drafting leads

[dwolf]

Most of my drawings are done on white craft paper... It was long ago when I was taught about the different leads.. So what lead is best...

[gruhn]

=2E.. for what?

A long time ago I ran into too many imperfections in Turquoise brand leads so I don't use them if I can help it. though recent purchases ("WHAT, this is the only 2H you have?!") have proven to be fine. The majority of my lead is Staedtler and I'm happy with it. But I couldn't tell you when I was using one or the other.

I don't like the plastic based leads and I think maybe (check w/ an authority) they are intended for use on mylar anyway.

I love my 9H. Everybody else cringes at the thought. I'm getting better with softer leads and have had some success using so soft (gasp) as a 2B. Not fully happy yet with line consistency and blackness but that may be me.

Of course, I use my full range on any given drawing. And sometimes lay down ink because, face it, it's blacker and crisper than lead will ever be.

My issue with the craft paper is "how well does it erawse"? I've been doing some drawings on different media and none of them erase as cleanly (especially the softer leads) as vellum. The nice opaque white Brtistol board sure looks nice pinned up though.

[++]

I agree with all the above. But when I'm going through the possible horror of laying down ink, I use Bristol Board because it's the perfect surface for ink.

[gruhn]

++, what are you using for pens? I've tried all the disposables and the Prismacolors are, imo, almost OK. Thirty dollar steel tubes; REAL (manly ;-) technical pens. That's the ticket. PITA, but ticket.

[++]

I haven't had much luck with disposables as they all have leakage problems; and cleaning normal Staedler pens is a bitch and then you have to worry about the purity and opacity of the line after cleaning, humidifying, and etc.. But I also have large collection of old fashioned quill pens, drawing pens, only problemmatic when someone is measuring a line thickness but otherwise nice for drawing.