The Wagonette

One of the reasons why this artist loves to work in graphite is the minimal equipment required. He loves to take his time, with only a few basic items, to produce something much better than a sketch.

- Don Rawding

The beauty of drawing in graphite is that there is so little equipment needed. A piece of paper and just about any pencil is all that is necessary to get started. There is no mess from paint, water, turps or the like being spilt. To produce something better than just a sketch, it is just a matter of taking one’s time.

My style of drawing requires patience, and drawings can take many hours to complete. But it’s really up to you – work at your own pace and precision to get the results you want.

I use smooth watercolour paper so the detail will show on the finished drawing. It is secured to a sheet of Masonite which has a hard, white surface that does not retain the impressions of previous drawings. I usually use three grades of lead (2H, HB and B); but sometimes use softer leads down to 8B where a blacker result is required. I prefer clutch pencils, although I also use conventional wooden pencils. To prevent smudging, I rest my hand on a small board with strips under opposite ends to lift it to around 5mm clear of the paper … so my hands never touch the paper. For fine botanical work, I use head mounted magnifying lenses. I work with the paper flat on the desk and with a good light.

STEP ONE