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carried around with you to record your
observations, and to gather information.
They come in various sizes from A5 to A1,
and you can get various types of paper, from
cartridge paper or ledger bond paper to
watercolour paper.STRETCHING PAPER
If you intend to work on paper using washes
or a watery solution you need to stretch
your paper first in order to stop it buckling.
The fibres of the paper will expand when
they come into contact with water making
the surface of the paper very difficult to
work on.
The process is very simple but allow
plenty of drying time for your preparation.Step 1/Place your paper in a tray of water for
at least five minutes or longer. This allows
the fibres of the paper to expand.Step 2/Place the wet paper on your drawing
board but dampen the surface of the board
first.Step 3/Fix the paper down using gum strip.
Wet the gum strip and place it round the
four edges of the paper so the biggest
proportion of the tape grips on the paper.
Do not worry if you see bubbles on the
paper at this point as the paper will shrink
when it dries to a smooth tight finish.Step 4/Leave a small pool of water in the
middle of the paper. This enables the outer
edge of the paper (where the tape is) to dry
first, allowing the tape to fix the paper firmly
before its starts to shrink. Allow a good half
a day for the paper to completely dry and
then you will have a smooth surface to work
on that will take water without it buckling.Part Three – PENS, INK, BRUSHES and PAPER
PAPER
The paper you choose to work upon should
be brought with the type of work and
materials you are going to use it for in mind.
Inexpensive papers can be used for quick
sketches, working on them with
manufactured pens such as the ballpoint,
fibre tip, felt tip, and rotring pens. However,
if you have something specific in mind then
you need to choose your paper carefully.
BRISTOL BOARD
This is a hard white board that is smooth and
is used by designers for fine pen work.
Because there is no texture and the board is
like that of a laminated surface it enables the
type of pens used by designers such as
rotring pens to glide across the surface of the
paper and give an accurate line that is needed
in some of these drawings.
CARTRIDGE PAPER OR LEDGER BOND PAPER
This is the commonest form of paper for pen
and ink drawing and is available in a variety
of surfaces from smooth, semi rough, to
rough, and it can be used for pen, brush, and
wash work. For brush and wash work it is
advisable to stretch the paper (see stretching
paper).
WATERCOLOUR PAPER
These papers are very useful to use,
particularly for brush and washes. They do
come in a variety of thickness’ and weights of
paper and different textured finishes. They
should also be stretched before working on
them.
SKETCHBOOKS
When working with manufactured pens
sketchbooks are necessary. They act as visual
diaries, where you can put down and record
your first thoughts, visual jottings, and notes
for the future. They are designed to be