Materials and Care

Materials and Care

Paper

Paper weight is given in pounds per ream and grams per square metre. 100 lb drawing paper suits graphite, pen and dry media. 110 lb takes light washes. 140 lb cotton watercolor paper takes full wet work without stretching when bound in a block. All our papers are acid free. Store books flat, away from sunlight.

Graphite

Pencils are graded from 9H (hardest, lightest) to 9B (softest, darkest). HB sits in the middle. Our cores are bonded to incense cedar barrels so they resist breaking when sharpened to a long point. Use a blade or a sharp hand sharpener and spray-free storage; keep points covered in a roll or box.

Charcoal

Willow charcoal is burnt willow twig, soft and easy to lift with a kneaded eraser. Compressed charcoal is ground charcoal pressed with a binder, darker and harder to erase. Both smudge until fixed; store finished drawings under a sheet of glassine.

Watercolor and gouache

Our watercolor pans are pigment, gum arabic and honey. Leave the tin open to dry after use. Gouache is pigment and gum arabic with a higher pigment load and no chalk; it dries matte and opaque. Keep tube caps clean and tight.

Brushes

Rinse in clean water until it runs clear, reshape the point and dry flat or tip up. Do not stand a brush on its tip in a jar. Synthetic sable can be washed with mild soap now and then.

Wood

Walnut and beech items are finished with oil and wax, not lacquer. Wipe with a dry cloth. Once a year rub in a little furniture oil and buff. Keep easels dry after outdoor use.

Waxed canvas

Brush off dirt when dry. Do not machine wash. Re-wax once a year by rubbing a bar of canvas wax over the surface and warming it with a hair dryer until it soaks in.

Leather

Vegetable-tanned leather darkens with sun and handling. Wipe with a dry cloth and apply a small amount of leather balm once or twice a year.