I've Got the Blues -- and I Like It!

[the_gneech]

So for a while, I've been using non-repro blue pencils to do the pencils for Suburban Jungle, but I was less-than-satisfied with them. For one thing, they're too soft -- I draw a single line and blorp, the lead is flat. For another thing, they're too light! By the time I'm ready to go back and ink, I've forgotten where I laid the lines down, and it's all this barely-discernible cyan mass.

I've noticed over time that whenever I see blue-pencil work by other artists, it's darker than mine -- as in, you can actually see the picture! Finally after FC, I decided to check out this phenomenon, and looking around at a few artist discussions, I found somebody making the offhand comment, "I pencil with a Col-Erase Light Blue. I can't stand non-repro blue, and avoid them if I can."

...

I started asking around, and sure enough, it's one of those, "Duh, everybody knows this, how is it that you don't?" kind of things that I seem to encounter with such annoying regularity.

So over the weekend, I started doing my pencils with a Col-Erase Light Blue that I just happened to have around the house, and so far, I'm lovin' it. It keeps a nice, sharp point; it makes a distinct, vivid line; and it vanishes just as well as the non-repro when I do my scanner-tweak.

*slaps forehead*

Honestly, I sometimes feel like the rest of the world has to be watching me stumble around in the dark, snickering. One of these days, I am going to weed out all the ways I shoot myself in the foot, and my art's finally gonna be great!

-The Gneech

Comments

[frostdemn.livejournal.com]

"Gonna be great" you say? Though it IS great!
I've used blue pencil a few times, but it was special blue lead for my mechanical pencils. I can't use sharpener pencils so much. :P
You're doing great as I know it.
Though on the topic of blue, I've recently moved on to trying a lightbox. What's your opinions on those?

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

The lightbox is mighty!

All hail the lightbox!

Without the lightbox, there is no art.

-The Gneech

[frostdemn.livejournal.com]

So you do use one?
I was under the impression that you use the blue pencil to sketch, then ink over it, then scan without the blue. ^^;

[katayamma.livejournal.com]

Now all you need to do is find a way to keep your inking pens moist. They're starting to dry out again. :(

[kyrincat.livejournal.com]

Don't feel bad John, I didn't know that either. I have been using the blue for my mechanical pencil, but it breaks a lot. Bummer is, I really prefer mechanicals. *sigh*

Guess I will have to figure out what I did with my sharpener, and dig out the blue pencil.

Kyrin

[torakiyoshi.livejournal.com]

I stumbled on that trick by accident many years ago while playing around with my set of colored pencils. I noticed it was the same color as the lines on paper, which are that special hue of "won't show up on copiers" blue.

It never occured to me that these would be made differently than "non-repro blue" pencils, or I would have mentioned it to you the first time I ever heard you used them. Honest!

Have the best

-=TK

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

It depends on the project. If I do the original piece in my sketchbook, I'll ink it onto bristol via the lightbox. Also, I have a strip template drawn out on graph paper that I trace onto the bristol for strips via the lightbox.

I have one of the really big $1000+ lightboxes, care of lythandra who rescued it from the dumpster at work. I still can't believe those chowderheads were just going to throw it away!

-TG

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

There is no "keep moist." There is only "throw away and start the next one."

-TG

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

I used to swear by mechanicals, but lately I've noticed that the ones I use dig grooves into the paper. I guess I just have a heavy hand, or something. But I went back to the good ol' fashioned yellow No. 2 at FC, and discovered I was loving it.

Mechanicals are definitely easier to tote around in your pocket without giving yourself lead poisoning, tho! 0.o

-TG

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Oh sure, you say that now. ;P

-TG

PS: Heehee!

[kylet.livejournal.com]

For what it's worth, I always erase my pencil lines so I've never bothered with non-repro pencils. ;-)

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Yes, but your pencils are much cleaner than mine are!

If I draw in lead pencil and then erase, the ink is bled gray.

-The Gneech

[frostdemn.livejournal.com]

Ah, I recall your entry on that. I can't believe I forgot. Maybe I was thinking it was some other artist...
As for me, I recently bought my friend's, who wasn't using it, for 20 dollars. I think this was worth 40.

[kyrincat.livejournal.com]

Well considering that I can never find my sharpener, or my son tries to stick things in it that he shouldn't when I do know where it is, mechancials are easier. I use .005 leads, helps with heavy handedness, cause they break if you use too much pressure. The .007 size can take more abuse. I may change to .007 for the blue leads though, and see if that makes a difference.

I sketch in regular pencil, transfer the work to acylic paper using the light table and blue lead, then paint. I used to transfer with the reg pencil, but it smudges, and paint and water sometimes do odd things with it. The blue doesn't smudge and stays put, so for that, I still sketch in pencil and ready for paint with the blue.

Now I need to get my butt in gear, now that my cold is almost gone, and get my commissions done. Been feeling too yucky to paint until now.

Kyrin

[the-mcp.livejournal.com]

The .007 blue leads break pretty easily, too. I think it's just the nature of the beast; whatever pigment and binding agent they use for colored leads just doesn't have the same kind of structural strength as the graphite used for black leads.

[torakiyoshi.livejournal.com]

You're right. I do say that now. :)

Have the best

-=TK, who knows next to nothing about art supplies

[kylet.livejournal.com]

Have you SEEN my pencils? Not just the ones scanned, that cleans out about half the junk.

You gotta wait a bit for the ink to dry. And I only do preliminary inks before erasing, I thicken them up and stuff afterwards...

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Waiting implies that the strip isn't a day late already. ;)

Actually, I need to make a serious study of your inking/shading techniques, as I'm going to be doing some b/w work in the not-too-distant future.

-TG