A popular drawing material since the cave men were about (seriously, that’s how a lot of cave paintings were made!) charcoal is made from organic materials to create a range of black and greys. Charcoal comes in a few different forms, the most commonly used being: compressed, willow or pencil. Compressed charcoal is powdered charcoal combined with binders to create harder sticks or blocks that lend themselves more easily to sharper, defined lines and lighter marks. Willow charcoal is made by burning willow rods and, because it is not as dense as compressed charcoal, is softer and more velvety to use. Willow charcoal also erases more easily because it contains no binders. Charcoal pencils are often favoured as the clean way to use charcoal as the wood casing protects your hands. While having the benefits of charcoal (being soft and easy to blend), in pencil form charcoal can create crisp and intricate lines. Tinted charcoal pencils are also popular as a small bit of coloured pigment is mixed in to the pencil core to create subtle changes in the charcoal colour.
What we stock:
GENERAL’S
Compressed Charcoal
Charcoal Pencils. HB to 6B and white
Paper Wrapped Charcoal. Hard medium and soft.
WOLFF’S
Carbon Pencils. B to 6B available as singles or in a mixed set of 4.
CRETACOLOUR
Compressed Charcoal Sticks. Variety of tints and sizes.
Charcoal Powder. 175g jar.
COATES
Willow Charcoal packs. Available from thin to jumbo sticks.
DERWENT
XL Charcoal Sticks. Available in a variety of tints.
Pencils have been made for literal centuries so are indisputably tried and tested as an artist medium. Around 1660 is the first record of pencil makers in the imperial city of Nuremberg. In the early 1920s, German pencil giants, Faber-Castell (who had been founded as a company almost 200 years prior) produced the first coloured pencil as we know it, with the coloured core wrapped in wood. Coloured pencils are generally made of wax, pigments and binding agents – the ratios and quality of each determines the pliability of the pencil as well as the grade. Artist grade pencils have larger quantities of high quality pigments that tend to be lightfast and more durable than student versions. Coloured pencils can also be water soluble, meaning that once water is added to the pigment, it will behave as if it is a watercolour paint.
What we stock:
CARAN D’ACHE
Swiss made artist quality pencils of extra fine quality.
Luminance 6901 – Artist quality colour pencils with exceptional lightfastness. Super smooth and creamy to apply but strong enough that you can sharpen to a sharp point for fine detail. Available in sets of 12 or 24.
Museum Aquarelle – artist quality water soluble coloured pencils. Soft and smooth to apply with superior quality and lightfastness. Available in sets of 12 or 24.
Metallic – Soft pencils with a metallic finish. Available as singles.
Fluorescent – Vibrant Florescent pencils with excellent coverage and smooth lay down. Available in singles.
FABER CASTELL
Pioneers of the pencil game and creators of the wood-clad pencil.
Albrecht Dürer – Artist Quality watercolour pencils. Fully water soluble 3.8mm leads bonded to prevent breakage with light-fast pigments. Available as single pieces or in sets of 12, 24 or 60.
Polychromos – Artist Quality colour pencils. Water resistant, smudge proof oil-based 3.8mm leads bonded to prevent breakage with light-fast pigments. Available as single pieces or in sets of 12, 24 or 60.
Watercolour pencils – children’s quality eco pencils which include a brush and have intense, break resistant leads. Available in sets of 12 (brush included), 24 (brush and sharpener included), 36 (brush and sharpener included) 48 (brush, eraser, graphite pencil and sharpener included) or 60 (brush, eraser, graphite pencil and sharpener included).
Classic Colour pencils – children’s quality eco pencils with metallic bonus pencils and sharpener. Available in sets of 12 (does not include sharpener) 24, 36, 48 (also includes 2 graphite pencils and eraser) or 60 (also includes 2 graphite pencils and eraser).
DERWENT
A UK-made range of pencils and pigment bars
Procolour – smooth and superior coloured pencils with excellent lay down and a strong point. Rightly pigmented with minimal chipping or dusting to prevent smudging on work. Available in sets of 12, 24, 36 or 72.
Artists colour pencils – colour pencil with 4mm wide lead with slightly waxy texture makes these pencils great for blending and layering. Available in sets of 12, 24, 36 or 72.
Watercolour pencils – watercolour pencil with a water soluble core which can be used on wet or dry paper. Available in sets of 12, 24, 36 or 72.
Metallic colour pencils – highly reflective metallic pencils with water soluble cores that are particularly striking on dark backgrounds. Brilliant shine and reflectivity. Available in sets of 12.
Drawing colour pencils – Natural and sepia toned pencils great for wildlife and nature studies, tonal drawing and classic portraiture. Extra wide 5mm lead has a creamy consistency which produces a velvety finish. Available in sets of 12 or 24.
Coloursoft Pencils – Versatile pencils with extra soft core to produce bold colour with a velvety finish but still can be sharpened to a fine point for more detailed work. Excellent for blending to create a vast colour spectrum. Available in singles or in sets of 12, 24, 36 or 72.
