Some things must be shared with the world.
It so happened that about a month ago or so I accidentally used my sketchbook as backing to do some drawing. This sketchbook has a plush, padded cover:
And something happened then that I never expected. I realized I had just discovered drawing, and whatever strange activity I had been performing before was nonsense. My strokes went down with ease, smooth and silky, each a caress rather than a scratch, something soft and lovely. The whole drawing experience became sensual. My quick tones went down smoother than I had ever seen, as if airbrushed on some papers. I was happy.
It seems that adding a soft undersurface creates some give to a broad-sided wax pencil stroke, which causes more of the paper's grain to be filled-in. This creates smoother tones, and creates a nice look even with cheaper, somewhat grainy papers like Biggie. The downside is it takes more pressure to achieve full value with the pencil.
I searched long and hard to find some material to use as the undersurface, and have settled on foam shelf-lining, rolls of which can be had at any department store. I have rigged my board as follows:
My paper is clamped in one direction and the shelf-lining in the other. As I turn to a new page, I lift it and place the lining beneath. Very simple.
You owe me, all of you...
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