MATERIALS LIST:Waichulis Curriculum:Language of Drawing

Core Topics Materials
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Specific Materials used by the Ani Art Academies (for the Waichulis Curriculum Language of Drawing)

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DRAWING BOARD/PAPER
1-2 Drawing Board (s) (approx. 23"x26") (Item # 22945-1002)
30 sheets of Sky Blue Canson Mi-Teintes Charcoal Paper 19x25” (Item # 10710-5071)

PENCILS
30+ General’s Charcoal Pencils (6B-extra soft) or approx. three boxes. (Item # 20418-2061)
30+ White General’s Charcoal Pencils or approx. three boxes (Item # 20418-1001)
These should last you through the early exercises up to and including
The Full Pressure Scale Exercise.

ADDITIONAL
2+ Kneaded Erasers (Item # 21502-2620)
Pencil Sharpener(s) (any kind that you would prefer)
Manual: (http://www.amazon.com/Mitsubishi-Pencil-sharpener-manual-KH18-15/dp/B001U3RKJK)
Electric: (Item # 21403-1001) (or from www.officemax.com Item # 21680897)
1 Notebook/Sketchbook/Journal (any kind that you would prefer)
2 Pencil extenders (optional) (Item # 22922-0000)
2-4 Clips for securing paper to the drawing board (Item # 57321-1010)
1 Set of Compass Dividers (Item # 55481-1006)
1 Small Ruler 12" (Item # 55430-1012)
1 Large Ruler 24"or 36" (Item # 55430-1024, 55430-1036)
1 Mahl Stick
1 Pencil Box recommended: (from www.officedepot.com Item # 671053)
1 Easel for Home Use (Item # 51513-1001)

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Anthony, would you please update the info on the electric sharpeners? The item numbers do not seem to be valid. Thanks.

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Will do Cyndi!!! I’m on it~~~

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Can you recommend other brands of paper? I have troublemgetting the mi teintes version.

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The best match I have found to Canson Mi-Tientes Sky Blue is Fabriano Tiziano Light Blue. Some of my colleagues have found this to be a great substitute and was actually available in much larger sizes if needed. However, some gave put forward others—but I haven’t tried them do I cannot speak to their quality or kinship with Mi-Tientes.

Closest Matches

1. Hahnemuhle Ingres Pastel PaperLight Blue

It is reported to have a similar surface texture with a slightly softer tooth. It does boast a high-quality cotton content, excellent for pastels, charcoal, and colored pencil.

2. Fabriano Tiziano Light Blue or Sky Blue (only one I have experience with on this list.)

Another comparable texture to Mi-Tientes, but with a slightly softer feel (less tooth.) Tiziano is listed as being made from cotton and lignin-free cellulose, ensuring good archival quality.

3. Strathmore 500 Series Charcoal Paper Blue Tint

This is reported to be less textured than Mi-Tientes. but offers a laid surface for pastel and charcoal. Strathmore boasts 100% cotton here which would make it more archival and slightly softer.

4. Uart Pastel Paper 500 or 600 Grit in Blue-Tinted Options

This one goes in the other direction where tooth is concerned with a reported “sandier”surface. The hue seems to be fairly close to Mi-Tientes.

5. Colourfix Pastel Paper Storm Blue

This is another option with a significantly increased tooth and it is also darker in value. I understand that this is a good option for artists using mixed media.

Key Differences

Hahnemuhle Ingres and Fabriano Tiziano are the closest in texture and color. (Again, I only have experience with Tiziano.)

Strathmore 500 Series has a finer surface which could be problematic in terms of potential surface burnishes and breaches with applications of high-binder materials (like General’s Charcoal White) and significant layering efforts.

Uart and Colourfix have a sandier, grittier textures which might lessen the dangers of burnishes and breaches significantly—but softer materials like General’s Soft (6B) Charcoal pencil might get chewed up rather quickly.

If I come across anymore I’ll list them here (and ask anyone else reading this to do the same!)

Hope this helps!

Anthony

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Ah I see, it might be labeled “pastel” paper.

