Many different media have been used in order to get marks on the paper which represent the two dimensional portrayal of life.  Some have fallen into disuse for reasons relating to difficulty of availability or the poor quality of the image rendered. Other media are used in drawing, but on a limited number of surfaces. 

 

 

Drawing With Chalk

Chalk is originally a type of white porous sedimentary rock.  Nowadays, chalk is made of several different materials.  For instance, blackboard chalk used for drawing and writing is generally made of gypsum.  Sidewalk chalk is usually made of gypsum also compressed into sticks about 3 inches long.

 

 

Drawing With Charcoal

Charcoal pencils are commonly used for drawing,  They are a softer medium than either regular pencils or chalk. Charcoal pencils are used for roughing a quick sketch of someone or something which will be covered by some other medium, usually paint,

 

Drawing With Colored Pencils

Colored pencils are a thin rod of graphite mixed with pigment and  enclosed in a wood sheath.  Occasionally a plastic or even paper sheath is used.  The use of graphite for pencils dates back to the mid 1500s when a large deposit of solid graphite was discovered in England.  It was thought to be a form or lead ore.  Its usefulness was immediately perceived and the deposits became so valuable that they were taken over by the crown.  Artists also perceived the value of the ore, but originally graphite for pencils had to be smuggled out of the mines.

Colored pencils used in drawing produce a smooth uniform look which can be smudged or smoothed to provide full coverage of an area..This gives a softer and smoother look than either pen and ink drawings or black pencil.

 

Drawing With Crayon

A crayon is a stick of colored wax, charcoal or chalk.  Oiled chalk is called an oil pastel, Wax crayons wrapped in paper are typically used by young children in school projects. Crayons have the advantage of being non messy, as opposed to ink or paint, They are also blunt, and are easy to work with. The Crayola crayon made is the most common brand.

 

Drawing Graphite

Graphite is the most common drawing medium.  It can actually be considered as a form of coal.

 

Drawing With Markers

These are sometimes called felt tip. These drawing tools are ink mixed with a liquid base.  The intensity of the solution is related to its use.  Highlighters are at one end of the scale and permanent markers at the other.

 

Inked Brushes

These brushes are used not so much for drawing as for very fine and detailed painting.  Certain types of calligraphy also use a brush rather than another tool.    

 

Drawing With Pen

Drawing with a pen is a very time consuming method.  Any shading that is done is accomplished by crosshatching to give depth and shadowing.

These are the major types of media which are used by the artist to express the picture he's trying to convey.  The drawing process can be used as a quick sketch situation in order to capture a look of short duration.  Drawing can also be used to rough out a picture to use as a basis for something more complicated--usually oils.