A simple pencil is something so familiar that in childhood we drew on wallpaper, at school we made notes in textbooks and drew triangles on geometry. Most people know that this is just a “gray” pencil, those who had drawing in school know a little more about it, artists and representatives of several other professions who use pencils in their work know its real beauty.
A little about simple pencils.
In the usual sense, a simple pencil is graphite in a wooden shell. But it's not that simple. After all, a “gray pencil” can have different shades, depending on the degree of softness of the lead. The lead consists of graphite with clay: the more graphite, the softer the tone, the more clay, the harder.
The pencils themselves are also different: in a typical wooden shell, collet and solid graphite.
Let's start with wooden ones.
I will describe pencils and other materials that I have and use regularly. Not all of them look like from a shop window, but understand that it is quite real =)
So, a set of pencils "Koh-i-Noor", 12 pcs. The company is familiar to everyone; these pencils are available in any office supply store and you can buy them either in boxes or individually. Their price is quite affordable and accessible.
The pencils are good, but individually you can buy fake ones with bad wood and lead.
This set seems to be for artists from 8B to 2H, but there is also the same one for drawing, it is dominated by hard pencils.
Set of pencils "DERWENT", 24 pcs. Tones from 9B to 9H, some with 2 pieces of the same type (I’ll write below why this is convenient). In fact, I practically don’t use pencils that are softer than 4B and harder than 4H, since “DERWENT” pencils are already much softer than the same “Koh-i-Noor”, so I don’t even know what to draw, for example, with a 7B pencil, if it so soft that it leaves behind graphite crumbs.
The pencils are of high quality, sharpen well, and do not break, however, at first you need to get used to their, hmm, smell. However, after two weeks it disappears.
Set of pencils "DALER ROWNEY", 12 pcs. Very soft pencils from 2H to 9B (see below for comparison of markings) in a compact pencil case.
The pencils lie in two rows, so when drawing you need to remove the top row
And, of course, Faber Castell. There are no complaints about these pencils, but the increased softness is not inferior to "DERWENT".
We do not have boxed versions for sale, we only have two series of individual ones.
Cheaper series
And recently a slightly more expensive, but very stylish series appeared. The “pimples” are quite voluminous and thanks to them and the triangular shape of the pencil, it is very pleasant to hold and draw with them.
The softness of a pencil can be seen not only by the markings, but also by the color of the head, which matches the tone of the lead.
In addition to these manufacturers, there are many others (such as "Marco", "Constructor", others), which for some reason do not suit me personally, but this is not a reason to ignore them, so you can try everything.
In addition to the sets, I buy the most used pencils from the same brand and the same markings as in the box.
I always have two pencils 2B, B, HB, F, H and 2H. This is necessary because when drawing you don’t always need a sharpened pencil, so I have one pencil, for example, 2H, sharp, and the second with a blunt rounded tip. A “blunt tip” is needed when you need to dial in tone without leaving a clear trace of the stroke. This was not taught in art, but, as practice shows, it is very convenient and many artists, masters of a simple pencil, do this.
Collet pencils. They have already been written about a little earlier. I repeat again that they are good in all field conditions or on the road, but in the workplace it is better to draw with wooden ones.
An undeniable advantage of collet pencils is the thickness of the rod, or rather the variety of this thickness.
Crayons come in sizes from 0.5 mm (07, 1.5, etc.)
And up to a very impressive thickness of soft technique rods
Solid graphite pencils. They consist entirely of graphite in a thin shell, so as not to get your hands dirty.
Here I have “Koh-i-Noor” pencils, I don’t see any others on sale. In principle, I use them even less often than collet ones, because they are not very convenient to sharpen and in few places there is a need to draw with the entire thickness of the rod. Another significant disadvantage is that they fight...
A little about labeling.
Let's start with the fact that each company has its own. That is, the marking seems to be standard from 9B to 9H, but, as can be seen in the figure below, the “DALER ROWNEY” NV and the “Koh-i-Noor” NV are two different NVs. That is why, if you need pencils of varying degrees of softness, they should all be taken from the same company, preferably in a set.
"Faber Castell No. 1" is the series that is cheaper.
“Faber Castell No. 2” - with “pimples” (in fact, I don’t have “F” ones, it would just be somewhere like that).
Actually, about the softness and hardness of pencils.
Hard pencils are N-9N. The higher the number, the harder/lighter the pencil.
Soft pencils - B-9B. The higher the number, the softer/darker the pencil.
Hard-soft pencils - HB and F. With HB everything is clear - it’s the average between H and B, but F is a very mysterious marking, it’s the middle tone between HB and N. Either because of its unusualness, or because of the tone, but I use this pencil most often (only “DERWENT” or “FC”, with “Koh-i-Noor” it is very light).
There are also Russian markings “T” - hard, “M” - soft, but I don’t have such pencils.
Well, just to compare
Bottom line - DALER ROWNEY, darkest pencils.
The penultimate line is Loki's "DERWENT-sketch" set, it's a little different from mine (top DW).
Third from the bottom are some Marco pencils. They have the most alternative markings because 6B is darker than 8B and 7B is lighter than HB. That's why I don't have them.
