How to Choose the Correct Drawing Pencils©
Posted: Monday, September 26, 2011
by Arlene Wright-Correll
http://www.learn-america.com
This week’s “Art Only Spoken Here” email question asks, “I loved reading about erasers in the paper last week since I dabble a little in drawing and sketching. Can you give me any suggestions on pencils?”
Most of us were brought up with the yellow no. 2 pencil, usually containing HB lead and it will work well for drawing and sketching. However, for the artist, there is a whole world of pencils out there such as mechanical art pencils which create consistent lines of equal width, lead holders which can be found in the drafting section of art stores along with various grades of 2mm lead to place in these holders and the difference between lead holders and mechanical pencils is that lead in the holders can be sharpened whereas mechanical pencils cannot.
Graphite pencils are often called lead pencils and they differ from charcoal pencils. The lead in the graphite pencils consists of graphite mixed with clay and placed in the wooden holder and are available in many grades which create a slight difference in the darkness depending on the brand you purchase. Often they create a shine on the drawing as light hits the surface of your paper and you will discover they rarely come in more than 3 or 4 degrees of darkness.
If you have not used a Carbon Pencil try them as they combine the darkness of charcoal with the smoothness of graphite and can be used with either charcoal or graphite in a single drawing creating interesting effects.
Though creating limited subtle tones one might want to try working with Ebony Pencils which are very dark graphite pencils.
Wash pencils are water soluble graphite pencils which may be applied wet or dry to watercolor paper.
As to pencil grades there are about 20 grades of graphite pencils from the softest to the darkest ending at 9B and the lightest to the hardest ending at 9H. It is only you, the artist who can determine what grade you want to work with so you should be experimenting.
Most artists work with 2H, HB, 4B and 6B. When you buy these buy several 6B as they wear out the fastest.
I do hope this information helps you and I thank you for a great question.
May the Creative Force be With You….
Arlene Wright-Correll
All drawings created by the author.
Questions? Just email me at askarlene@scrtc.com
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)What a marvel. My aunt and great aunt worked with pencil and pottery. I admire this because I wasn't blessed thusly. Thanks so much for the taste of such beauty.Anyone can learn to do this. I know it to be a fact because I teach people who swear they cannot draw a straight line to draw like this.I agree. I just have not taken the time. Love it.
Thanks for the info- I like to draw, and am pretty good.You are welcome. Keep up your art work.
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