Inktense – vibrant and intense water soluble pencils that mimic the translucency of ink and purity of ink once water is applied. Use on dry paper and add water to blend or create washes. Permanent once dry. Available in singles or in sets of 12, 24, 36 or 72. Also available as pigment blocks in sets of 12 or 24.
Burnisher – burnishing pencils add shine without altering the colour of your work. Use over coloured pencils to add a finished sheen or lay down first to use as a resist. Available as singles.
Blender – blender pencils allow you to more easily blend coloured pencils. It is also useful in assisting with layering and will enhance colour intensity if used as a finish. Available as singles.
PRSIMACOLOUR
Premier – super soft artist quality pencils with high quality pigments for rich colour saturation. Thick leads resist breakage and create a smooth colour lay down. Available in sets of 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 120 or 132.
LYRA
Colour Giants – jumbo colour pencils with extra thick, break resistant 6.25mm leads. Long wearing, brilliant colours with responsibly sourced wood. Available as singles or as sets of 12 colours (with gold and silver), 12 skin tones or 18 colours.
Rembrandt Aquarelle Pencils – high quality water soluble pencils with fine pigments. Vibrant and brilliant when used dry and wet alike, with excellent lightfastness. Available in sets of 12.
KOH-I-NOOR
Makers of quality pencils since 1790
Progresso – woodless artist’s coloured pencils. Ideal for sketching and drawing with shavings perfect for finger shading. Available for single sale.
Progresso Aquarell – water soluble woodless colour pencils for use on dry or wet paper. Great for illustration or drawings. Available in sets of 12 or 24.
STAEDTLER
Lumocolour Permanent – also known as chinagraph pencils, their high wax content means that they are excellently suited for glossy surfaces. Available in singles.
PILOT
Colour Eno – mechanical pencil with 0.7mm coloured leads. Available in Bblue, violet, pink,red, orange, yellow and green.
Used to support drawing methods by having handy features such as a clamping rail and built in ruler, drawing boards can facilitate creating more polished basic drawing. Some drawing boards are more simplistic and are designed to just create a sturdy back behind paper.
What we stock:
LINEX
Professional drawing board with gliding ruler, compass plotting scale, magnetic clamp in rail, additional clamp and locking system. Available in A4 or A3.
RENO ART SKETCH BOARDS
Reinforced hard board with smooth surface, carry handle and heavy duty clip and rubber band to hold work in place during transit. Available in 11”x17” and 23”x26”.
JASART
Portable design with easy carry handle, 2 clips and 1 band for security. 25.6”x22.8” (suitable for up to A2
Inks are a broad and varied medium that incorporates inks with water, acrylic, shellac bases as well as walnut inks and sumi inks. In general, inks have transparency and fluidity that allows for delicate effects but they also come in a large range of colours so they can be bold and bright as well. As a result of the variability of this medium, it is popular across a huge number of methods and styles including (but not limited to!) airbrushes, technical pens, ink bracers, screen printing, dry brushing, stencilling, brushes, dip pens, pouring, stamping, watercolour, fabric painting and photo tinting. Acrylic and shellac based inks become indelible once dry and so are popular as an option to combine with methods requiring a more permanent ink. Specialist inks like walnut ink have been favoured by the like of da Vinci and Van Gogh and still retain their popularity today.
What we stock:
ART SPECTRUM
Liquid Spectrum Inks – Fast drying, acrylic based ink which can be used for brush, pen and airbrush. Suitable for most surfaces and indelible once dry but can be removed with Liquid Spectrum Cleaner. Entire 20 colour spectrum (including 5 metallics), cleaner and extender available in 50mL bottles.
LIQUITEX
Liquitex Ink – Professional acrylic ink which is lightfast and permanent once dry. Suitable for use in airbrushes, technical pens, ink bracers, screen printing, dry brushing, stencilling, brushes, dip pens, pouring, stamping, watercolour, fabric painting and photo tinting. 30 colour range (including 4 metallics) available in 30mL bottles with pen cleaner and carbon black also available in 150mL bottles. 5 specialist colours in the Muted range available in 30mL bottles.
SENNELIER
Sennelier Inks – likened to China Inks, these high quality inks are shellac based, lending them vividness and vibrancy with a satin-like finish. Quick drying and water resistant when dry. Popular for calligraphy, quill drawings, washes and textile art. Lightfastness improved with the addition of a pencil fixative. Colour range of 32 and thinner available in 30mL bottles.
China Ink “à la Pagode” – professional quality Indian ink with excellent density and light stability when used undiluted. Indelible once dry. Favoured for calligraphy and brush work. Available in 30mL or 125mL bottles.
ECOLINE
Ecoline Inks – Ink that behaves like watercolour which is great for washes and delicate colour on paper or card. Dry time is around 3 minutes and can be applied with brush, airbrush or technical pen. 48 colour range available in 30mL bottles.
DALER AND ROWNEY
FW Pearlescent Inks – liquid acrylic Inks with a distinct pearlescent finish. Water resistant and ideal for dip pens, brush painting and ruling pens. 21 colour range available in 29.5mL bottles
FW Florescent Inks – Artist’s acrylic Inks which are water resistant when dry. These are non-clogging and pigmented with an intense flourescent finish. 4 colours available in 29.5mL bottles.
