The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain - supplies question

[Kendall]

The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

 

My sons are working through this book on their own. The materials list says a graphite stick #4B. All of the sticks at Hobby Lobby were charcoal. Will a #4B pencil work? Will the charcoal stick suffice? If not, where else would you suggest I look to find a graphite stick?

 

Thanks,

Kendall

[Sugarfoot]

Hi, Kendall. Are you just getting started with this book? You can definitely dive in with only a pencil and be fine! However, at our Hobby Lobby, they were in the aisle with the colored pencils rather than with the drawing "kits"/drawing pencils/sketch pads and stuff. We haven't used the entire book yet, but we've been fine using whatever we have.

 

Hope this helps!

[Kendall]

The boys are a little ways into the book. My older son is ready for the first project with the graphite stick listed as one of the tools needed. I looked on the isle that had the colored pencils, but I didn't ask anyone-I'll go in again and ask them. I should also read the instructions for the project myself. So are you saying that you have done the projects that mention a graphite stick with a pencil and that has been fine? I think the first one is on page 105. I wish I had time to work through the book myself. Someday!

 

Thanks!

[percytruffle]

Well, graphite comes in sticks and pencils. It is on the soft side and lays down a lot of material on the paper. They are generaly used for sketching, particularly for larger works like sketching with an easel and large pad of paper. The sticks can be used on the side to cover large areas at once with a value. A piece of charcoal or a conte crayon will give similar effects if your store has those. Also, you can order pretty much anything you could ever want through Dick Blick. They are quick, dependable, and relatively cheap. I would encourage him to branch out from just using a pencil. These other materials will free up his drawings and help him to focus on other aspects besides details. I'm not sure what the lesson is teaching, but I think it is good to work with these tools. Good luck!

[Nan in Mass]

You could probably substitute a piece of chalk or a crayon with the paper peeled off, in a pinch. The book probably (guessing here) wants him to use something that he can lay down on its side to make a huge thick line to fill in an area, or use upright to make thicker line than pencil. You could do it with pencil, but it would go slowly and sometimes the object of a lesson is to go fast and not think too much.

-Nan

[Sugarfoot]

In that project, the graphite stick is used to "tone" the paper, which means it's rubbed all over the paper to give it a different "finish." It's neat and worthwhile, but not absolutely necessary to the entire drawing part of the project. They could do the drawing without it until you find them and then draw again with the "toning" later. That's the "hand" drawing that they may want to do several times, anyway. I love that the author includes these kinds of "real artist" activities in the book!

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I used charcoal stick, and it worked fine. It doesn't give quite as smooth texture, but you're blending it with a tissue, and it works well enough. It's used to help hide erasures -- after erasing, you blend it area again with a tissue, and the erasure disappears.

 

If you can't find graphite sticks, get charcoal. Just keep your eyes open for graphite. Graphite isn't as black, and it goes on smoother, blends easier.