Pencils, Pens, Drawing Instruments, &c.
The pencil being only used for sketching the subjects, those marked F, H, and HH, will be found sufficient. A few ordinary fine-pointed steel pens will do very well for outlining. For the benefit of any learner not conversant with the use of the pen with colour, it may be added that the method is, to mix the colour, very liquid, in a saucer; and then filling a camel’s hair brush with some, to draw the brush across the shoulder of the pen, which is to be held with the open part upwards. It will be found that enough colour is thus scraped off, as it were, to charge the pen: by a similar method the drawing pen is charged.
It will be well to have a drawing pen, a pair of compasses with pen and pencil legs, a few drawing pins; a drawing board, 2 feet by 18 inches, or smaller; a T square; three set squares (one 45°, the other two 70° and 20°) and respectively 3 inches, 6 inches, and 9 inches in length. The latter will be found more practically useful than all sorts of parallel rulers; but as their use is not generally familiar to any but architectural and engineering draftsmen, it may be useful to add an explanation of it.
Having adjusted the cardboard by means of the T square on the drawing board, secure it by pins. To draw any number of parallel lines it is now merely necessary to lay the T square across the cardboard, in a direction perpendicular to that of the desired lines, taking care, of course, that the cross piece of the T is well against the edge of the drawing board, and kept firm by a weight; and then keeping one side of the set square against the side of the T, to slide it up and down as occasion shall require.
It will be found very useful both for keeping the T square steady, and for tracing and other purposes, to have a couple of small weights—lead is the best material—about the size of a child’s large toy brick, or—say—3 inches long, 2 inches wide, and ½ an inch deep. Any plumber can cast them. Cover each of them with a piece of foolscap, or other paper not too smooth, folding it up like a parcel, and sealing the ends down on the upper side. The advantage of this plan is, that the envelope can be removed and renewed as it gets dirty. Handles to weights, or thick weights, are a mistake; they catch the hand.
As greater neatness and accuracy in curves are sometimes necessary than can be attained by any but the most practised hand, it will be found useful to have a few French curves; these can be procured at any artists’ colour shop, or drawing instrument maker’s.
Three brushes will be enough. Washing, as in water-colour drawing, being never used in illuminating, no large brushes are needed; the largest need not be more than half the size of a lead pencil, the second of course smaller, and the third a very fine one. They should be of sable; and carefully selected for firmness, compactness, even point, and absence of straggling hair.