Calli – non-clogging pigmented calligraphy inks ideal for dip pens. Waterproof once dry. 6 colour range available in 29.5mL bottles.
TALENS
Drawing Ink – professional black drawing ink that is waterproof once dry. Ideal for use with technical pens and airbrushes on paper, card and film. Available in 11mL or 490mL bottles.
Indian Ink – Fine black drawing ink which is very lightfast and has dense colour. Waterproof once dry. Great for use with drawing pen, technical pen, airbrush and brush. Available in 490mL or 990mL.
TOM NORTON
Walnut Darkening Medium – Ink additive used to darken pre-existing walnut ink drawings to retain watercolour-like features (the ability to lift colour or lighten areas) while adding depth and emphasis. Heavily pigmented so when used alone, it will behave like Sumi ink and will stain paper. Available in 30mL bottles.
Walnut Drawing Ink – walnut ink was favoured by famous artists like Rembrandt, Da Vinci and Van Gogh. These Artist Quality drawing inks are made with premium pigments taken from the green husks surrounding the nuts of walnuts. The watercolour characteristics of this ink mean that it can be effectively layered to darken tones as well as lifted with a wet brush or diluted with water to create a wash. Extremely lightfast and water soluble. Available in 70mL bottles.
EC
Drawing Ink – children’s ink range. Vibrant and colourful Inks suitable for paper, card and most porous surfaces. 15 colour range available in 30mL bottles.
Indian Ink – children’s quality Indian ink for drawing. Dark black colour which can be diluted with water. Available in 500mL bottles.
SUMI INKS
Traditionally used throughout East Asian art styles and presented in a solid block, sumi inks are dark and staining, often made of soot. Ideal for brush painting and calligraphy.
Nara Sumi Ink- Japanese made Sumi ink which is highly concentrated and deep black in colour. Ink can be used up to six times with a dilution of water. Smooth to paint and fast to dry. Available in 100mL bottle.
Chinese Made – Liquid Sumi ink. Deep black with the ability to dilute multiple times for continued use. Available in 100mL bottles.
Manuscript – Chinese ink stick made from natural oils and minerals in a traditional style. Grind with an ink stone and combine with water for best results. Available in single packs. Manuscript brand grinding stone also available.
WINSOR AND NEWTON
Drawing Inks – fast drying, water resistant and transparent Inks which can be layered or mixed to create different colours and effects. Suitable for dip pens, brushes and airbrushes. All colours, excepting white gold and silver, are also suitable for use with stylus pens. 26 colour range available in 14mL bottles.
Calligraphy Inks – professional calligraphy Inks that are lightfast and vibrant. Blue-capped bottles (14 colours) are more transparent and designed for use with dip pens, fountain pens, technical pens and airbrushes while red-capped bottles (4 colours) are best for dip pens or brushes. All 18 colours available in 30mL bottles.
WATERMAN
Parisian Inks which have been made by the Waterman company since the late 1800s.
Bottled Ink – ink designed specifically for fountain pens which won’t clog or block a pen. 8 colours available in 50mL bottles.
PARKER
Quink – this quick dry fountain pen ink, first invented by Parker pens in the 1930s is fade resistant, non-corrosive and flows well, with no clogging or blocking. Available in 57mL bottles in navy, blue and black.
Drawing sets are a great starting point for artists who are just starting out with sketching and drawing. Typically drawing sets contain a small assortment of materials that cover the basics sketching requirements such as pencils, charcoal and erasers. Occasionally drawing sets will be compiled to best suit a particular objective (like life drawing or botanical sketching).
What we stock:
KOH-I-NOOR
Gioconda Art Set – quality mini art set for drawing, sketching and toning. Contains white chalk pencil, red chalk pencil, sepia dark pencil, black charcoal pencils, black pencil, woodless graphite pencil, red soft pastel, black soft pastel, eraser and paper stump blender.
LYRA
Rembrandt Art Specials Set – a selection of pencils from the Rembrandt Special pencil range for drawing and sketching. Set of 12 contains red chalk pencils, sepia pencils, white chalk pencil, black chalk pencil, charcoal pencils, carbon pencil, water soluble graphite pencil, Titan graphite pencils.
CRETACOLOUR
Oil-based pencil drawing sets. Available in sets of 6, 12, 24 or 36.
Boxed Charcoal Drawing Set – 20 piece drawing set including a variety of pencils, charcoals, blenders and a kneadable eraser.
As the old adage goes: we all make mistakes but what’s important is how we erase them… that’s right, isn’t it? In any case, it wasn’t until 1770 after years of using things like soft bread, pumice or sandstone that English engineer, Edward Nairne, first discovered rubber as the best method to erase pencil marks from paper. After a series of improvements on the initial design (which crumbled and smelled terribly, apparently) erasers became a staple of the art world. Nowadays, rubber erasers come in a variety of different styles, designed for specific surfaces or pencils, even pens. The most popular erasers tend to be art gum erasers which are able to erase pencil from paper without any damage or kneadable erasers which, as a result of their malleability, can be shaped and moulded to a fine point to lift charcoal or graphite with extreme precision.
