Pettibon works primarily with India ink on paper and many of his early drawings are black and white, although he sometimes introduces color through the use of pencil, watercolor, collage, gouache or acrylic paint.
Pettibon bekerja terutama dengan tinta India pada kertas dan banyak dari awal gambar-gambar hitam dan putih, meskipun kadang-kadang ia memperkenalkan warna melalui penggunaan pensil, cat air, kolase, guas atau cat akrilik.