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Start Art 8 8 www.painters-online.co.uk before you actually start to draw.You should work out in advance which areas of the sketch are going to be light or even left white and which will require darker shading.The depth of the shading depends on the density of the hatching.To make the introduction to using Indian ink easier, rather than using pen and ink for the practice picture, a Rapidograph technical pen is used instead, which has a fine, even nib and uses ink cartridges so that you do not have to worry about dipping the pen into the ink.A cloth or paper tissue should be used to wipe the nib of the pen. Light and dark sepia (top left and right), red chalk (bottom left) and charcoal (bottom right) are soft drawing media that are excellent for smudging. By using different- coloured chalk pastels, subjects can be rendered in their natural colouring. Charcoal, red chalk and sepia pastel Charcoal, red chalk and sepia pastel are the most traditional drawing media.They now come in pencil format with a wooden barrel and as sticks. They are very soft drawing media that therefore quickly produce broad strokes.To judge the strength of the lines, it is advisable to practise the strokes on a separate piece of paper. Whereas a pencil produces a fine and precise line, charcoal, red chalk and sepia pastel are capable of covering large areas with even tones, which can be smudged using your fingers, a sponge or a cloth.The finished drawings should be protected from further smudging using spray fixative. Chalk pastels Chalk pastels are a popular medium for quick sketches, as well as for finely worked drawings.They come in two grades of hardness and in various colours. Soft pastels are suitable for large areas and soft transitions, hard pastels are recommended for fine details and lines. Pastels are perfect for smudging with your fingers or with a stump (paper blender), sponge or cloth. Chalk pastels also come as pastel pencils with a wooden barrel and can be used for fine, precise lines. Pastel drawings should be protected with spray fixative when complete to prevent smudging. When drawing with Indian ink, areas of light and dark are indicated by varying the density of the hatching.