What we stock:
STAEDTLER
Mars Plastic – Minimal crumbling eraser that is phthalate and latex free. Age resistant and will not discolour.
Mars Plastic Combi – premium quality eraser with minimal crumbling and absolute age resistance. Blue part of the eraser designed for use with Indian ink on transparent paper (vellum) and matt drafting film.
PVC Free – Eraser with minimal crumbling and no phthalate and latex free.
GENERAL’S
Gum Eraser – all purpose eraser which erases smoothly, without smudges, scratches or damage. Latex free.
Kneadable Eraser – latex, PVC and lanolin free erasers which are excellent for subtractive drawing techniques in graphite, pencil and charcoal.
Factis Black 18 – super soft eraser specifically designed for use with charcoal and graphite.
DERWENT
Battery Operated Eraser – erases quickly and precisely with little strain to the user. Offers great control to both right handed and left handed people with ergonomic design to ensure comfortable use. Comes with 8 additional eraser refills. Extra refills available separately.
Eraser Pen – pen style eraser in a holder for firm grip and easy ill controlled erasing for accurate and detailed work. PVC and latex free. Refills available separately.
LYRA
Kneadable Eraser – a kneadable eraser that comes in its own plastic case to keep it pliable and clean. Great for creating highlights on charcoal, pastel and pencil work with no smudges.
TOMBOW
Tombow Mono Zero Eraser.
Available in 2 shapes, a 2.3mm round tip and a 2.5mm x 5mm rectangular tip.
Pencil and charcoal fixatives are used to preserve works so that the overall longevity of the piece is enhanced. Finishing a piece with a final layer of fixative, which can be in liquid or aerosol form, ensures that the pencil pigments will not migrate over time and that the price is less likely to smudge if it is handled. Some fixatives also prevent undue damage from sunlight and UV which can affect the colourfastness of some pencils or tinted charcoal. So, want to keep your work in primo condition? Use fixative!
What we stock:
SCHMINKE
Pencil Fixative – effective final fixative for charcoal and pencil made of bleached shellac and non-yellowing, synthetic resin with an alcohol base. Fast drying and can be used with pastels if used sparingly. Available as a liquid in 60mL bottles or as a a spray pump (no propellant) in 350mL bottle.
SENNELIER
Delacroix Pencils and Charcoal Fixative – alcohol and non-yellowing synthetic resin based fixative designed specifically for protecting pencil and charcoal. Dries to a transparent matt finish. Available in a 400mL aerosol can.
d’Artigny Oil Pastel Fixative – alcohol and vinyl resin based fixative designed for use with oil pastels. Dries completely transparent with a glossy finish to create a clear film which effectively protects. Available in a 400mL aerosol can.
Latour Soft Pastel Fixative – alcohol and non-yellowing resin based fixative designed for use with soft pastels to prevent smudging and particle movement. Dries to a clear matt finish which protects soft pastel works. Available in a 400mL aerosol can.
Graphite replaced its super toxic friend, lead, as the main mark making mineral in the mid-1500s after a large deposit was discovered in Borrowdale, England. Graphite is now mostly favoured in its pencil form as wood-clad, woodless, wrapped or mechanical pencils which come in grades from 9H to 9B. The harder the graphite core, the lighter and sharper its mark making capabilities. Though most popular in pencil form, graphite is also used in powder and liquid form.
What we stock:
LYRA
Rembrandt Art Design Graphite Pencils – Premium graphite pencils with break resistant lead and consistent grading which lend themselves to work excellently with graphics, design, fine arts and architectural work. Available in singles from 2H to 9B. Also available in sets of 12 with assorted degrees.
STAEDTLER
Mars Lumograph – premium quality graphite pencils that have a metallic lustre suitable for drawing, writing, sketching and hatching. Available in singles from 9H to 9B or as a set of 24 with assorted degrees.
Mars Micro – mechanical pencils with various widths and softness of leads. Available as 0.3mm, 0.5mm, 0.7mm, 0.9mm and 2mm. Pencils and lead refills available separately.
Jumbo – chunky pencil in a triangle shape for easy grip. Avail in singles as 2B.
DERWENT
Graphitint – subtly tinted graphite pencils which add delicate colour to graphite sketches. With the addition of water, the colours intensifies and becomes vivid. Excellent for landscapes, animal studies and classic portraiture. Available in sets of 24.
XL Graphite Blocks – suitable for delicate line work and expressive tonal work alike, these blocks are subtly tinted and water soluble. Available in sets of 6 or as singles.
BLACKWING
Palomino – Graphite pencils with a cult following. Available for drawing(soft) writing (hard) or both (medium) as singles or in mixed set of 3.
CARAN d’ACHE
Genius – graphite pencil with stylus end so that you can switch from paper to screen with ease. Available in singles.
