Almost any flat material is a potential drawing surface as long as it will make a mark. Every surface has a quality for the artist to exploit. Beautiful drawings can be created on smooth concrete or plaster, wood works well with graphite, fibre board with compressed charcoal and so on. Polystyrene meat trays plastic plates cake dishes are all excellant for casting drawing surfaces in plaster or concrete. The most delicate drawings can be created on plaster using a graphite pencil, you will need a hb for structuring the drawing and a 6b for drawing up and toning. Warning! Do not use an eraser, it will smudge if you need to remove mistakes use a damp cloth-very lightly. To do tones, use fingers by rubbing over pencil marks you will be amazed at the tonal range achieved and delicatness of the finished drawing. Making a plaster drawing surface.

Materials required:

casting plaster

plastic container-ie-(meat tray-party plate-cake container or any other flat smooth container)

ice cream container spoon

Procedure
Fill container qtr full with spoon sprinkle plaster into centre of container until heaped 2cm above water-mix thoroughly with hands until creamy smooth--gently pour mixture into containers to desired thickness -tap edges of container until-level--(this also removes air bubbles--let plaster harden(about 1 hr)-carefully remove from tray--allow at least 4 days to dry-you are ready to draw--you can spray the finished work with lacquer which also enhances the image.