Drawing materials?

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Hello.
I want to improve my drawing skills and will buy drawing materials.
I already have some pencils of different hardness.
Do you have any ideas of good materials?

Sketchbooks are always nice to keep, because you can work on the things that you enjoy.

Then there's the question of media. It's probably best to try these things to see what you prefer.
There are two kinds of charcoal. Some people prefer to use actual charcoal (also called vine or willow charcoal), which is lighter in color and easy to erase. Then there's regular charcoal (which is really a type of pastel), which is darker and messier.
Then there are two kinds of pastels. Oil pastels are essentially big crayons; they're clean and easy to use. Most people prefer dry pastels, which are messier but brighter.

other than the pencils you already have:

colored pencils
oil pastels
kneaded eraser
gum eraser
sharpener
smudger
paper
charcoal
and, importantly, spray fixative (so your work doesn't get ruined)

For just practicing drawing, I've enjoyed using the big newsprint pads, and either soft lead pencils or graphite sticks, and those thick leaded, wax-based pencils that you peel the paper strips off as needed, instead of sharpen, forgot what those are called...

No erasers in practice, you just turn the page and draw again, if it isn't turning out the way you like it.

I also have used printer paper, since I have so much of it. That way if a sketch comes out well, I can scan it.

_________________
Never assume you know what I'm thinking, just ask for clarification.
"Not everything that steps out of line, and thus 'abnormal', must necessarily be 'inferior'. " -- Hans Asperger (1938)

I find Daler&Rowney make great sketchbooks; they have hardbacks and cartridge paper.

Technical pens are good too, but it really depends on what type of drawing you want to do.

To be honest, normal printer paper and a 2B pencil will do in most cases, especially if it's just for practice.

I taught for 17 years from a book called Technical Drawing.
http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_giesecke_techdraw_13/
If you want more info just ask.

As somebody who went through two art schools and gained a degree in industrial design I find the most important procedure in drawing is is to learn whatever tools you have available and use them as constantly as you can find time. Draw from observation, life, photos, or whatever interests you. I have made some interesting drawings out of spilled coffee stains or splashed textile dyes or even shoe polish and mustard.and ketchup. The most important thing in drawing is your eye and mind and imagination. Look at gallery and museum exhibitions, comic books, graffiti, or whatever. If you keep at it you will learn. Nine tenths of what we each produce is crap. But that extra tenth is what makes the effort worthwhile. Grocery box cardboard or old Masonite coated both sides with gesso works fine and the cheapest newsprint paper is great for working. When you feel you are competent for doing finished work you can go into expensive materials and tools. But the most important factor is your mind and your experience and your deep interest in what you see and imagine.

I've done some brush and ink comic book work. It requires skill in using a good brush and learning the various techniques of brush use. You cannot do decent work with a bad brush. Windsor Newton sable hair #7 or #8 is good but they cost somewhere between $20 and $30 and have to be taken good care of. India ink should never be allowed to dry in them. They have to be washed well between use. You can test a good brush by wetting it in your mouth and seeing if it makes a good point that springs back when bent. It takes lots of practice to learn to use one well but the time and patience is worth it.

Windsor and Newton sable! I'd been trying to remember what my fave brush was years ago, but I'd been in digital mode so long, I had to kind of start over working in real life materials again.
(This is a helpful thread for me as well, since I have only just gotten back into working with non digital paint and materials again after too long a hiatus.)
Caran d'Ache watercolor pencils and acrylic mediums are great fun to work with... my faves.

_________________
Never assume you know what I'm thinking, just ask for clarification.
"Not everything that steps out of line, and thus 'abnormal', must necessarily be 'inferior'. " -- Hans Asperger (1938)

Thank you very much!
I had no idea that many of these things existed.

I am going to buy:
H-9B pencils, one hundred HB pencils, eighteen kneaded erasers, two eraser pens, forty-eight gum erasers, spray fixative, six blending sticks, a sketchbook.

Perhaps more later.

Why do you need so many pencils? o_o I draw A LOT and yet... 100 pencils are going to last several years.
I'd advise you to buy more paper, though. Especially different kinds of paper, with different textures. It's always useful to have something to choose from.

Cheap printer paper and a 0.7mm mechanical pencil usually work for me.

Be sure to check out Bristol paper for some nice grit or especially if you want to work with wet media.

If you're into figure drawing and need anatomy look up the books by George Bridgman. Many anatomy books concentrate on knowing all the muscles which can be deceiving and useful but not necessary in total detail. Bridgman concentrates on blocks of muscles and how they move as the body moves. It's knowledge of these interacting bulks that's important to understand and is helpful in constructing the shape of the body in drawing.