CRETACOLOUR
Graphite Powder – finest graphite powder for application with brush, cloth or fingers. Can also be mixed with water or binding agent to create liquid graphite. Excellent for paper, wood, canvas, plaster or any other porous surface. Available in 150g jar.
DERIVAN
Liquid Pencil – create a genuine graphite finish with liquid materials. Permanent & water resistant when dry. Available in 40mL jars.
ART GRAF
Water Soluble Graphite – available as putty, XL stick sets, pencils and blocks. Intense black carbon discs and pencils also available in this range. Also available in primary colour block sets.
Fully articulated wooden models of hands, cats, dogs and the human form can be posed to capture movement and assist in realistic portraiture. Helpfully, these have also been used historically to double as a makeshift friend.
What we stock:
RENOIR
Articulated wooden people in 4.5, 8 or 12 inches.
Articulated wooden hands.
Articulated cats and dogs.
The incredibly broad category of ‘markers and pens’ includes everything from your humble ball point to specialist paint markers to gel pens.
Typically, markers have a nib that is made from pressed, porous fibres which is commonly referred to as ‘felt’, hence the ‘felt tip marker’. Markers have been use for roughly the last century, with most serious modern development occurring in the past fifty years. The marker family includes hits such as the ever popular kids’ connector range by Faber-Castell which, along with child-friendly inks and a veritable rainbow of colours, can be joined together to build shapes; Copic Markers, which are a range of alcohol based pens that are favoured by graphic novellists and Posca pens which are paint pens with either an acrylic or chalk base.
Varying from their fibrous, felty cousins, writing pens have metallic nibs, quite often ball points which (as you might expect) a rotating ball that lays ink down in a smooth motion. Originally designed to mark leather, ball point pens had one of the biggest game changers introduced by Japanese company, Sakura, in 1984 with the invention of the Gelly Roll gel pen which, because it used a pigmented gel instead of ink, meant came in a range of novelty colours (did someone say sparkles?) which could create bold, opaque marks on non-absorbent materials.
Long story short: name your cause and we can name the marker or pen that’s going to do the job best for you.
What we stock:
COPIC
Leaders of the marker game! Alcohol-based inks with superior blending capability. All markers come with a dual nib that can be replaced if worn out and inks can easily be refilled.
Classic – Copic’s iconic marker with a chisel tip and bulletpoint tip. 214 colour range which is airbrush compatible. 9 nib variations available. Square pen for sturdy grip. Available in singles or sets.
Sketch – slim, ergonomic design with chisel tip and brush tip nibs that come in a 358 colour range. Airbrush compatible. Available as singles.
Ciao – round pens with chisel tip and brush tip nibs in a 180 colour range. Available as singles.
Copic Multiliner – Black acid-free archival quality pigmented ink. Water and Copic proof once dry. Suitable for technical drawing, illustration and pen and wash style. Nibs and ink cartridge replaceable with nib sizes ranging from 0.03mm to 0.7mm. Also available in a brush nib.
ECOLINE
Brush Pen – paints like a brush but holds brilliant colour like a marker. Excellent for blending and great for watercolour-like effects.
SAKURA
Pigma Micron – water-based pigment ink that is also quick dry and archival. These pens are waterproof, lightfast and chemical proof suitable for writing and drawing on paper. Black nibs range from 0.2mm to 0.5mm and also available in brush nib. A range of 8 colours also available in a 0.1mm nib
UNIBALL
Paint Markers:
Posca Paint Marker – acrylic based paint pens that are permanent once dry. Suitable for almost all surfaces with smooth application and opaque finish. Available in a range of colours including flouro and metallic ranges. Nib sizes range from 0.7mm bullet point tip to 15mm chisel tip. Also available in brush nib in select colours.
Uni Chalk – chalk based paint pen that goes on smoothly to non-porous surfaces with easy removal with a damp cloth but won’t wash off in the rain. Available in a variety of colours including a fluorescent range. Nib sizes vary from a 0.9mm bullet tip to 15mm chisel tip.
Uni Paint – spirit-based paint markers which mark on anything. Opaque, glossy finish. Available in a variety of colours and in nib sizes of 0.8-1.2mm to 2.2-2.8mm.
Uni Prockey – permanent but odourless black pigment ink marker. Won’t bleed through paper. Available in a bullet tip or chisel tip.
Super Ink Marker – permanent oil-based, fade free marker that is suitable for a variety of surfaces including cloth, paper and sports balls. Barrel is 47% recycled. 0.9mm bullet tip.
PILOT
Frixion Ball – Unique gel pen which can be erased using the power of friction and friction alone! Doesn’t damage paper and are available in a range of colours.
Frixion Colours – erasable felt tip markers which are available in a variety of colours.
Fineliner – perfect for making fine details on paper and cardboard. Tip reinforced by a metal sleeve. Available in red, blue, black, green and purple.
V Razor Point – liquid ink fineliner with visible ink window. 0.4mm tip made of hard plastic for consistently sharp lines
V Disposable Fountain Pen – convenient disposable fountain pen that still has a premium writing feel. Available in red, blue and black.
