South - The everything drawing book: from basic shapes to people and animals, step-by-step instructions to get you started

Don't get hung up on finding the perfect paper or the right pencil. Great drawings can be produced with any old number 1 pencil and sketch paper. Good art materials offer consistent results, long-term preservation, and occasionally open up creative possibilities, but real drawing ability only comes from learning different techniques and practicing them.

Rough-sketching and line-drawing exercises can be done on any type of paper. Size A4 office paper is a perfect choice just be sure to choose a paper made from a renewable, local resource, not a tropical rainforest! Many of the drawings in this book, even the ink and wash, have been done on a good brand of photocopier paper. You will also want a larger-sized paper for big sketches, roughly A3 and A2 sizes. Choose any inexpensive, large sketch paper such as newsprint, MG litho, cartridge paper, or a large sketchpad. The purpose of this paper is for large, quick sketches, so you need to be able to use it without worrying about cost. While the lifespan of this paper can be limited, it will remain intact for many years, especially if stored away from sunlight. You can photograph or scan your work for a permanent record.

For detailed value drawings or anything that you will spend long periods of time working on, you will want to invest in a good-quality paper. For pencil drawing, you need paper with a bit of tooth enough to hold the particles of graphite from your pencil, but smooth enough to release them when erasing or blending. The surface must be tough enough that it won't disintegrate under repeated working. The best tooth is naturally provided by the fibers in the paper; it should feel faintly rough or velvety to the touch. Lightweight hot-pressed (smooth) watercolor paper is reasonably priced and suitable for pencil and ink work. Hot-pressed illustration board, or Bristol board, is popular with many artists and has a wear-and-tear surface, that tolerates erasing well and is available in varying weights. Its smooth surface is ideal for subtle pencil shading, especially in portraiture, where a flawless texture is important.

Watercolor paper is available in hot-pressed (think ironed), which has a smooth surface; medium; and cold-pressed paper, which has a rough texture. I use a lightweight (185 gsm), smooth watercolor paper for pen and ink, and a medium-weight paper if I'm going to be adding a wash. When using washes, tiny puddles settle in the texture of the paper, so a smooth surface will give a smooth finish, while a rough surface can have a pleasing mottled effect, adding interest to simple sketches but not really suitable for detailed work.

Charcoal can be used on regular sketch paper, though the surface tends to be resistant to erasing and blending, as the coarse, rough particles of charcoal catch on the large fibers. Surprisingly, the best paper is cheap, slightly shiny newsprint, with the short fibers of the wood pulp holding the particle well, but the smooth, rolled surface allowing for excellent blending and erasing. Regrettably, newsprint is highly acidic and deteriorates quickly, so it can't really be recommended for serious artworks.

Most pastel papers have a pronounced tooth, which is mechanically impressed on the paper; some have a meshlike pattern; others have a laid pattern, created by the vertical arrangement of wires in the paper mold. Velour papers are brushed to create a velvety texture, and some pastel papers have fibers added to the surface. Highly textured pastel papers are designed to take multiple layers of chalky pigment and are not really suitable for charcoal drawing, as it is difficult to manipulate the charcoal once it is applied.