawing, right? You’d be surprised how useful it can be.
When you’re working on a pencil drawing there’s bound to be some rubbing out every now and then. From tidying up some of your outlines to adding a highlight or two, there’s always going to be something.

However, with rubbing out comes the debris! Your work can suddenly become covered in little bits of the eraser that can take over the page. So, now you see? That’s why you need the makeup brush!
Using a brush to get rid of the debris is the best way to clear the page without smudging your work. Perfect, right?

I’ve actually lost count the amount of times I’ve smudged my work so I was thrilled when I learnt this trick! It doesn’t even have to be a make up brush either, paint brushes will work too!

Other helpful tips in sketching for beginners

Ok so, like I’ve already said, drawing doesn’t come naturally to everyone but there are some things you can do to make it a little easier.
Personally, I started using the grid method and although it seems like doing things the long way, or even cheating as some people put it, it does make a huge difference. It simply allows you to get a more accurate, proportional drawing from the reference that you’re working from.

This way you can carry on focusing on other aspects like the colouring and shading! Either way, this still isn’t going to make things 100% accurate but it will definitely help.
Not only this but the main advice I’d give is simply to practice. You can buy all of the expensive equipment you like but without practice it won’t make any difference at all.

Spend just 5-10 minutes each day just drawing random objects around you and you’ll soon start to see a massive difference!
Maybe even try some timed drawings. Take one reference and start working against a timer. Once the timer stops, put your pencils down. If you do this every day, you’ll start to notice a subtle difference. Pretty soon something that looked nothing like the reference in the given time will start taking shape and becoming more recognizable.

Summary of sketching for beginners

So, there you have it! Sometimes all it takes is a little time to get where you want to be. Just make sure you remember that you should never compare yourself to all those others.
At the end of the day, it may seem that these other people are way better than you but that’s simply not true. Everyone has a different method and a different style but each is unique in its own way. As long as you’re happy with the finished result then that’s all that matters.

Plus, it really does show that, when it comes to sketching for beginners supplies, cheap and cheerful can be just as good as any other option.
So, enjoy and have fun!

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