Trying Pencil Crayons: Planning for a 3 day trip
Painting has become a daily habit for me, I come home and instead of turning on the TV like I used to, I decompress by painting for 20 minutes.
As a beginner painter, I have a basic home setup for painting. I keep all my art supplies in a storage caddy next to my desk and use my desk as both a home office for work and a home studio for this blog. I’m also still learning what I like to use when it comes to materials and techniques and like to experiment each sitting.
I can honestly say that my mess of random art supplies riddles me with decision fatigue when I think about packing it up for any length of time away from my apartment. For me, I think packing my paints for a short trip would take longer to plan than the trip itself.
I’m heading out of town for three days and three nights. I will have some down time each day and want to maintain my creative practice when away but will not be packing paints. Instead I’m going to try pencil crayons in a sketchbook. This means I will only need to pack the following:
Packing List
1 tin of pencil crayons
My blank page journal (which I carry with me anyways)
A small eraser and a small sharpener
Some coloured pens and a fine-tip black marker
Trying a New Medium: Coloured Pencils
I think everyone with an artistic itch has used coloured pencil crayons at some point in their life, likely in elementary school.
It wasn’t until I discovered the work of Montreal artist Julie Delporte that I realized the versatility of coloured pencils and became interested in learning more about illustration.
In this way, graphic novels, especially those by the Canadian publisher Drawn & Quarterly, become a gateway for me to fall in love with illustrative styles of art. Many of my favourite graphic novels are drawn in pencil crayon or ink.
Spending time admiring graphic novels and illustration lead me to also admire surface pattern design (the design and art for the surfaces of mass-manufactured products) and seek out new forms of inspiration on Pinterest, in shops and online. I fell in love in particular with botanical prints and this inspired me to try watercolour painting myself. I was initially very intimidated by the traditional fine art style of watercolour landscapes. When I learned that illustrators used watercolour and goache it made the medium approachable for me.
After admiring the work of other illustrators using pencil crayons, I’m excited to give them a try and my weekend away is the perfect opportunity.
Drawing with Pain in your Hands
I have rheumatoid arthritis in all the joints in my fingers. This means I have intermittent pain and stiffness in my hands which can affect my ability to hold and work with pencils. One thing that has assisted me with trying coloured pencils, has been using ones with softer lead centers. The softer the lead of the pencil, the less pressure you need to apply to the paper.
Soft lead pencils can be expensive though. If soft pencils are out of your budget - markers might be a better fit. Markers require less pressure to apply, and have big colour payout.
If gripping is your main issue, you can also wrap foam or other soft materials around the hard wood to cushion your fingers. This is a technique I learned from my occupational therapist growing up. You can also purchase pre-made pencil grippers like these ones pictured here:
I have also noticed that the brand of eraser I use affects my hand pain. If the eraser is not strong enough, I find myself rubbing too hard and hurting my joints. I have had good luck with the “Prismacolor Magic Rub” eraser.
Why Try Pencil Crayons
Here are the main reasons I’m so excited to try pencil crayons on my upcoming trip:
Portability - Pop them in a tin or pencil case and you are good to go. Easily use them at a cafe, park or on the train (not including the subway lol).
Accessibility - There are many brands of pencil crayons to try in different price ranges and you can use any paper you have on hand. There is no need to buy expensive or weighty paper pads or special sketchbooks like when you use watercolour or acrylic paint.
Easy to practice - The portability and accessibility makes this medium easy to practice. This also makes it a fun medium for kids to enjoy as well.