Emily Fiegenschuh - The Explorer’s Guide to Drawing Fantasy Creatures

Your workspace can be anywhereyour favorite chair, the kitchen table, a well appointed drawing desk or even outside. The most important thing is that its a place you feel comfortable.

If you use lots of supplies and reference materials, you might need to set up a special place, like a little art studio. Choose a room with as much natural light as possible. Try to keep your workspace tidy and organized, though this isnt always realistic. Studio clutter is often inversely proportionate to the amount of time left until a deadline!

Pencils and pens create a variety of different effects depending on the technique you use and they can be carried anywhere.

Mechanical pencils are useful when youre on the go, as you dont need to carry a pencil sharpener. The lead comes in several diameters.

Traditional wooden pencils are great for rendering and different types of marks. They range from soft (B) to hard (H) leads. Soft leads are great for rough sketches and gestures as they make dark marks with less effort, leaving more graphite behind on the paper. Hard leads make lighter marks, easier for fine and technical work or for laying something in very lightly.

Ink pens come in many shapes and styles. Traditional pen nibs used with India ink can allow for a variety of line widths with just one nib.

Technical pens are available in several different tip diameters that create lines of varying weight. These are easy for drawing on the go, but you might need to carry several.

Kneaded erasers are the most versatile and so are essential to your toolkit. They can be stretched and shaped for erasing in different areas. You can also draw with them, cutting areas of negative space into your drawing or pulling highlights out of a shaded area.

White plastic erasers erase very cleanly and are good for obliterating dark lines on paper. The drawback is that they leave crumbs behind.

Paper is categorized by surface texture and weight, which refers to the thickness of the paper.

Newsprint is a cheap option for studies. Some artists prefer the smooth surface of simple printer paper. Bristol board is great for pen and ink. If you like to draw on the go or enjoy curling up in a chair with your artwork, a sketchbook is a great option.

There are many types of painting surfaces, from hot- and cold-pressed watercolor paper, to illustration board, to canvas. The paintings in this book were created on 140-lb. (300gsm) Arches cold-pressed watercolor paper, a medium-thickness paper with a slightly rough texture that is able to hold heavy amounts of water and paint.

Most of the color artwork in this book was painted using gouache, a special type of opaque watercolor paint. Gouache is water based, so no solvents or paint thinners are needed. It dries quickly and can be thinned down with water to create washes, or applied in thick layers with very little moisture added. Popular brands include Winsor & Newton and Holbein.