SUPPLY RECOMMENDATIONS:
SKETCHBOOK OF YOUR CHOICE:
Click on the photo for a good video on the topic by Stan Prokopenko.
STRATHMORE "400 SERIES" BRISTOL - SMOOTH SURFACE 9" X 12" "11 X 14" OR 14" X 17"
BIRCH WOOD PANEL (OR SIMILAR) IN 18" x 24", TO USE AS A DRAWING SUPPORT:
ZEBRA G DRAWING PEN NIBS:
TACHIKAWA DIP PEN NIB HOLDER:
#2 ROUND BRUSH - AQUA ELITE 4850R BY PRINCETON:
BLACK INDIA INK:
"AMES" LETTERING GUIDE:
MECHANICAL PENCIL (FOR USE WITH THE AMES LETTERING GUIDE, AS WELL AS DRAWING):
TECHNICAL PEN:
FABER CASTELL PITT BRUSH PEN (BLACK):
18" T-SQUARE:
DR. P.H. MARTIN'S BLEEDPROOF WHITE:
DEDICATED BRUSH FOR APPLYING CORRECTION WHITE
(BRUSHES YOU HAVE ALREADY USED FOR INK WILL RELEASE DRIED INK PARTICLES INTO YOUR WHITE AND BEGIN TURNING IT GREY.
WHEN I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO STUMBLE UPON THEM, I BUY BRUSHES WITH WHITE HANDLES BECAUSE IT MAKES IT EASIER TO PICK THEM OUT. THAT'S JUST MY THING.
USE WHATEVER BRUSHES WORK, JUST MAKE SURE YOU RESERVE THEM FOR ONLY YOUR WHITE!.):
LOCAL ART SUPPLY SHOPS:
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I like to avoid being pushy and particular about tools because these things can be expensive and their availability is unreliable.
However, it is a legit argument that the special "pop" and "pizazz" which interesting work has depends to a degree on the "right tool for the job".
As an example, a long-time popular brush that many cartoonists still covet is the legendary Winsor & Newton Series 7 sable. I use brushes pretty frequently and although I don't personally use the W&N Series 7s, I have a few Raphael 8404 sables, in sizes ranging from 0 to 2. If you can find any of these sable hair options, they'll usually set you back about 20$ or 30$.
HOWEVER...
Although sable hair has been the standard for cartoonists for many years, there are synthetic options which are quite acceptable, for a fraction of the cost. The Princeton 4850R Aqua Elite is the best I've tried.
Sable hair, which is used to make the Raphael 8404 series, the Winsor & Newton Series 7, and many others, comes from the tail of the Siberian weasel. Climate change has affected how these hairs grow on these critters and the import and export of the hair itself is sometimes slowed by various red tape involving permits. Many folks do not wish to exploit animals for such things anyway. Consult your nearby art supply retailer, ask for the cartoonists on the staff, and get their advice on acceptable synthetic alternatives. A lot of people will swear that you have to have sable. That's fine but until you're getting commissions and have money to blow on such things, skip them for now. If you find all of this fascinating and wish to learn more of the story, click on this link
By the way, there is a particular refillable brush pen which, while expensive compared to other brush pens, is significantly cheaper than sable brushes, is synthetic hair, maintains an excellent point, travels easily (it comes with a cap) and is one of my favorite items in my travel sketching bag.
Presenting the Pentel Pocket Brush:
Other pens I am fond of and use from time to time, are UniBall Vision, Pentel Sign Pens and Sakura Microns, pictured below.
By the way, that last Sakura pictured on the right, with the brush-like tip, is the Sakura Pigma brush pen and that little item, although not refillable, is just about as cool as the Pentel Pocket Brush.
Pens like these that I am posting images of, are typically available at stores like Artist & Craftsman Supply, PushPull, Meininger, Dick Blick, Michael's, and sometimes at the office supply stores as well. I recommend that, whatever pen you select, it states somewhere on the packaging or on the pen itself, that its ink is water resistant and pigment based, not dye based.
The reason for this is, you might draw a line you wish to correct by covering up with white and a non water resistant ink will re-wet and if dye based, do all sorts of unexpected color shifts and other weird things, which is great if you're Bill Sienkiewicz. Avoid dye based ink.
Sketchbooks:
A lot of artists like a wire-bound sketchbook because they lay flat:
Pens like these that I am posting images of, are typically available at stores like Artist & Craftsman Supply, PushPull, Meininger, Dick Blick, Michael's, and sometimes at the office supply stores as well. I recommend that, whatever pen you select, it states somewhere on the packaging or on the pen itself, that its ink is water resistant and pigment based, not dye based.
The reason for this is, you might draw a line you wish to correct by covering up with white and a non water resistant ink will re-wet and if dye based, do all sorts of unexpected color shifts and other weird things, which is great if you're Bill Sienkiewicz. Avoid dye based ink.
