Journal · Little Shop of Crafts
Notes from the craft shop
Pencils, paper and tracing, written in New York.
Aug 2026Pencil grades: what H and B actually tell youThe letters on a pencil are a scale, not a brand code. Reading it correctly changes what you buy.Read →
Aug 2026Charcoal or graphite: choosing for the drawing you wantThey look similar in the box and behave completely differently on paper.Read →
Jul 2026Waterproof and archival ink: what the labels meanOne word on a pen decides whether your line survives a watercolour wash.Read →
Jul 2026What a light pad is for, and how to choose a sizeTransferring a rough onto good paper is why finished drawings look cleaner than the sketches behind them.Read →
Jul 2026Coloured pencils: layering, blending and paper choiceColour pencils reward patience more than any other drawing medium. Here is why layering works.Read →
Jun 2026Assembling a first drawing kit without wasting moneyA short list that covers almost everything, and the tempting extras that can wait.Read →
Notes from the shop
Practical writing about drawing and sketching supplies, from the people who sell it in New York.