Bright yellow trace, Pentel Sign pens, back Sharpie extra fine, red, black and blue Flair pens, drafting dots and a black plastic scale - these are the tools of my trade.
Years ago, I stopped needing the parallel ruler, although I still have it attached to my drawing board. No more plastic triangles, occasional use of a circle template, the same one I had in school. I can freehand draw an almost perfect circle and parallel curving lines.
I have perfected the art of ripping a sheet of trace off the roll using my triangle scale without shifting the layers beneath. Each trace layer represents the sequence of my thinking - as I create, I rework what is beneath, a fluid and connected process. The trace layers represent the preservation of the process, saving the design as layers until a final plan has emerged.
