Sasha Anonyme
Funny Animal Artist
The world renowned artist and less renowned amateur author.
I create things with a slightly quaint and melancholic twinge.
If you want to get in contact for commissions, to give me feedback on any of my creative outlets, or just want to talk to me for fun, send me a message! Thank you for visiting!
Contact info:
And now, pencil reviews.
You are viewing this on a lit LCD (or OLED) screen that you can either hold in your hand, or that sits behind some sort of keyboard. IT'S ALL CRAP TO ME. What I really need in my life is a writing/drawing instrument that can give me splinters. I understand some other weirdos are like this too, so I will impart some of my knowledge upon you.
Favorite Pencils:
My favorite at the moment, and for a little while now, may be a little clichè. The BLACKWING 602 is the perfect middle space for me between a good writing instrument and a good sketching tool. The lead strikes a balance between being hard enough to be able to write with and not have to worry about too much smudging, and being soft enough to be able to get a good range of values. They may be like $2.50 a piece, but they're good. Definitely cheaper than my second fave: the CASTELL 9000 JUMBO in 2B, which retails in most places for around $4.00. It is a wonderful pencil, very very smooth lead, and dark enough to be able to satisfy my need for graphite. On top of that, I don't need to sharpen as often because there's just sooo much lead exposed at once. Perfect. It is also the same diameter approximately as a Surface Pen, which is what I use for digital painting. Only a faint, rosy memory exists in my mind of the HARVEST 320 PROFESSIONAL, which depicts this handsome yellow pencil performing the same little goldilocks trick as the BLACKWING 602, but with better point retention. This particular pencil is also dramatically cheaper, and is sold by a small little American company that has been making pencils continuously for a very long time. But you can't beat the glossy paint job, and the fancy little ferrule, of the BLACKWING 602. The Musgrave TENNESSEE ROUND is also a very good option if you're looking for a smooth, dark pencil. It's a bit more waxy than the 602, and it gives a little more of a satisfying drag along the page. Make sure you pair it with a good sharpener, SEE NEXT SECTION.
Sharpeners:
My new favorite sharpener is the CARL CUSTOM CC-2000. It's a handsome and very well made machine in the classic desktop schoolhouse style. The pencil goes in mediocre and becomes a beautiful writing instrument with a long, slightly concave point. Beautiful. My next favorite sharpener is the KUM 202. It is a cheap sharpener that I purchased for like $1.50 at a local art store, and it seems to be something that you can order easily in bulk. They come with an extra blade, which means you can ditch the first one if it turns out to be a dud, or if it gets dull. The stop at the end of the point is also very useful for making sure you can get a smooth, picture perfect point. For my jumbo CASTELL 9000, I just use a CASTELL 9000 sharpener. It gets a good point at a very narrow angle, which I absolutely adore.
Tips:
Get good paper okay? Your drawings are worth putting on paper with a higher weight than a composition book, so spring for an actual sketchbook/notebook. Even if you are just doing drawing in a casual way, especially if you are just starting out. If you are drawing/writing on bad paper, it won't give you the room to erase awkward lines or misspelled words, or to try out those new shading techniques you learned about. On top of that, it will just be nice to use. That's what matters. Do things because they feel good. Thank you for reading!!!