Tools of the Trade

Snapshot of my current "studio," which consists of a card table with the red smooth top from my desk taped on with blue painter's tape (I miss my easel) and my supplies laid out neatly.  Front and just a bit left of center is my current drawing pad (Strathmore Sketch brand), then the the right a #4H pencil, a black rollerball pen, and my favorite yellow Fermilab ruler which was a souvenir from a school trip to Chicago.  Above, left to right, I have a pile of my older sketchbook and drawing paper, three sets of colored pencils (Prismacolors Verithin pencils in the black leather folding case, regular Prismacolors in the black plastic case below, and my trusty old Crayolas in the green box.  Spare drawing supplies are in the black zipper case, and miscellaneous drafting tools are in the top right corner.  The selection of pens and pencils all in a row, from left to right, consists of a cheap Texas Tech Parking Services freebie black ballpoint pen, a couple of Bic cheap mechanical pencils (0.7 and 0.5 #2 leads, respectively), some plain school-style #2 pencils (two of which are made from recycled denim), the selection of good blue and silver Faber-Castell drawing pencils my best friend gave me (#s 2H, H, HB, B, 2B, 4B, and 6B), a Prismacolors colorless blending pencil, a Faber-Castell eraser pencil, a Prismacolors Ebony drawing pencil which has very soft lead, a Prismacolors black colored pencil, and a pencil extender (great for use with colored pencils that are worn down to stubs!), plus a selection of erasers.  I don't really like the gray gummy eraser, but the white ones and the tan ones are really good.  Off to the right of the table you can see the wastebasket, which I keep dumping pencil shavings into frequently.  On the far left you can see part of the tall standing lamp that shines down on the table. Anyway, that's my current setup.  I hope to get my easel out of storage soon so that I can use it instead of the card table, which wobbles when I color vigorously.