What's in my bag ?
Okay then maybe I lied a little bit... maybe you need a little bit more than a pencil to be one of the best artists in the Wild West. But it's not totally lost! Before we begin, any good cartoonist must arm himself with the right equipment (especially when talent is lacking... ahem).
Go to Big Town Books, I'll give you the list of supplies!

• Graphite pencil (for sketching)
• Conté pencil (for shading)
• Dip pen
• Ink (for neat sketches)
• Fusain (for abstract or expressive drawings)
• Verged paper
• Sketchbook

And before you ask... Yes, erasers were a thing already so don't fear making mistakes! Throw yourself into it and... draw something, anything.
Obviously, each material is suitable for a certain type of drawing, and that's what we're going to see now!

A hobby or a public utility?
When we talk about drawing, we often think of beautiful works, the purely artistic side, linked to leisure. Indeed, many people used this art either to decorate, their travel diaries, their home (the native peoples for example) . In general, these were portraits, representations of places or landscapes that they encountered during their adventures.

However, the art of drawing had many other uses! Beyond mere self-expression, it was often used as a means of communication, through newspapers, classified advertisements, etc. These include the work of Theodore R. Davis, whose work could be considered the ancestor of the graphic designer or illustrator.

If we go even further, we can also look at a slightly more scientific side of drawing. Some artists used their talent to illustrate scientific works or historical documents whose sketches are still being studied to learn about the accuracy of past elements. Others, like Richard Kern, were drawing... plans! Plans of roads, cities, regions... In short. Maps that anyone could use. Not bad, right?

Who can draw then? (Spoiler: anyone)
Yeah you heard right. Even YOU can be an artist if you want to. Whether you're a pioneer, an outlaw, a totem bearer or a cowboy, you'll always find it helpful to doodle on a piece of paper.