Introduction to: Water-soluble media (Patreon)

In this video and blog post Lancelot Richardson will run through the important qualities of some of the most common water-soluble drawing media. You can use the video for reference, skipping forward with the time stamps to find the information and demonstrations most relevant to your work - you'll find the themes picked out in the video play bar. You'll also find some extra material information and inspirational artists listed below.

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Introduction (from the start)

• Different forms of water-soluble media (33secs)
• Pros & cons of water-soluble media (3mins 43secs)

Water-soluable graphite (5mins 23secs)

• Dissolving graphite (7mins 08secs)
• Graphitint pencils (8mins 23secs)
• XL Sticks (9mins 4secs)
• Graphite Putty (9mins 44 secs)

Water-soluable coloured pencils (11mins)

• Price & quality (13mins 53secs)
• Uses (15 mins 13 secs)

Water-soluable crayons (15mins 54 secs)

• Markmaking (16mins 40secs)

Other:

• Brushes & accessories (18mins 53secs)
• Papers to use (22mins 9secs)
• Demo 1: Underdrawing & paper palette (25mins 26secs)
• Demo 2: Water-soluble crayon & spray (40mins 14secs)
• Demo 3: Ink & crayon (54mins 55secs)
• Demo 4: Artgraff (1 hr 3mins 14secs)
• Demo 5: Water-soluble Graphite (1 hr 7mins 20secs)

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Watersoluable drawing media 101

A thoroughly modern medium, water-soluble pencils and crayons have come into their own in the 21sty century. They are drawing media that can be dissolved in water, either by liquifying the mark made once it is on the page or drawing into a wet surface to create varied effects. Solid crayons can be directly wetted to use as a semi-liquid medium, or even be used like a paint pan - it is advisable not to directly wet water soluble pencils as the wood will soak up the water and weaken the pencil core.  Ongoing advances in the labs of coloured pencil manufactures are leading to annual improvements in these new media, but also mean that it can be difficult to find good historical examples of drawing made in similar media. It is challenging even to find contemporary artists who use water soluble media in their professional work - but we;'ve found some great examples below to inspire you! 

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Inspirational artists using water-solauble media today:

Lauren Marx

Lauren Marx (b. 1991) primarily works drawing media like pen, ink, and watercolor. Her work focuses on exploring the native flora and fauna of North America to further her fascination with life and death, historic religious symbolism in art, and her own mental health. Her work is heavily influenced by her love of scientific illustration, Medieval marginalia and bestiaries, as well as Renaissance religious paintings.

• Visit Lauren Marx's website here: www.laurenmarx.com 
• Follow Lauren Marx on Instagram: @laurenmarxart 

Totems by Lauren Marx, 2017, Ballpoint Pen, Ink, Watercolor, Colored Pencil, Graphite and Gel Pen on Hot-Pressed Watercolor Paper

Ann Thompson Nmcosky 

Ann Thompson Nmcosky gathers inspiration from her home in the North Carolina mountains and travels to the coast. She uses water-soluble crayons (Derwent Inktense sticks) to draw back into her paintings and describes her abstract work as "an intuitive response to a sense of place through the visual language of colour, form, and movement."

• Visit Ann Thompson Nmcosky's website here: www.nemcoskyart.com 
• Follow Ann Thompson Nmcosky on Instagram: @nemcoskyart

Sketchbook work by Ann Thompson Nmcosky

Graceina Samosir

Graceina Samosir is an artist currently based in Ottawa, USA. Her studio practice includes drawing, painting, and illustration using both traditional and digital means. Graceina Samosir’s work is driven by her thoughts and sentiments about her family, friends, peers, lovers, her ghosts, her shadows, her pasts, her aspirations, her bizarre and also surface level contemplations, and ultimately, herself (and the many parallel or alternate versions of herself).

• Visit Graceina Samosir's website here: www.graceinasamosir.com 
• Follow Graceina Samosir on Instagram: @graceinasamosir 

Drawing by Graceina Samosir