These supplies are not only what I recommend for you to use they are what I have been using for many years! The Bristol board is good to work on, you can blend with ease, build up layers, erase and the paper will hold up. As you will see I don't use all the pencils in the box! H, B and 3b are all that is needed, I do use 4b refills for my Mechanical pencil as of 2010. The price of all excluding the electric eraser is around $15-20. Supplies that are marked with a * are needed. If you can not find the paper recommended another smooth brand might do fine.

If you do not want to order online you can find most all of the below list at a local art supply store.

 

 

*One 11 x 14 inch pad of Strathmore 300 or 400 or 500 Smooth Bristol Board

Make sure the paper is not warped.

http://www.dickblick.com/products/strathmore-300-series-bristol-board-pads/

 

*Graphite Pencils H, B, 3b (optional 4b) :

http://www.dickblick.com/products/derwent-graphic-pencils/

 

*Mechanical Pencil (0.5mm) any brand will do:

http://www.dickblick.com/products/zebra-eco-jimnie-clip-mechanical-pencil/

 

*Pkg of 2b Refills (0.5 mm) for the mechanical:

http://www.dickblick.com/products/pentel-hi-polymer-lead-refills/Lead Refills/

 

0.5 mm refills (I order my darker refills here):

The Blick website doesn't carry the 3B and 4B leads

http://www.utrechtart.com/dsp_view_product.cfm?item=19944

 

*2 Kneaded Erasers:

You can dab at areas to lighten, erase large areas and grid lines with this eraser.

http://www.dickblick.com/products/prismacolor-kneaded-rubber-erasers/

 

Expensive board:

http://www.dickblick.com/products/koh-i-noor-portable-drawing-board-and-head/

In-expensive board:

http://www.dickblick.com/products/blick-sketch-pad-boards/

the clips on some boards can indent the paper!.

 

 

* You will need either a scanner or a camera that will give me great progress images of your drawings. The drawings will need to be straight, clear, and look like what is seen on paper (the tones). It can be a little light or dark (as long as you let me know which one it is). In order for me to see how you're doing I need to see the drawings how they really look. I do offer to my students info on photographing drawings and scanning them too.

 

Gray Scale and Value Finder:

This card will show you all the gray scales between Black and white. Also you can scan (or photograph) the card with your progress drawings and then I can compare the card to your tones! :)

http://www.dickblick.com/products/gray-scale-and-value-finder/