Supercolour Markers – available in silver or gold, these markers have an opaque, permanent finish which cover background colours with running or being absorbed. Dries glossy and vibrant. Xylene free.
G-Tec-C4 – fine 0.2mm pen with bio-poly,drink which resists feathering and provides a smooth writing experience.
BPE-GP – ball point pen with ergonomic triangular rubber grip for comfortable writing.
STAEDTLER
Triplus Fibre Tip – water-based ink pen with sturdy, pressure resistant 1.0mm felt tip and triplus signature ergonomic triangular pen shape for comfortable colouring. Dry safe ink that can be left for days without drying up. Available in wallets of 10 or 20.
Triplus Fineliner – water-based ink marker with super fine metal clad 0.3mm tip. Dry safe and aeroplane safe design with triplus signature ergonomic triangular design for fatigue free writing. Brilliant colours available in wallets of 10 or 20 or in 12 piece tubes.
Metallic Markers – ideal for scrapbooking and greeting cards as well as varied arts or crafts projects for a colourful, ,stallion finish on paper, card and even Fimo Air. 1.2mm rounded felt nib available in gold, silver, red, green and blue.
Lumocolour – universal permanent marker that marks on almost everything. Superb smudge proof and waterproof finish with brilliant colour. Xylene and toulene free ink that is also dry safe, so will not dry out if the cap if left off. Low odour and aeroplane safe. Available in super fine (0.4mm), fine (0.6mm), medium (1.0mm) and broad (1.0mm to 2.5mm) nibs.
Textsurfer Classic – classic highlighter with large ink reservoir and light fast pigment ink. Washes out of most textiles. Ultra soft chisel tip approx 1-5mm wide. Won’t smudge inkjet printed or hand written text. Aeroplane safe and fast drying.
Faber-Castell
Connector Pens – varied pack
Djeco
felt brushes – varied colour packs
Derwent
graphik line marker
- lightfast pigment ink
- Varied sizes
ARTLINE
Artline 220 super fine – varied sizes and colours
Artline 204 writing pen FAXBLAC 0.4mm
Artline 210 bold writing 0.6mm
Artline drawing system
- pigment ink
- Water based
- Water resistant
- Varied sizes
Artline calligraphy pen paint marker – varied sizes
Artline calligraphy pen gold
Artline 250 permanent marker xylene free 0.4mm
Artline garden marker outdoor use xylene free
Artline 577 whiteboard marker – varied colours
Artline ecogreen whiteboard marker 2.0mm
Artline 500A whiteboard marker
Artline 999XF silver
Artline 999XF gold
Artline 550A whiteboard marker – varied colours
Artline 90 permanent marker – varied colours
Artline 70 high performance permanent marker
PENTEL
Pentel sign pen – varied colours
Writing pens:
Signo – gel pens with a super smooth lay down and opaque finish. Available in ‘Noble’ metallic, ‘Sparlikng’ glitter, ‘Angelic Colour’ pastel and ‘Fine’ standard colour palettes in a 0.7mm ball point. Noble and Angelic Colour ranges are super creamy and dry opaque, even on dark surfaces. Select colours also available in a broad 1mm ballpoint nib.
Signo 207 – retractable 0.7mm ball point pen with gel ink. 8 colours available.
Signo 207 Bold – retractable 1mm ball point worn gel ink. Available in red, black and blue.
Signo Gelstick- modern style design with smooth flowing gel ink. Superior writing quality. 0.7mm ball point tip.
Insight – stainless steel 0.7mm ball point tip with water based ink. Quick drying.
Vision RT – aeroplane safe pen with an auto-retract 0.5mm tip and pigment ink.
Vision Elite – stylish and sleek design with the benefits of aeroplane safety and smooth writing action. 0.8mm auto-retract tip.
Eye Needle Point – water-based gel ink with ball point 0.7mm tip. Refillable ink supply. Available in black and blue.
Eye – waterproof ink available in fine 0.7mm, micro 0.5mm and ultra micro 0.38mm nibs. Ball point tip with see through window to see ink supply level. Available in red black and blue.
Micro – micro 0.5mm stainless steel tip with ball point. Available in red black and blue.
Deluxe – waterproof ink with a stainless steel tip. Available in 0.5mm or 0.7m available in red, black and blue.
Jetstream – quick drying new rollerball ink available in red, black and blue.
Jetstream 101 – crisp, dense mark making from a pen with quick drying ink. Available in red black and blue.
Air – smart tip pens that adjusts to your individual writing style and can make marks at any angle. Scratch free writing and smooth lay down of black ink.
Pin – fine liners with a super tough tip. Waterproof, fade proof pigment ink with ultra smooth flow. Nib sizes vary from 0.05mm to 0.8mm and is available in black.
If you need to blend works made from pastel, pencil or charcoal sometimes the go-to tool is fingertips. For a blending experience that is more precise, consistent and clean, you can use paper stumps or shapers. The silicone tips on shapers are easily cleaned, do not require sharpening and are versatile as blending tools. Paper stumps are a fantastic, inexpensive option which come in a range of widths and can be sharpened with a pencil sharpener. Save your fingers, get a shaper. Or a paper stump.
