MATERIALS
Artist Coloured Pencils
Most of my life I have used conventional coloured pencils for my drawings. In 2014, I have decided to switch to artist coloured pencils. At first I tried out diverse brands, ultimately the Polychromos pencils by Faber-Castell became my favourites. I also use Prismacolor Premier pencils (Sanford) as well as Luminance and Supracolor pencils (Caran d'Ache).
My Favorites:
Faber-Castell 110011 - Künstlerfarbstifte Polychromos, 120er Metalletui*
Faber-Castell 110013 - Künstlerfarbstifte Polychromos, 120er Holzkoffer*
Sanford Prismacolor Premier Buntstifte, 150 Farben*
Sanford Prismacolor Premier Buntstifte, 72 Farben*
Caran d'Ache - Luminance 6901 Artist Bleistiftset, 76 Farben*
Caran d'Ache - Luminance 6901 Bleistiftset in Holzbox, 80 Farben*
Caran d'Ache - Luminance Portrait Sortiment, 20 Farben*
Caran d'Ache - Supracolor Soft Aquarelle Buntstifte in Metallbox, 80 Farben*
Pencils
My pencil drawings are created with pencils of the manufacturer Faber-Castell. For my preliminary drawings I use a Faber-Castell mechanical pencil with a lead thickness of 0.35 mm and for the remaining work the Faber-Castell 9000 Art Set. It consists of 12 pencils of different degrees of hardness with which both very light and very dark shades of gray can be depicted. A recent addition to my equipment is the 11-piece Pitt Graphite Matt Set. These pencils are characterised by a particularly matte graphite stitch which ensures reduced reflection on the paper. Thanks to the variation of the hardness grade the pencils offer a high colour density for maximum depth effect.
My Favorites:
Faber-Castell 119065 - Castell 9000 Art Set, 12 Bleistifte höchster Qualität*
Faber-Castell 115220 - Graphitbleistift-Set Pitt Graphit matt, 11-teilig*
Faber-Castell 136300 - Druckbleistift TK-FINE 9713, Minenstärke 0,35 mm*
Faber-Castell 120300 - Minen für Druckbleistifte, 0,35 mm, HB*
Ink Pens, Fiber Pens & Markers
If you look at my portfolio you will notice that some of my artworks are mixed media works . In addition to coloured pencils a number of fiber pens, markers and ink pens are used for this purpose.
My Favorites:
Faber-Castell 167148 - Tuschestift PITT Artist Pen -brush-, 48er Atelierbox*
Faber-Castell 167137 - Tuschestift PITT Artist Pen, 8er Kunststoffetui, schwarz*
Tombow ABT-18P-1 Fasermaler Dual Brush Pen mit zwei Spitzen, 18er Set, Primärfarben*
Tombow ABT-18P-2 Fasermaler Dual Brush Pen mit zwei Spitzen, 18er Set, Sekundärfarben*
Tombow ABT-12P-3 Fasermaler Dual Brush Pen mit zwei Spitzen, 12er Set, Grautöne*
Tombow ABT-N00-1P Fasermaler Dual Brush Pen mit zwei Spitzen, farblos*
STABILO Pen 68 - Premium-Filzstift, 50er Metalletui mit 46 verschiedenen Farben*
STABILO Pen 68 - Premium-Filzstift, 10er Pack, schwarz*
COPIC Classic - Profi Marker, Basis Set mit 12 Farben*
COPIC Classic - Profi Marker, 12er Set, Hautfarben*
COPIC Classic - Profi Marker, 12er Set, Grautöne*
Gel Ink Rollerball, Marker & Cutter
Gel rollers, markers and cutters are auxiliary materials that I use to supplement my work with artist coloured pencils. They facilitate for example the working out details like of eyebrow and beard hair as well as light reflections.
My Favorites:
Uni-Ball Signo UM-153 Gelroller, broad, 1,0 mm, weiß*
Uni-Ball Posca PC-1M Marker, 0,7 mm, weiß*
Uni-Ball Posca PC-5M Marker, 1,0 mm, schwarz, weiß, gold und silber*
Slice 10416 - Precision Cutter, austauschbare High-Tech Keramikklinge*
DealKits Skalpell Set, inklusive 10x SK5 Ersatzklingen und Schutzkappe*
Eraser
Since I am creating very detailed drawings where millimeters count I favour the precision erasers by Tombow and Faber-Castell. If larger areas need to be removed quickly and cleanly the battery-powered eraser by Mont Marte is a good choice.
