If you’re looking to complement your creativity and inspire your inner artist, drawing boards are incredibly useful tools. Drawing boards allow you to position your paper at an angle that’s right for you so you can work comfortably, get the correct perspective and direct your page towards a natural light source.

Commonly used by architects, the drawing board is also particularly useful for anyone wanting to do technical drawings. So whether you’re sketching out the inner workings of an engine, the skeleton of a building or even a new invention, having a sturdy, smooth surface to do it on makes all the difference.

Why use a wooden drawing board?

Still not convinced? Here’s why you should be using a wooden drawing board:

• Keep your art materials to hand – drawing boards have a built-in stationery holder so you can keep all your art materials to hand, while keeping them out the way of your drawing space.

• The board tilts – not only can you keep your hand at a more natural angle, the tilted board allows light to fall naturally onto your piece without bouncing off the page. The angled board also allows you to gain a more accurate perspective – vital when doing 3D drawings.

• Keep your drawings in place – with a lip at the bottom for your pad/art materials, you can keep your work in place. And if you need your page to sit higher up, it can easily be pegged onto the board. Doing this also allows you to position your page at specific angles while keeping your hands free.

• Positioning – having a separate drawing table means other surfaces around the house aren’t taken up, so you don’t need to tidy everything away every time you eat. You can also position your table wherever you like; whether that’s somewhere inspirational or near natural light.

• Extra storage – the drawers and basket underneath mean you always have somewhere to put your art tools like pencils, rubbers, rulers and paints.

• Sit at the right height – the accompanying stool means you’ll be sat at the right height for the board so you can always see your work clearly.

• Posture – Poor posture and hunching over computer screens not only puts stress on your back, but continued long-term, it can affect your body as a whole, causing pain and discomfort. The Hartleys Drawing Board with accompanying stool prevents you from hunching over, making you sit up straight and support your back using your core muscles rather relying on poorly positioned furniture to prop you up.

• Ideal for coursework – the large, flat smooth surface is 118cm by 62cm making it perfect for larger pieces including coursework as well as fine art. Students preparing their art GCSE, A-levels or degree portfolios can enjoy the space and precision a drawing board provides while working in the comfort of their own home.

Best art tools for beginners

If you’re new to art then starting off with pencils is the best way to go and having a drawing board is going to put you in the best possible position to achieve the looks, finishes and effects you imagine before starting a new piece.

Unlike paints, pencils allow you to rest your hand on the paper so you have more control. You can also go back and correct mistakes and blend as you go. Once you have mastered pencils, try adding more definition to your pieces with ink and a selection of art pens.

What art supplies do I need?

Making sure you have the right tools for the job in hand will really help you when it comes to perfecting your pieces.

Quality art tools

Whether you’re painting or drawing, making sure you go to a trusted art supplier will help you make sure that you have the right tools. Speak to the dealer and tell them what sort of piece you are looking to create and they will be able to advise you on what things to get.

Pencils

Pencils are very versatile and can be used to achieve all sorts of effects. And the best thing about them is that if you go wrong, you can easily rub it out! First choose a range of hardness – perhaps an HB, 3B and a 6B so you can experiment with different weights and what they can be used for.

Erasers

Erasers can be particularly helpful when you want to highlight certain areas in your pencil drawings. You can get different types of eraser so you can be more accurate than you expect.

Sharpeners

It’s also a good idea to invest in a decent sharpener to make sure you get the most out of your expensive art pencils! Many cheap sharpeners can break the point of your pencil, forcing you to shave off even more length. Another way of taking care of your pencil ends is to use sandpaper.

Drawing charcoal

Drawing charcoal is great for sketching as well as figure drawing. So if you’re planning on joining a life drawing group, having some drawing charcoal in your art tools box will help you bring movement and feeling to your drawings. They are also great for large areas and less detailed work.

Drawing pens and inks

Choosing a selection of good quality art pens will allow you to do much more detailed work for example technical drawings. Inks vary quite a lot so careful when you are choosing which one is right for you that you consider things like drying speed. Experiment with different types on a range of paper until you find the right one for you.