What we stock:
RENOIR
Paper Stumps – available in mixed packs or as singles in sizes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
ART SPECTRUM
Shaper – silicon tip taper points with wooden handles. Available in various sizes.
Pastels are particularly significant in the development of art theory and were favoured (or at the very least dabbled with) by art masters such as Edgar Degas, Rosalba Carriera and Maurice de la Tour. Being made from pure pigments which are bound into a stick shape and with a chalky consistency, soft pastels effectively allow you to paint dry. They lend themselves extremely well to blending and are often prized for their effect in impressionistic work. Soft pastels are an incredibly powdery and delicate medium and so are susceptible to smudging and migrating particles. To avoid the more technically demanding aspects of this medium some people favour oil pastels which, as a result of their wax and oil base, pigments are less prone to smudging or falling off the paper as well as being able to make more defined, bold marks.
What we stock:
SOFT PASTELS:
MICADOR
Soft Pastels – soft square pastels made with premium pigments boing with natural calcium carbonate. Square edge great for sharper detail. Available in assorted colour packs of 12, 24 or 48.
ART SPECTRUM
Australian made, Triple milled artist quality soft pastels. Finest quality lightfastness and non-toxic pigments. Prized for their purity, versatility and broad spectrum of Australian colours. Available in singles, palette packs of 6 or assorted packs. Also available in an extra soft range of very pale tints of white for highlights and finishing touches.
DERWENT
Inktense Pigment Blocks – see “Coloured Pencils”
Pastel Pencils – enjoy the softness of a pastel with the cleanliness and control of a wood clad pencil. Soft powdery texture with a smooth and velvety finish which is ideal for blending and mixing. Available in sets of 12 and 24.
Pastels – firm, square pastel blocks ideal for broad strokes and covering large areas with pigment. Great for traditional pastel work as well as mixed media and modern pieces. Blend excellently with the use of a finger or a paper stump.
REMBRANDT
Extra fine artist quality, soft round pastels. Entire colour range available in singles.
CONTÉ
Pastels – Prized by artists for their more sturdy constitution and high quality, concentrated pigments, these square pastels by Conté are fantastic for creating fine detail as well as broad, expressive strokes. Lightfast and vibrant colour range. Available as singles or in sets of 24 or 48.
Pastel Pencils – all the benefits of a Conté pastel but in a pencil! Strong, break resistant cores with wood covering for ease of use. Soft enough for great colour or lay down but hard enough to create fine lines and intricate details. Available as singles or in sets of 12 or 24.
SCHMINKE
Artist Soft Pastel – finest quality artist’s pastels. Handmade in Germany with the highest concentration of pigments and minimum binders to ensure consistent excellent quality with smooth colour lay down. 400 brilliant colours available in singles or sets of 6, 10, 18 or 25.
OIL PASTELS:
SENNELIER
Artist quality jumbo oil pastels. Colours can be sculptured with a heated palette knife or diluted with turpentine to be blended with a brush. Can be used directly on a huge variety of surfaces including canvas, cardboard, chipboard, plastic, ceramic, glass and paper.
CARAN d’ACHE
Neopastel – Extra fine oil pastels for artists hand crafted in Geneva. Wide 96 colour palette range of round paper wrapped pastels. Available as singles or as sets of 24.
TALENS
Van Gogh – Super fine quality oil pastels made with artists in mind. Available as singles.
HOLBEIN
Oil pastels made in Japan. Available as singles.
MICADOR
Oil Pastels – highly concentrated pigments for strong colour lay down and smooth finish. Blends easily on paper with good colour stability in light. Available in sets of 12 or 24.
Large Metallic Oil Pastels – large pastels for fast colour lay down over bigger surface areas. Strong coverage and creamy consistency make these easy to use. Metallic finish creates a shimmer on dark surfaces. Available in sets of 12.
Large Water Soluble Oil Pastels – cover larger surface areas faster with these large sized, smooth oil pastels. Add water for fun watercolour effects. Available in sets of 24.
FABER CASTELL
Creative Studio Oil Pastels – vibrant coloured oil pastels with high pigmentation for optimum pigmentation. Super creamy consistency and ideal for mixed media. Acid free. Available in sets of 12, 24 or 36.
WAX PASTELS:
CARAN d’ACHE
Neocolour ll – water soluble wax pastels with a 126 colour range. Made in Geneva to high standards to ensure excellent light resistance and versatility with wet or dry application. Available as singles or as part of sets of 15 or 30.
You might think that pencil cases are pretty self-explanatory and, well, you’re pretty much right. Along with your classic canvas or material pencil case with a zipper, you can also find wooden pencil boxes, specialist reinforced fabric carrier cases and wraps to keep your pencils in order. And if not in order, at the very least they will be safe.