So, like this? https://www.jacksonsart.com/canson-mi-teintes-pastel-paper-160gsm-55x75cm-sky-grey

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Yes—some places can list it as pastel paper although I believe Canson has a pastel paper that has a very hi-tooth, hi-grit surface. Just make sure the description does not say “sanded surface.”

Upon searching, there is evidence Mi-Teintes Sky Blue (354) color may to have been discontinued. Some retailers seem to note that certain Mi-Teintes colors, including Sky Blue, are no longer in production. I’ll have to double check with our GM to see if we switched to Sky Grey or Light Blue.

UPDATE: We switched to Sky Grey some time ago. (Shows how oblivious I can be. :nerd_face:)

Here is the Sky Grey from where we order it (notice URL still says Sky Blue.):

Here is the Light Blue if interested:

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Are you using 6b because it teaches weight pressure?

Some YouTube said she recommended hb for thin lines.

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Hey Mattis!

The use of 6B charcoal in our curriculum is intentional and pedagogically grounded. The decision is tied to a number of empirical and practical factors critical to the program’s skill-development strategy, particularly in the areas of pressure control, value range development, and surface dynamics.

First, our curriculum places strong emphasis on deliberate pressure modulation—critical for developing the artist’s ability to produce perceptually effective tonal gradations and eventually, representations of forms. The use of 6B compressed charcoal, which is among the softest in standard drawing ranges for this material, maximizes the observable response to pressure changes. Because 6B allows for a broad tonal range—from very light applications to deep blacks—students receive strong visual feedback on even subtle shifts in pressure, enabling a more efficient calibration of mark-making behaviors.

This dynamic is front and center in foundational exercises like Pressure Scales and Gradation Blocks, where value development through pressure modulation is paramount. Softer materials like 6B are especially effective in this context because they require less physical pressure to generate darker values and allow for a more refined value continuum.

Second, the curriculum’s drawing surfaces—typically mid-value blue-based papers—are designed to work synergistically with uncompressed charcoal and white pastel. Softer charcoals like 6B allow for smoother interweaving of materials and broader surface maintenance with our selected paper. HB charcoal, by contrast, has a higher binder-to-pigment ratio, making it harder and less responsive, which restricts its value range and limits its pedagogical utility in early training phases.

Another advantage of starting with 6B charcoal is its capacity to reinforce controlled mark-making without requiring excessive pressure that could damage the drawing surface. This is crucial for developing fine motor control and mark intentionality—skills that directly translate to later stages of painting, where surface management is critical.

The recommendation from a YouTube source to use HB charcoal for thin lines may stem from a different set of drawing priorities/goals or perhaps even a misunderstanding of hardness implications. HB charcoal, while harder and potentially useful for sharp linework, is not optimal for pressure calibration or value development, and often fails to interact fluidly with the layered dynamics central to our exercises. It can also embed more deeply into the paper when pressure is increased, making corrections more difficult and interfering with layering.

In contrast, thin lines can still be achieved with 6B charcoal through point sharpening, touch control, and proper tool handling—methods explicitly taught in our program.

Hope this helps!

Anthony

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Thank you.

I am back at the easel. I gave up again, for the 5th or 6th time I think. But here I am again armed with AI to keep me grounded, and encouraged while sticking to the basics (your programs). Small steps and deliberate practice. Actually this is the first time (there is a first time for everything) that I feel I can learn how to draw and paint; that I know to push forward, when I hit a dead end.

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That’s truly great to hear—and a powerful example of what persistence paired with structure can yield. The path toward representational fluency is rarely linear. Re-engaging after setbacks, especially with a renewed focus on fundamentals and deliberate practice, is not a sign of failure but of increasing clarity and strength.

Remember, each return is not a reset—it’s an accumulation. The perceptual system thrives on repetition, calibration, and structured challenge. Sticking to the basics isn’t a step back; it’s how the most advanced skills are built. Small steps, when deliberate, are the surest path forward. You’re not alone in this process—and you’re not starting over. You’re starting again, smarter.

Keep going. :writing_hand::writing_hand::writing_hand::writing_hand:

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