F.A.Q.s: Drawing

• What's the difference between compressed and vine charcoal? What is willow charcoal?
  
• Do I need to spray fix my drawings? Which brand should I use?
  
• My instructor has told me I should not smudge with my fingers. Is she right?
  
• Please explain the hardness scale of graphite pencils.
  
• What is a “gum” eraser? Is it the same as a “kneaded” eraser?
  
• My class supply list requires a “bond” pad. Is this the same as a sketch pad?
  

Q: What's the difference between compressed and vine charcoal? What is willow charcoal?
A: Compressed charcoal is produced by mixing charcoal powder with grease and wax binders. It produces dark, bold marks that cannot easily be erased. Vine and willow charcoal are produced from sections of grape vine and willow branches, respectively. They are left in the natural shape and have no binders added; for this reason, they allow complete removal with an eraser but require fixative for permanence. Vine and willow charcoals are good for sketching on the canvas before painting, as they are light enough not to stain colors; compressed charcoal should not be used for this purpose. Vine, willow and compressed charcoal all have subtly different temperatures of black, which will be noticeable when used together on the same artwork.

Q: Do I need to spray fix my drawings? Which brand should I use?
A: Works on paper with powdery media like charcoal and soft pastels should be fixed for protection. Utrecht Workable Fixative (Item No: 14112) is good for all media, is colorless and leaves a surface ready to accept more medium. Other brands which are not “workable”, which do not permit subsequent work may be specifically intended for a particular medium, such as oil pastel. Fixative protects preliminary work from redissolving into new layers, prevents static electric lift of dust onto picture glass and protects finished work in storage. No fixative can make charcoal or pastel “smudge-proof”; a proper application should be light and even, never enough to wet the paper. Back to Top.

Q: My instructor has told me I should not smudge with my fingers. Is she right?
A: Your instructor is correct. The oil on your skin can cause your paper to yellow and darken over time. Blending stomps and tortillions will do the job better and protect your paper. Back to Top.

Q: Please explain the hardness scale of graphite pencils.
A: The scale of graphite hardness is represented by the “B” range, in which a higher number indicates a softer pencil; in the “H” range, the higher the number, the harder the pencil. HB and F pencils are in the middle of the two ranges, HB being the softer of the two. The amount of clay mixed with graphite pigment is what determines hardness; the more clay, the harder the lead, and the lighter the mark. Pencils developed for drawing on mylar film use plastic instead of clay to achieve hardness.

Q: What is a “gum” eraser? Is it the same as a “kneaded” eraser?
A: Gum erasers are made of natural rubber; they are not the same as kneaded erasers. Gum erasers are sometimes also called “bread” erasers because they are crumbly like stale bread, which was once used for cleaning papers. Kneaded rubber erasers can be shaped like putty and erase without crumbs or dust. Back to Top.

Q: My class supply list requires a “bond” pad. Is this the same as a sketch pad?
A: “Bond” paper refers to smooth drawing or sketch stock. The term “bond paper” was coined by Crane's stationers when a customer requested letter sheets made of the same paper used for bank bonds. Sketch pads with smooth, wove-texture paper are often called “bond pads”. Utrecht tape-bound sketch pads (Item No: 19173) and spiral bound drawing pads (Item No: 20324) should both satisfy the requirement of your class list. Back to Top.

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