My Favorites:
Tombow EH-KUR11 MONO Zero Präzisions-Radierer, nachfüllbar, runde Spitze, Durchmesser 2,3mm, schwarz*
Tombow ER-KUR Nachfüllung für Präzisionsradierer MONO Zero, runde Spitze, Durchmesser 2,3 mm*
Faber-Castell 185712 - Radierstift Perfection 7057, doppelseitig*
Pencil Sharpener
Finding the right sharpener for my work was a bit of a challenge. I tried quite a few models and brands until I finally found the right one. The sharpeners listed below from the manufacturer Faber-Castell provide a very good result and allow detailed work with graphite and artist coloured pencils. My personal number 1 sharpener is the double sharpener 185418.
My Favorites:
Faber-Castell 185418 - Doppelspitzer*
Faber-Castell 183800 - Dreifachspitzdose*
Drawing paper & cardboard
There are a lot of different drawing papers and boards available, but not all of them are predestined for photorealistic drawings. I have learned that papers with smooth surfaces are particularly suitable. Details and colour gradients can be depicted very well on it and you achieve a high colour intensity. Another important factor is the weight of the paper, it should be at least 150g/m². This way you can erase repeatedly and apply multiple layers which is the prerequisite for drawing photorealism. For me the Lana Bristol drawing board, which I mainly use in A4 and A3 format, is ideal. I also like to work with Hahnemühle sketch-pad, Strathmore Bristol paper and Lana drawing pad. For mixed media and watercolor or acrylic work I also use Stonehenge paper by Legion Paper and linen-like paper by Canson.
My Favorites:
Lana - Bristol Zeichenkarton, 250g/m², A4 (21 x 29,7 cm), 20 Blatt*
Lana - Bristol Zeichenkarton, 250g/m², A3 (29,7 x 42 cm), 20 Blatt*
Lana - Dessin 220 Zeichenblock, 220g/m², A2 (42 x 59,4 cm), 30 Blatt*
Hahnemühle - Nostalgie Skizzenblock, 190g/m², A3 (29,7 x 42 cm), 50 Blatt*
Hahnemühle - Nostalgie Skizzenblock, 190g/m², A2 (42 x 59,4 cm), 50 Blatt*
Strathmore - Bristol Papier 400 Series, smooth surface, 35,6 x 43,2 cm, 15 Blatt*
Legion Paper - Stonehenge Baumwollpapier, 22,9 x 30,5 cm, 15 Blatt*
Legion Paper - Stonehenge Baumwollpapier, 27,9 x 35,6 cm, 15 Blatt*
Canson 200857227 Figueras - Ölmalpapier, 290g/m², 30 x 40 cm, 10 Blatt*
Drawing & Presentation Folders
As long as my drawings are not framed I use presentation folders for safekeeping my artworks. Since I attend events quite often and have my drawings with me, the presentation books are also very suitable for the transport and on-site presentation of my art.
My Favorites:
Itoya Art Profolio Advantage, 11 x 14 inch (27,9 x 35,6 cm), 24 Blatt, schwarz*
Itoya Art Profolio Advantage, 14 x 17 inch (35,6 x 43,2 cm), 24 Blatt, schwarz*
PRAT Pampa Präsentationsalbum A4+ (24 x 32cm), 12 fixierte Hüllen, schwarz*
PRAT Pampa Präsentationsalbum A4+ (24 x 32cm), 20 fixierte Hüllen, schwarz*
Rulers & Set Squares
Although I do not draw geometric shapes and figures I sometimes have to use a set square. Especially when it comes to proportions or the positioning of the subject on the drawing board I occasionally use it for reassurance. I prefer the large Faber-Castell drawing triangle with handle, because it is easy to manage. The cutting rulers, that are also listed as my favourites, I merely use to mark the drawing area on non-standardised papers.
