Note: This review highlights specific products I actually use on a daily basis. This is neither a sponsored post, nor an ad. However, the links within this post lead to the specific products on Amazon using an affiliate link. So, if you happen to purchase these products through the links below, I may receive a commission from the sale.
Everyday, for almost 700 days now, I have been creating notes for my children and others. As the audience has steadily grown during that time, I have received some questions about the tools I use and if my process has changed at all.
Lunch Note Sketch tools
Let me start by explaining my process, which has not changed much in nearly 2 years. Every lunch note is done on a Post-it® Brand sticky note, and each sketch starts with a mechanical pencil. Starting in this way allows me to sketch lightly, erase, and fine-tune as necessary. When words and objects on the note start to overlap, I typically think in terms of layers. For example, if the words on the note will appear behind the infamous narwhal, I will sketch the words on one note and the narwhal on a separate note. Once I get to a point where I’m happy with the sketch, I will use the same pencil to darken the lines I want to keep for the final note.
At this point, I utilize a light box to trace the pencil sketch using a black Pigma Micron pen. If the sketch has layers, I start by drawing the thing that will appear on the top layer. In this particular case, the thing appearing on top is the narwhal. Once the narwhal is complete, I then move to the letters/words in the note. Being able to see the full letter is helpful and allows me to move the words around to create a more appealing composition.
Once I am done with the pen, that’s it. My children get the pen-on-a-sticky-note version of the sketch everyday. For presentation online and on social media, I take it a step further. Part 2 of this two part series will walk you through what takes place to clean up and color the final digital sketch.
If there are tools you use for your work, please share in the comments. I would love to hear how other artist parents make their creations.
The tools highlighted in the post above include the following:
Post-it Notes, 3 in x 3 in, Canary Yellow
Paper Mate Write Bros Mechanical Pencils, 0.7mm, HB #2
Sakura Pigma Micron Ink Pen Set
AGPtEK LED Tracing Light Box 14.7" x 9.45" Inch Drawing Tablet