Figure Drawing: Using The Right Tools (NSFW) (Patreon)

I hate when artists scoff at the question "What [tool] did you use?" I don't think anyone believes that an artist's success comes from the brush or pen they use. Like if they bought that tool, they'd be just as talented as the artist. Who believes that?

There's something to be said for an artist who can use a stick in the sand to create a masterpiece, but there's also something to be said for a markmaking tool that responds to an artist's hand like an extension of themself, versus a tool that fights with the artist's intentions. It's like picking the right language to write a poem, because that language has the right words.

I'll cut to the chase: I was using the wrong tools.

I've been painting with the two brushes on the ends - a size 2 (sometimes a busted-ass 3) and size 12 round. Nothing in between. So my marks have either been way too small to fill in a shape before it dries and can't be reactivated, or way too big to control the marks. For the last year, I've been painting at figure drawing night with the wrong size brush.

This was a rookie move. Like picking a language for your romantic haiku, and settling on HTML.

I made a quick errand run to Michael's yesterday SOLELY to buy a round brush between those sizes - a 6 or an 8, whatever I could find. This size 6 was literally the only one I could find in the sparse, ramshackle brush racks there.

And it. Was. PERFECT.

... but I lost it in my bag for the first 5-minute warmups. Woops! Here are those warmups with a busted size 3 round:

Size 3 ain't big enough to finish filling in that left leg in 5 minutes!

Size 3 is DEFINITELY not big enough to fill in the bottom half of this one, either!

After the warmups, I found the new size 6 brush in the bottom of my bag, and the rest of the night was HEAVEN.

Oh wait, before I move on from Tool Talk: I ALSO ran out of my old Blick hot press watercolor block, and had to bust open this new cold press block.

(Busted-ass size 3 brush is the last one on the right, btw. Really putting the "round" in "round.")

In case you're not familiar with watercolor paper:

Hot press: smooth (think like if you used a hot iron to press out the wrinkles)

Cold press: rough

I hadn't worked on rough paper in awhile! Its toothy surface sucks up the paint like it's thirsty, which brings out the best in watercolor. Makes it real WATERCOLORY.

I remembered to take process pics this time! One long pose for the evening:

I always love the translucence of that first stage with watercolor. I always lose it, like I always lose the emotion and action of a quick gesture drawing in thumbnail, before flattening it with the final inks. Ask any cartoonist, they'll know what I'm talking about.

I ended up muddying up the face, but kept some of that luminous quality in the belly.

I was obviously too obsessed with the streak of light on her right leg and overdid it. My curse!! I get too passionate and have a hard time dialing it back!

I'm really looking forward to using my new APPROPRIATE SIZE brush on all the future figure drawing sessions.

And in case it isn't clear: you are ALWAYS welcome to ask me what tool I used. <3