Drawing is such a wide open area – you can draw with pencil, with pen & ink, colored pencils, pastels, charcoal, conte, or markers. Then within each of those mediums there are even more choices – hard or soft lead, hard or soft charcoal, fine-tipped pens or calligraphy pens. Do you want to draw in a sketchbook? On newsprint? On illustration board? On white paper, black paper or blue paper? Don’t get too overwhelmed or absorbed in making these choices – just try one at a time and see what you like. Dive in and get doodling.

How I Approach Drawing: As I said, with drawing the options just go on and on. Lately I have been having fun with my fine-tipped pens and a bottle of ink, because I am a detail-oriented person and I love focusing in on the small stuff. One of my college art professors – who taught my landscape course – used to tease me by saying, "You know, you don’t have to draw every single leaf."  I am still a bit intimidated by a blank piece of paper, but that is part of the challenge and what makes it exciting. These are some of the materials I like to work with, but what I recommend more than anything is just play, play, play.

Sakure Pigma Micron Pens. I love working with their 01 and 005 size for teen details. They have very soft tips, so don’t press down too hard!

Pencils. I’ve tried all kinds of pencils and I can’t say I’m attached to any one particular brand, although I like harder leads more than soft.

Colored Pencils. I’ve tried all kinds of colored pencils too, and here I’m partial to Prismacolor. For these, I like the soft leads. They feel almost creamy on the paper and can blend easily.

Charcoal Pencils. For when I want to get really dirty! I go for the softer leads for easy blending.

Conte Crayons. I love the white ones to help with shading & contrast.

Magic Rub Eraser….because I’m always messing up!

Inks. I’m not partial to one particular brand, I like to try different kinds and different colors. Lately I have been using my inks with a small brush and diluting them with water for shading and contrast.

Paper & Sketchbooks. I must confess, I have a paper problem. I can’t get enough of it, and no matter how many different kinds I try I still want more, more, more. I have spiral bound sketchbooks, hardcover books like this one for collaging, textured watercolor papers, illustration board, bristol board and other scraps and bits and pieces.

Because I am a professional illustrator, I try to challenge myself in different ways when I sit down on a Saturday afternoon to draw or sketch. So my drawings tend to be all over the map in terms of subject matter, ability and final outcome, but that is what makes it fun, and I love getting lost in my drawings. Suddenly I look up and an entire hour has passed like a drop of water through my fingertips.

Check out Danny Gregory’s blog, books & website for loads of drawing inspiration.