Hello Lisa.

Welcome back to another edition of THE PENCIL CASE! As always, each issue focuses on a theme to encourage a fresh look at garden design and graphics. This week, let's explore PENS in celebration of our free masterclass this upcoming week: FIVE TIPS FOR SIMPLE GARDEN GRAPHICS.

THE ROLE OF PENS

I always use light pencil lines (hard lead) to layout my garden designs initially, but enjoy using pens to draw in my final lines. Pens are crisp, provide precise line weights and copy well onto bond paper. You don't have to use pens for your final drawing (softer lead pencils are also fine), but if you enjoy the detail pens provide, try them out.

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Proper line weights (line thickness) give your drawing depth and clarity. One line weight will make your drawing feel flat, while a variety, used in the right way, will assist in communicating your design as a three-dimensional space (image below). Proper line weights engage the viewer, which is pretty powerful. Don’t be afraid to use more than one pen to achieve this magic!   

A VARIETY OF PENS

Always strive to have pens that can give you very thin lines (for objects farthest away in plan view like paving) all the way up to thick ones (objects closer in plan view like trees). This may mean creating a collection of writing utensils from different brands and different numbers/sizes.

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My pen collection includes mechanical pens (like micron and Faber-Castel, plus many others for a wide range of lines), felt tip pens (for medium lines) and Sharpie markers (for thick lines). Honestly, I have an eclectic mix to get the range of line weights that make me happy. Feel free to buy a set of mechanical pens to start your collection (a good size range is .003-.08), then add additional pens as needed to fill it out. 

SOME OF OUR FAVORITES

We are fortunate to have an affiliate partnership with Blick Art Materials, so we can help you narrow down drawing tool choices. We get a small commission, plus you get a great price. Below are some of our favorite pens.

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MECHANICAL PENS

My final drawings are all in ink, so I like to invest in a wide range of pen thicknesses. A good range is .003 up to .08. You can use any brand you like. Some include: Micron, Faber-Castell, Uni-Pin, Prismacolor, etc. To start, try:

SAKURA PIGMA MICRON PENS

Includes one each of sizes 005, 01, 02, 03, 05 and 08

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SHARPIE FINE POINT MARKER 

This marker provides a thicker line that most mechanical pens can't create. I use these for taller trees, property lines and permanent structures like a house.

SHARPIE FINE POINT MARKER

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HIGHLIGHTING PENS

This white fine line pen is great to yes, you guessed it, create a highlight on a plant, container, furniture piece, etc. 

MOLOTOW ONE 4 ALL ACRYLIC MARKER

Let's do this!

Don't forget to grab your seat in our free masterclass, FIVE TIPS FOR SIMPLE GARDEN GRAPHICS. These take place January 9, 13, and 17...and we will discuss a bit about pens and line weights. ♥︎ 

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We are once again teaching GARDEN GRAPHICS TOOL KIT in just a couple of weeks (class begins January 21). If you'd like to learn how to draw landscape elements (with pen and pencil!), we'd love to have you join us. Enrollment opens January 9. If you're on the waiting list I'll send you a reminder. Please note: we only teach this course once a year.

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If you know someone that needs design inspiration, please feel free to share this newsletter. Anyone can subscribe right here. I also keep a VAULT of past issues in this secret location.

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Wishing you an abundance of kindness and beauty in 2024,

Lisa 

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PAPER GARDEN WORKSHOP

Thank you to Mandy Orgler for designing the lovely graphics in all these newsletters.