Material List

Because this course is focused on principles that you can apply in any medium, I recommend that you do the assignments in the medium you are most comfortable with. You can work digitally or traditionally. If you are working in traditional media, I recommend graphite pencil over charcoal because it is simpler and cleaner.

Traditional Materials

  • 2B pencil

  • 2H pencil

  • Kneadable eraser

  • Mechanical eraser (Tuff Stuff or BM2)

  • Pencil sharpener

  • Sandpaper pad (optional)

  • Cutter (optional)

Paper Recommendations

  • Cheap sketching paper for quick assignments

  • White Canson Mi-Teintes paper (160g) for more involved assignments

Digital: Computer + Tablet

If you work digitally with a computer, the graphic tablet I recommend for most people is the Wacom Intuos M:


You can use any digital painting application and device you like. All digital painting demos in the course are done in Adobe Photoshop. If you're curious, you can find a fantastic free intro to drawing and digital painting at www.ctrlpaint.com.

Digital: iPad + Apple Pencil

If you have an iPad and an Apple Pencil, Procreate is one of the most popular painting apps.