Graphite Powder, Derwent XL Graphite Blocks, Graphite Sticks, Graphite Drawing tips and Techniques

[@gorway7]

Have watched this several times since it was posted as I was considering trying a graphite powder but this convinced me to stick with the sticks. It seems to me that unless you are working on very large pieces, it is just a lot more convenient and versatile. The binder clearly works beyond that of holding the stick together too.

[@yeshuaiscomingbackrepent2357]

Faber Castell now has a MATT form of graphite pencil. I just saw the video today!

[@bevroberts8440]

Just an amazing demo you made and very relevant to me at this time as I'm taking a basic drawing class. I tried the woodless graphite pencils during your demo, but I used a sandpaper paddle to get the powder then the cotton ball and I was so pleased with the results. I hope to play around with using a wet paintbrush as you also demonstrated. Thanks so much for this video!

[@ionawoodart]

Thanks for that. It was really useful! I do also like the woodless pencil graphite and what it does when blending it. If you look carefully after applying, you can almost see foggy tree leaves and bushes! Love that!

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

You're welcome, glad it was useful to you, I love the effect the powder from the woodless pencils give for that very reason... you see something happening quickly and it starts to fuel the imagination, not so with the natural graphite powder, thanks for the comment Iona, much appreciated.

[@bartholoclumpdink7246]

I am exited to see what you will do with this new medium.

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Me too, especially looking forward to using it as a water-soluble medium.

[@thewest5329]

I wonder what causes the difference? Maybe the size of the graphite pieces? As in the graphite scraped is larger and thus doesn't spread as much? Just trying to think of what causes the difference.

[@jerzyk1293]

I was interested how powder and sticks work in drawing. Thank you for another interesting video. I rather stay with woodless pencils and use them the way I learnt from you. All the best.

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Hi Jerzy K, Yes woodless pencils do seem to work the best in my opinion, thanks for taking the time to comment, All the best to you too!

[@Twistnthewind]

I make a dauber from some cotton balls wrapped in a square piece of t shirt material........load the cotton balls with powder and add more as needed.......much neater and gives nice even tones.

[@johanneremillard263]

WoW good idea, i Nevers thought of using water and graphite. I love the effect.

[@monicahatting8459]

That's interesting. I paint animals in pastels, I thought the charcoals would add an interesting change. I've enjoyed your videos. looking forward to the next 1. Have a great day.

[@roseclasper9341]

Wow, thanks i found this video. I am a newbie, i have a woodless graphite and find it interesting to explore than a charcoal. Well, I might stick to this medium.. I subrcibe to your video and consider me as your fan. P.S am 43, and never too late to be in the world of drawing..

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Hi Rose, and welcome to the channel, you're right ... never too late to start drawing, There are members on my patreon channel that took up drawing in there retirement and are doing really well.

[@katrinweigel3796]

I wonder wether you can fixate the powder in order to keep the structure when it sprayed right out of the bottle. Have you any information on that?

[@izakpolman6280]

Thanks for the demonstration.

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

You're very welcome Izak! thanks for commenting.

[@geertjanjanssen5983]

It’s wonderful very useful

[@annamel30]

I love your works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Thanks, that's nice of you to say, much appreciated.

[@TheArtGearGuide]

Fantastic video Smoothie mate as usual, really good information and demonstrations on the different range of graphite and the various forms it comes in. Hope you are well my friend.

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Hi Harry! yes I'm very well thanks, hope you are too! Thanks for the kind words my friend, looking forward to more videos from you!

[@virginiaholliday6952]

I wish I'd seen this before I wrote you last night. It seems that the jar of powder would be good for skin. Thanks again.

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Sorry Virginia I thought you had watched this video, if I had realized you hadn't watched it I would of posted a link to this video for you in the comments last night. Anyway no worries, I hope it helped you.

[@gnostie]

Aside from inflated prices art supplies seem to attract, what's the difference between 'art' graphite powder and the ordinary graphite powder one uses for locks and what not?

[@glenmiller6404]

the woodless pencils are what I have used.. was interested in the powder.. but now not so much ! good info... thanks !

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

You're welcome Glen, Yes, stick with the woodless pencils, they are the best, but the Derwent graphite in XL blocks or graphite stick is worth considering too.

[@glenmiller6404]

will look into them ! thanks

[@pstanyer1]

very nice what eraser were you using?

[@matthewwahl4737]

Hi smoothie i was wondering if you know anything about a 10B,12B and 14B pencils? I recently ended up with a set called Color more. Normally I have a hard time finding a set without a 9B and now I'm stumped to finding others like the 10B 12B and 14B.

[@mar.architect1722]

Thanks for your video , and please can u tell me how to perfectly sharpen graphite pencils ??

[@LinekeLijn]

Hi Smoothie! This one slipped my attention, I never got any mail in my little box ^.^ Thank you for sharing!!! Big like from Lineke ;)

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

No worries Lineke, it happens to me too, I think sometimes youtube forgets to send the notifications, Big thank you from smoothie:)

[@LinekeLijn]

Hehehehe... same here ;) I am uploading as we speak btw ;) Hear you soon ^.^

[@paulmurphy4943]

hi Smoothie, I would be tempted to use a fixative spray with the powdered graphite, that way you can build up layers to obtain darker areas

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Thanks for the suggestion Paul, I have a bottle of workable fixative, might give that a try.