Sketchbooks:
A lot of artists like a wire-bound sketchbook because they lay flat:
Another option is the classic "Black Book":
Black books are stitch-bound, in small stacks known as "signatures", sewn into a hard cover, library book style.
You also have the option of using a pad. Pads come wire-bound or adhesive-bound.
You also have the option of using a pad. Pads come wire-bound or adhesive-bound.
Whatever you find yourself leaning toward, the paper should be smooth and appropriate for pens and markers.
Bristol
Bristol paper, or bristol board as it is also referred to as, is a sturdy, all purpose fine art paper which comes in individual sheets as well as pads. Almost all pads of bristol are "2 Ply" which refers to the sheets' thickness. Individual sheets of bristol are available in thicker options and are larger, usually around 20" X 30" or so.
Bristol is the paper typically used for comic book art and pen and ink work generally.
Spider-Man, Batman, you name it...thousands of comic books' pages have been penciled, inked and lettered, on Bristol.
Treat yourself to a pad of it and test it with all of your drawing pencils and pens. It's built to take it. The 500 series by Strathmore is what professionals use. I am happy saving a little money and use the 400 series myself. It gives me the results I'm after.
Each series (level of quality within a manufacturer's range) also breaks down into either smooth, a.k.a. plate, or vellum, a.k.a. rough. The smooth surface keeps fine ink lines from spreading out and blurring. The rougher, vellum surface will usually work fine for ink lines, especially if its better quality, like the Strathmore 400 or 500, but is also for pencil, charcoal and light watercolor wash.
Click on the images below, to link to informative Strathmore videos:
Bristol
Bristol paper, or bristol board as it is also referred to as, is a sturdy, all purpose fine art paper which comes in individual sheets as well as pads. Almost all pads of bristol are "2 Ply" which refers to the sheets' thickness. Individual sheets of bristol are available in thicker options and are larger, usually around 20" X 30" or so.
Bristol is the paper typically used for comic book art and pen and ink work generally.
Spider-Man, Batman, you name it...thousands of comic books' pages have been penciled, inked and lettered, on Bristol.
Treat yourself to a pad of it and test it with all of your drawing pencils and pens. It's built to take it. The 500 series by Strathmore is what professionals use. I am happy saving a little money and use the 400 series myself. It gives me the results I'm after.
Each series (level of quality within a manufacturer's range) also breaks down into either smooth, a.k.a. plate, or vellum, a.k.a. rough. The smooth surface keeps fine ink lines from spreading out and blurring. The rougher, vellum surface will usually work fine for ink lines, especially if its better quality, like the Strathmore 400 or 500, but is also for pencil, charcoal and light watercolor wash.
Click on the images below, to link to informative Strathmore videos:
PENCILS
Usually people pencil an image prior to inking it.
Use as hard a lead (HB or harder) as you can stand, IF you expect to erase easily. The softer "B" leads obviously lay down more material and you'll have much more of a chore erasing. Also, as with ink, matching the right paper to the right drawing material is key.
It breaks down like this:
Notice how dark the result is from the softer ("B") leads. The softer, blacker graphite like 6B, 7B and so on, are more typically used in graphite pencil artwork, where ink isn't involved. Their deep rich black is gorgeous but erasing is difficult.
Also, if you use the softer, darker leads in your sketchbook, the lead is going to smear and leave graphite smudged all over the back of the preceeding page, unless you spray your sketches with fixative spray. A small can of workable matte spray fixative should do. DO NOT SPRAY IT INDOORS! "Workable" means that the surface, even after you have sprayed, will continue to accept pencil. You won't be able to erase previous line work, however you can continue adding.
NON PHOTO BLUE PENCILS:
A Non-Photo Blue pencil is, as the name suggests, blue lead which does not reproduce when photo copied. There are a few different brands of non photo blue pencils available and pictured below is one made by Staedtler:
Also, if you use the softer, darker leads in your sketchbook, the lead is going to smear and leave graphite smudged all over the back of the preceeding page, unless you spray your sketches with fixative spray. A small can of workable matte spray fixative should do. DO NOT SPRAY IT INDOORS! "Workable" means that the surface, even after you have sprayed, will continue to accept pencil. You won't be able to erase previous line work, however you can continue adding.
NON PHOTO BLUE PENCILS:
A Non-Photo Blue pencil is, as the name suggests, blue lead which does not reproduce when photo copied. There are a few different brands of non photo blue pencils available and pictured below is one made by Staedtler:
Art supplies is such a giant subject. Meanwhile there are lots of cartoonists who have created their work using very few tools.
Two wonderful examples are the graphic novels My Favorite Thing Is Monsters by Emil Ferris and I Know What I Am by Gina Siciliano.
Both of these books' artwork was drawn in ballpoint pen!
The Infiltrated Eye
Christopher Wayne Griffin
Copyright 2026
Christopher Wayne Griffin
Copyright 2026