My Favorites:
Faber-Castell 177090 - Zeichendreieck groß, mit Griff, 20 cm*
Wedo 525450 - Schneidelineal aus Aluminium, mit Stahlkante und rutschsicherer Gummieinlage, 50 cm*
Other Drawing Equipment
Apart from the regular drawing materials various other utensils are used, such as: the Leukotape with which I protect my fingers from strain, or the masking tape by Tesa with which I mask my drawings. The pen extender is also particularly important. It can be used to extend graphite or coloured pencils that have become too short and thus make them usable again.
My Favorites:
Leukotape classic unelastische Klebebinde, 2 cm x 10 m, weiß*
Tesa Präzisionskrepp Sensitive, 50 m x 25 mm, rosa*
Neschen Filmoplast P90, 20 mm x 50 m, weiß*
Neschen Filmoplast P90 PLUS, 20 mm x 50 m, weiß*
Standardgraph Stiftverlängerer, schwarz lackiert*
Mesh Desk Organizer - Multifunktionale Stifthalterbox, schwarz*
Iris Ohyama Schubladenbox - Organizer Chest OCH-2030, schwarz*
Sensiplast Aircon Coolmax Handgelenkbandage, schwarz*
Bort 1410 - Active Color Handgelenkbandage, medium, schwarz*
Techology
In order to capture the process of my work I make so-called Time Lapse Videos. After completing the drawing, which usually takes between 100 and 150 hours, the single pictures are put together to a two to three-minute video.
While I work on my drawing the camera is remotely controlled via software and automatically takes a picture every minute. The picture taken in the process is transferred to my computer where all images are collected in the software. Here the camera is connected to the computer via USB cable. It is powered by Nikon batteries which I charge with the according battery charger.
The equipment that I use for this purpose is a Nikon D5200 DSLR with a 18-55 mm kit lens and a VS 443D tripod of the manufacturer Velbon.
The software I use is the free open source software "digiCamControl". The latter I have to praise highly, as I have tried out several test versions of sofware vendors whose products always cost between 80 and 90 Euros and not one of them was as convincing as the open source software.
The Velbon tripod is a great help, because it enables me to capture my drawings from a bird's eye view. You can align the tripod centre column horizontally so in contrast to my old tripod I no longer need to photograph my drawings at an angle from the side. So the viewer is able to enjoy the final video in a relaxed position.
To illuminate my drawings optimally I work with daylight lamps. They allow detailed work at any time of day or night and create a pleasant atmosphere for my time lapse videos.
My Favorites:
Nikon D5600 Digital SLR im DX Format mit AF-P DX 18-55mm VR*
Daylight Lumi LED Arbeitsplatzleuchte (Klemmbefestigung/ dimmbar)*
Schreibtischlampe LED, Wireless Charging, USB-Anschluss, 10 Helligkeits-/ 5 Farbstufen, dimmbar*
Velbon VS 443D Dreibein-Stativ inkl. QHD-53D und V4 Vario, Höhe 160,5 cm, Belastbarkeit 3,5 kg*
Vemico Akkuladegerät Kit 2x1500mAh Ersatzbatterien Ladegerät für Nikon D5600*
USB Kabel für Nikon D5600 Digitalkamera, Datenkabel, vergoldet, Länge 2m*
SanDisk Ultra 128 GB microSDXC Speicherkarte + SD-Adapter mit A1 App-Leistung bis zu 120 MB/s*
SanDisk Extreme microSDXC UHS-I Speicherkarte 128 GB + Adapter & Rescue Pro Deluxe,160 MB/s*
Hama Kartenleser USB 3.0, für SD, SDHC, SDXC, microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC, mit USB-Kabel*
A ADDTOP Solar Powerbank 25000mAh, tragbar mit 4 Solarpanels, für Smartphones, Tablets etc.*
Intenso 6021530 Memory Case 500 GB Externe Festplatte, schwarz*
Affiliate links/Advertising links
The links marked with an asterisk (*) are so-called affiliate links. If you click on such an affiliate link and make a purchase through it, I will receive a commission from the respecting online store or provider. For you the price does not change.