What we stock:
XPRESS
Marker Case
DELFONICS
Japanese made cloth pencil cases and pouches
DERWENT
Pencil Wraps
If you use a pencil, then it follows that at some point (pun unintended) you are going to need a pencil sharpener. The first pencil sharpener patented was made in 1828 by French mathematician, Bernard Lassimonne and was by all accounts pretty clunky and wildly unpopular. Since then, sharpeners have developed a myriad of designs that riff off 2 main designs: the prism which is static, with the pencil rotating or the planetary which is crank or electrically operated, moving around the pencil. You can also find sharpeners that are designed just for sharpening leads for that extra pointy end.
What we stock:
PRISMACOLOUR
Premier – barrel sharpener designed specifically to sharpen prismacolour pencils to a fine point. Ideal for pencils with a softer core. High quality steel blade keeps sharpness for a longer time.
LYRA
Wooden prism style sharpener. Available with a single or double barrel.
KOH-I-NOOR
Jumbo plastic prism style sharpener for jumbo pencils.
STAEDTLER
Metal Single Hole Sharpener – great for standard sized graphite pencils (up to 8.2mm diameter).
Single Hole Tub Sharpener – Plastic tub encases a metal sharpener to ensure easy, mess-free sharpening for standard sized graphite pencils.
Metal Double Hole Sharpener- for standard sized graphite pencils (up to 8.2mm diameter) as well as thick graphite and coloured pencils (up to 10.2mm in diameter).
Double Hole Tub Sharpener – Plastic tub encases a metal sharpener to ensure easy mess-free sharpening for standard size and thick pencils.
Mars – Lead pointer tub for 2mm leads. Automatic sharpening stop with a measurement device for adjusting the sharpening cone. It also features an integrated dust wiper.
BLACKWING
Long Point Pencil Sharpener – a sharpener the guarantees a long pencil point in two easy steps: sharpen the wood first and then precision sharpen the graphite core. Automatic inbuilt brake prevents over sharpening. Includes two spare blades.
DERWENT
Super Point – manual helical pencil sharpener with desk clamp and extendable. Creates super points for crisp, detailed work.
Hey there technical drawing gang, we’ve got a whole section just for you. Didn’t see it? It’s over here.
Water soluble drawing materials typically go on dry and then with the simple addition of water become a watercolour-y dream, typically displaying ink wash-like qualities of transparency and ability to move pigments around smoothly. Water soluble drawing materials are available in coloured pencil, graphite, pastel, marker and pen form.
What we stock:
Caran d’Ache
Museum Aquarelle – artist quality water soluble coloured pencils. Soft and smooth to apply with superior quality and lightfastness. Available in sets of 12 or 24.
Neocolour ll – water soluble wax pastels with a 126 colour range. Made in Geneva to high standards to ensure excellent light resistance and versatility with wet or dry application. Available as singles or as part of sets of 15 or 30.
Faber Castell
Albrecht Dürer – Artist Quality watercolour pencils. Fully water soluble 3.8mm leads bonded to prevent breakage with light-fast pigments. Available as single pieces or in sets of 12, 24 or 60.
Watercolour pencils – children’s quality eco pencils which include a brush and have intense, break resistant leads. Available in sets of 12 (brush included), 24 (brush and sharpener included), 36 (brush and sharpener included) 48 (brush, eraser, graphite pencil and sharpener included) or 60 (brush, eraser, graphite pencil and sharpener included).
Derwent
Watercolour pencils – watercolour pencil with a water soluble core which can be used on wet or dry paper. Available in sets of 12, 24, 36 or 72.
Inktense – vibrant and intense water soluble pencils that mimic the translucency of ink and purity of ink once water is applied. Use on dry paper and add water to blend or create washes. Permanent once dry. Available in singles or in sets of 12, 24, 36 or 72. Also available as pigment blocks in sets of 12 or 24.
Lyra
Rembrandt Aquarelle Pencils – high quality water soluble pencils with fine pigments. Vibrant and brilliant when used dry and wet alike, with excellent lightfastness. Available in sets of 12.
Koh-I-Noor
Progresso Aquarell – water soluble woodless colour pencils for use on dry or wet paper. Great for illustration or drawings. Available in sets of 12 or 24.
Derwent
Graphitint – subtly tinted graphite pencils which add delicate colour to graphite sketches. With the addition of water, the colours intensifies and becomes vivid. Excellent for landscapes, animal studies and classic portraiture. Available in sets of 24.
Derwent
XL Graphite Blocks – suitable for delicate line work and expressive tonal work alike, these blocks are subtly tinted and water soluble. Available in sets of 6 or as singles.
Art Graf
Water Soluble Graphite – available as putty, XL stick sets, pencils and blocks. Intense black carbon discs and pencils also available in this range. Also available in primary colour block sets.
Micador
Large Water Soluble Oil Pastels – cover larger surface areas faster with these large sized, smooth oil pastels. Add water for fun watercolour effects. Available in sets of 24.
Portfolio
Water Soluble Oil Pastels – bright vivid colour set with traditional creamy consistency. Great for dry blending and wet blending alike as well as scraffito techniques. Available in sets of 24.