[@paulmurphy4943]

smoothie77 I use the Blair spray fixative on my finished drawings anyway as I feel that it prevents the drawing from being smudged or damaged in the future. btw graphite is not toxic, it is pure carbon but it would obviously have long term affects, just look at coal miners in history

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Thanks for the info Paul, much appreciated:)

[@katrinweigel3796]

Maybe the powder works nicely with bigger formats?

[@candiceguzmanpetravillegas8973]

Very helpful. Thank you!

[@lupotiamo4887]

I adore your videos and your humble attitude, I subscribed for your awesome videos and your review on this. You are very helpful for advance artist and beginners :D also, a highly skilled artist. How long have you been drawing (rendering) with graphite?

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Thank you for the kind words Brandon, much appreciated! I have been drawing (on and off) for about 28 years

[@lupotiamo4887]

smoothie77 No problem at all :D

[@virginiab4543]

Thanks so much for your product reviews and I love your instructional videos as well. One request though can you increase your volume somehow when you're recording I have my volume up full and I still can barely hear you

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Thanks Virginia, a very small number of people have mentioned the same issue, I honestly don't know what more I can do, all my recording and volume settings are set at 90% if go any louder the sound distorts, I even got a new laptop with a better sound card, and a new Samson mic last year, that greatly improved things. Is it all of my videos you're having trouble with, or just some?

[@weefirebelle]

Hi Jon, I have been enjoying your videos. Your graphite artwork is beautiful, and so inspiring. I love working with coloured pencils, also graphite pencils and have learned quite a few tips and techniques from your videos. I wondered if this idea is useful to you, that's if you've not tried it already. I made my own graphite powder easily using woodless pencils in my hand cranked sharpener. This idea was derived from a maintenance by-product, I heard it is a good idea using graphite to keep your hand cranked sharpener sharp and lubricated. So as not to waste my woodless pencils, I peeled the plastic coating off the graphite, and empty the drawer of old pencil shavings and clean the blade barrel from the sharpener. I can then collect the dust shavings from the graphite in a small container. This way I can label the grade of collected graphite powder and use it as required. Also I remember seeing a video using Koh i nor polycolor greytones pencils but can't remember where, I've watched quite a few KZbin videos recently but I'm pretty sure it was one of your videos though. If I'm correct, please could you let me know which video it was?

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Hi Alexandra, Thanks for the tip about graphite powder, I think the video you were referring to might have been this one kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYKpZqOHrKuhsJY

[@weefirebelle]

Thanks so much, yes this was the video I remember. I loved the texture of the wall so much that I ended up looking for and buying this set of pencils, even although I probably could have used what I already had; i.e. FC polycolors, Derwent Signature and Derwent Drawing, Lyra Rembrandt, CD Luminance, Prismacolors to name a few. Okay I admit, I have a serious pencil collection issue. I'm wondering if there is a follow-up video finishing this painting?

[@gorway7]

I had no idea the Derwent graphite blocks were water soluble - Can you apply a wet brush to the block and load up like that or is it better to apply to the paper first? The only block I own is a 15- 20 year old 9B Hardmouth? hexagonal stump I use for trace down, but i'm pretty sure mine is not water soluble - well not to a wet brush.

[@timk.1395]

I use a brush to pick up water soluble graphite from a Derwent pencil and apply it like paint to paper. Also mixed into a wash on watercolor paper.

[@jaguar661000]

Hi Smoothie. I watched a video by Jan Szymczuk on using graphite powder. He used his fingers mostly to do a picture and it turned out really well. I though you might be interested in checking it out.

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Hi Bonnie, thanks, I have watched that video its very good, thanks for the comment.

[@ianjackson5834]

thanks for the info, cud the derwents have carbon in them (I.E. charcoal) as hybrid pencils have that in them?

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

I don't think Derwent put carbon in them.

[@monicahatting8459]

hello, great video. I've not tried those sticks. I have just recently bought the Derwent tinted charcoals. Have you tried those?

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Hi Monica, yes I have a set Derwent tinted charcoals, haven't used them much , charcoal is something I don't much anyway but I thought the tinted charcoal might be nice to use with pastel pencils, they seem to work well.

[@72secondprize]

Another really helpful video. You keep saying erase - when you are first putting in the trees - but it looks like you are using a white pencil???

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Its a pencil eraser I'm using, not a white pencil, thanks for the comment.

[@72secondprize]

Cool. Thanks for the response. Love watching your videos. You've got me back into drawing! x

[@NilRochaArt]

i like I like it,thanks....

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Thank you Nil.

[@Barbeque_Sauce_1234]

The powder doesn't need to be reactive to mess up your lungs.

[@JAsisterti]

I love that you're creating a landscape lol - A lot of reviewers just do swatches, and it makes so much difference to see actual artwork. Thank you!

[@rosdibinrafaat7657]

Oh, I know fire wood wait stop put black after take put knife sand black in tin save for drawing use can.

[@UltramarineBlu]

Very helpful video, thanks! I wondered about the difference between graphite powder and woodless pencils. Maybe graphite powder could be useful when drawing portraits, it takes a while to get smooth tones with pencils, I could give it a try :)

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Yes I think graphite powder would be good for the subtle tones in portaits especially if applied with a soft brush, definitely worth a try, thanks for taking the time to view and comment

[@adrianocosta4332]

Mneiro

[@carolblyth5854]

Graphite cannot be water soluble...a chemical impossibility : I think you mean it moves with the surface tension skin so blendable when wet ?

[@smoothie77drawingpainting]

Manufacturers such as Derwent, Artgaf, Faber Castell, and many more use the term " water-soluble graphite" to sell their water-soluble graphite pencils and other water-soluble graphite products, so I think its fair to use the same term in this video,