This first video is a bit of a bumper session where we dive straight into the kit you will need to get started. Don't worry about needing fancy or expensive gear. And if pens, at the moment, are a bit of a mine field, don't worry. In the next video we will break down these ideas so much more.

What might you need?

As a simple list, you should consider the following supplies. I have kept the list deliberately vague as the first two videos are all about exploring the exact type of supplies you might use. Additionally, I do not believe that specific things make the artist - in fact, exploring different options is vital to finding your style. And finally, as an international audience, if I started listing very specific items to buy, you may find that it isn't available in your area.

So, the list:

• Surface - simple sketching paper/cartridge apper, ideally 150gsm or higher, cellulose is fine and cotton unnecessary, and watercolour paper would also work but is unnecessarily expensive.

• Pens - fine liners are the most affordable option to start, but a fountain pen (more discussed later) will save you a lot of money (and environmental consequences) in the medium and long term. Water proof ink is very useful, but not vital.

  • Biro/Bic type pens are quite different in their action, so are not ideal for this course. Most other ink pens will work though.

• Brushes - a simple synthetic brush, or a waterbrush, would be ideal to make the most of a couple of the techniques we will play with in this course. And size brush is fine :)

And that's it! Pen, paper, and maybe a brush.

Sketching paper

I am using a simple Seawhite of Brighton sketchbook with 140gsm paper. It is a basic sketching paper with a light texture and it is perfect for what we are doing. Since we aren't using heavy watercolours, there is no need to splash out on pricey watercolour paper because standard cartridge paper works just fine.

Choosing your pens

When it comes to pens, we generally look at two types. First, there are disposable fine liners and rollerballs. If you are buying these, look for words like archival, permanent, or waterfast on the barrel. The second type is refillable pens, usually fountain pens or even refillable brush pens. You can use standard cartridges, but I often use a small syringe to refill mine with my favourite ink from a bottle.

Understanding ink

My go-to ink is Platinum Carbon Black. It is a waterproof ink designed for fountain pens, though you do have to be careful not to leave the lid off. If waterproof ink dries inside the nib, it can be very difficult to clean. We also touch on the difference between permanent and soluble inks. While permanent ink stays put, soluble inks will move and bleed when they get wet. Both have their place and we will experiment with those effects later. Just be sure to avoid Indian ink or acrylic ink in your fountain pens because those will definitely clog and damage them.

NB as it has been queried a few times to me. Both 'India' and 'Indian' ink, as well as 'Chinese' ink are all acceptable terms. In British English the first two are interchangeable, but the biggest brands (e.g. Windsor Newton) market as Indian Ink. This is not unique to the UK - Talens (big brand) also have 'Indian ink'. This ink is also used in laboratories (e.g for TB diagnosis) and the term 'Indian ink' is used frequently including in peer-reviewed literature: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-professions/indian-ink and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=%22indian%20ink%22&page=2

Why we skip pencil

You will notice a lack of pencils in this course. While you can use them if you are feeling nervous, I really encourage you to jump straight in with the ink. Using ink from the start brings a confidence and an immediacy to your work. It is the best way to help you develop a confident and bold sketching style. Get your pens ready and I will see you in the next video to start testing them out.

Other things

Don’t underestimate the value of a few varied clips, and some washi tape. I’ll use these through the course, but I won’t be directly alluding to them. Just notice that I might tape off areas, tape down photos and clip down pages all to make life a little easier.

Some tracing paper, also, would be useful in one lesson - though other options will be discussed at that time too.