Art supply dilemma- Should I invest?
I thought of portraying here about my recent acquisition with art supplies and colours. I love to draw and paint and most of the time my works include paper and gel-based pens added with colour pencils. Now, to a certain extent it seems fine and okay and I felt the same.
I am here talking about the Indian scenario. As a kid, there was only one option for us and that was Camlin brand, followed by Faber Castell. Any pen, pencil, colours, eraser, scale(ruler) was only from Camlin company. That logo would never diminish. Purchasing colours then seemed to be a huge superior affair because we would use them only for school projects or other competitions if any. I spent most of my schooling days using Camlin products and I still find them good and easy on pocket (certain products at least). I have also used Doms which is also an emerging leading brand. I have bought pastel colours and wax colours from Doms brand and they were smooth and gave a richer output.
So far in my art journey I have been using the same brand. The texture and results were not bad. Later I started experimenting with different medium. Be it any artist or a painter, the quality of the sheet must be at par to a certain extent, else it will not serve the drawing purpose. Now a days specially crafted sheets of paper and drawing books are available for purchase and their range is vast. To me, any paper above 100 GSM is better- at least for pencil drawing. It would also support crayons and pencil colours well. GSM is the measure of the paper thickness(units) for example: 100gsm, 120gsm etc. Higher the GSM, better is the outcome. Gel based pens; sketch pens will also support 100 gsm well. The crux lies what paper and which brand to choose. It all depends on us and not to mention need to also check if our wallet is heavy or not. There are papers meant for watercolours, Acrylic, washes, Gouache, Graphite, charcoal etc. A high-end quality paper also demands similar weighing colours and paints for that rich end result. I feel it is the pigment and the ingredient that goes in making these pigment so vibrant and bright. Similar fundamentals apply for acrylic colours and oil colours.
There are brands like Canson paper, Brustro paper, Brustro colours, Strathmore, Winsor ND Newton, Fabriano, Mont Marte, Aquarelle, Bianyo, Pebeo, Miya. The price varies from product to product depending on specification like size, quantity and quality.
For example, I recently purchased a 300 GSM heavy thick paper with 20 sheets — binded drawing book from the reputed brand that costed me close to 400 INR. Initially it seemed way to high but then the quality of the paper meant for specific purpose is being met. I did my own research on the prices and they were almost identical with a subtle difference. Same applies to my colours as well. Good quality paper and colours deliver a better experience, like a matte finish. Working with water colours demand multiple washes so, a paper which can withstand such a wash comes into play for that ultimate wow look. If we use the same water colours on a regular paper, then it is obvious that the paper will buckle and start giving away in the first attempt. Some brands are available exclusively for international market and getting a hand on might be tricky. Not to mention sometimes the shipping charges are way to high for such products.
Now that we have colours and papers in place, one cannot underestimate the pivotal role of the brushes and knives. Paint brushes are as crucial as colours and paper. A good quality brush can yield good results. Brushes come in different sizes and styles, ranging from size 0 to size 24. Knives too are used for applying paint and they give a different result. These knives can be either palette knife or painting knife.
It all depends our needs, convenience and most important factor- the enthusiasm for paintings and artwork. A painting is a painting, be it on canvas, on wood, on glass or paper. How you have illustrated it is more important along with that compelling factor. My compelling factor was the curiosity to try these new colours and media. I have done canvas; on paper and this time I want to begin with gouache. In simple terms, Gouache is a style of painting that lies between acrylic and watercolours in an opaque medium which is known for its richer smooth toned appearance. It all depends on the budget. Since I usually do not go on a spending spree, I chose to invest some of it this time and waiting to see the outcome.
How we see it in the long run and how willing is one ready to experiment with the available options along with the budget are some of the parameters that stood by me. So, for the first time I opted to for it and wish to portray a bright picture.
- Pramod Sharma
Hyderabad, India
