The gear I use
About two years ago, I started carrying a notebook around with me so I could sketch when the urge struck. My friend Alex Puvilland gave me my notebook number two, a Moleskine sketchbook, which is the kind I’ve used ever since. I’ve filled seven of them.
Moleskines are kind of the iPhone of sketchbooks: They’re ubiquitous, pricey, and their marketing is so blatantly geared toward making you feel like possessing one will make you a cooler person that I feel a vague sense of embarrassment at having succumbed. But I keep on using them anyway, because they’re just so well designed.
Nifty features: The pocket in the back is just right for holding airplane boarding passes and scraps of paper you don’t want to lose. The binding doesn’t fall apart no matter how much you kick it around. And there’s a ribbon to mark your place.
The paper is really thick. At first, I found it almost intimidating (as if it required a worthier drawing than just a casual scribble), but I got over that. It’s thick enough that I can draw on both sides without it showing through, which makes the book last twice as long.
It’s not good for watercolor; the paper is so smooth that the water just beads up and rolls off the surface. It will accept an India ink wash, like this sketch I did in Union Square. Watercolor pencils also seem to work OK.
Moleskine does make a watercolor notebook; I used one for these watercolor sketches, but I haven’t really gotten comfortable with it.
The pen I use most often is a Staedtler pigment liner, black, 0.3 nib. It’s not perfect, but it’s waterproof, and cheap enough that I can buy them by the dozen and always have an extra handy when I lose one (or when the cap gets lost, which happens a lot, as it tends to fall off when I stick it on the back end). I’m still looking for the perfect pen. I’d also love to find a brush pen that uses indelible India ink cartridges, but can’t seem to find one. Suggestions welcome.
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You are quite a talented artist. I love the one of Union Square. As far as pens go, I don’t have much experience myself but a how-to guide for drawing comics I own recommends a Rotring technical pen (they only give one consistent line however. But on the other hand I don’t think you are looking for a dipping pen for your sketches).
Many thanks for the detailed description of your tools – I was surprised by the 0.3 pigment liner – some of your sketching has a lighter, thicker look to the lines — almost like you were painting with watered-down ink of some kind.
I’ve been using a Moleskin notebook (awfully pretentious little thing isn’t it) for a few years ago for note-taking script/game ideas/thoughts, but the paper is not really suitable for sketching.. I’ll check out their sketchbook next time I’m at the book store.
Thanks again Jordan,
- Chris
Oh my god I totally agree with you about the Moleskines. Especially because the specific kind of coolness they advertise involves literary self-importance and a kind of Barnes&Nobel-level engagement with famous writers and artists of the past. It’s like aspiration marketing that in no way speaks to my aspirations.
But oh, how they feel in your hands!
I have been going through pens looking for the best myself. I have tried them all and the one that I have been using for the past few years is copic sp multiliner. Works on all different types of note/sketchbooks papers
Just a quick update – I picked up a set of Faber-Castell “PITT” artist pens – they are fantastic. The Brush nib in particular is great for sketching with.
Yeah, I like those too — I think the watercolor you mentioned was done with the brush pen. My only complaint is they don’t last that long, especially the brush pen which runs out of ink pretty fast. But the ink quality is nice.
Absolutely agree on the embarrassment front. I still find it hard to get over that initial intimidation factor when starting a new Moleskine. Which is ridiculous, really, because it’s just a bunch of uppity paper, and I’m pretty sure I could take it in a fight. Regardless, the Union Square sketch is lovely – so much so that I needed to be a pain and reply on a post from two weeks ago.
I like that approach you have on Moleskin
Me on the other hand make peace with using brands so I’m trashing it any way possible 
Even teared a piece of paper out of it once.
But I’m more on the pens subject. I’m having the same problem but recently I came across with this guy, Dustin Nguen. Wonderful comics covers artist, specializing on watercolors mostly and here’s his travel tools kit: http://duss005.deviantart.com/journal/24610344/
Hope you’ll find it useful.