As an example of use - my drawing "Curious Fox"
The lightest tone is snow, it is drawn with an 8H pencil (DW)
Light fur - 4Н (Koh-i-Noor) and 2Н (FC№1)
Mid tones - F (DW and FC#1), H (DW and FC#1), HB (DW), B (FC#1 and FC#2)
Dark (paws, nose, contours of eyes and ears) - 2B (FC#1 and FC#2), 3B (FC#1), 4B (Koh-i-Noor)
Review of erasers -
The filling in pencils can be different:sanguine, sepia, sauce, pastel, chalk...
I use a chalk pencil to apply highlights on tinted (colored) paper and craft paper.
I also like charcoal in pencil form.. And your hands are clean, and it’s easier to draw an accurate line. And it doesn’t creak :)
But in this article we will talk
about simple pencils
You will learn:
- how to mark the hardness of a pencil(T, M, TM, H, B, HB and F)
- how to find out the capabilities of your pencils(video)
- Why do artists need hard, soft and hard-soft pencils?
- how to lighten pencil on paper(nag and bread)
- How to secure the drawing so that the pencil does not fall off(the method is also suitable for charcoal, chalk and pastel).
- and how to quickly learn to draw with a pencil
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We call a pencil “simple”, but it is graphite or black graphite, that is, it has graphite in the middle. Artists distinguish graphite pencils by the hardness of the lead. Pencils can be soft, hard, or soft.
How to find out the hardness of a pencil
Look at Russian pencils and notice the marking letters:
M - soft
T - hard
TM - hard-soft
Europeans also sign pencils with letters:
H (Hardness "hard") - hard,
B (Blackness "black") - soft,
HB - medium,
F (Fine point "detail") - in terms of rigidity it is between hard-soft and hard.
Both Russians and Europeans put numbers in front of letters. This shows how hard or soft the pencil is:
2M and 2B are softer than soft.
3M is softer than 2M
2T and 2H are harder than solid.
3T is harder than 2T
WATCH THE VIDEO:https://youtu.be/rMlWE8KCInI
In the days of shortages, it was difficult to imagine pencils with a softness greater than 2 M (2B).And a few years ago I saw pencils up to 8B softness on sale. For drawing and graphics, these pencils are simply great.
How to Know the Capabilities of the Pencils You Have
Don't rush to the store for new pencils. Take the ones you have at home. Different tones can be conveyed with one pencil, if you know what a pencil is capable of.
Watch the video on how to test the pencils you have.
You will also learn: why sharpen a long lead and how to shading.
Why do artists need hard, soft and hard-soft pencils?
Hard pencils: from 2T (2H) to 9T (9H):
Hard pencils are paler and the lines are sharper.
Artists use hard pencils for three things: light colors, subtle sketching, and detailing. But be careful with pencils harder than 3H, they can scratch the paper.
If you want to make a light sketch, do not press on the pencil. Then pencils are drawn with thin, light lines, almost imperceptible. Before sketching, check on test paper that the pencils do not scratch.
If you have already completed a pencil drawing, but want to make the outlines clearer, outline them with a hard pencil. If you want to highlight details or texture: strands of hair in a drawing, or show the hardness of a stone, a hard pencil will also help you.
Light colors are conveyed with hard pencils. To achieve a dark tone, novice artists press hard on a hard pencil, tear and scratch the paper. If you want darker lines, take a softer pencil.
What to draw H (hard) and HB (hard-soft):
Pencils with softness H or HB are good for drawing under any paint in painting, because they do not smear and do not stain the paint.
Artists also use them to draw a base for a pencil drawing. And then they add dark and light tones with soft and hard pencils.
What to draw with soft pencils (2B and above):
Use a 2B pencil to draw clear lines, highlight dark areas and highlight details.
The softer the pencil, the darker and bolder the mark it leaves. The softest pencils leave fuzzy lines and show the texture of the paper. They convey blackness and thick shadow.
Soft pencils are easier to shade. To shade means to smear, to rub. Artists shade with a napkin, an eraser, a special shading tool and a finger. Tone transitions become smoother. And the volume looks more realistic.
Some art teachers prohibit students from shading strokes - don't limit your creativity. There can be no prohibitions in creativity. Otherwise it is not creativity.
As soon as you have the question “is it possible...?”, then immediately answer yourself - IT IS POSSIBLE!
Experiment!
You can shade, you can shade, and most importantly, you can break any prohibitions if it does not harm you and other people.
Let's go back to our pencils :)
Sharpen 7B, 8B and 9B pencils carefully because the lead is soft and cuts like butter. A still soft pencil crumbles from the drawing, like chalk, pastel and charcoal. I will write at the end of the article how to secure them.
How to lighten pencil on paper
To lighten the pencil on paper and not smudge it, they came up with a kneaded eraser.
Roll the nag into a ball and roll the ball over the area you want to lighten.
If there is no nag, then take a crumb of bread. But first, check on a piece of paper to see if the bread leaves greasy marks. This is what artists did before the invention of the nag.
What is a nag:
Special soft elastic band. A klyachka is a very soft eraser like plasticine. It is sold in art stores.
An ordinary eraser ruins the paper, but a kneading eraser does not. The nag removes the graphite, but does not remove the top layer of paper. Artists use it to remove dirt from the sheet, highlight it, and erase it. You can also fashion a long, sharp tip from it and use it to erase fine lines and small details.
Draw carefully with soft and hard pencils.
The softer the pencil, the more difficult it is to erase it with a regular eraser. It will spread across the sheet and leave stains.
Use a nag.
How to secure the drawing so that the pencil does not fall off
To prevent the design from smearing and crumbling, you can cover it with a fixative. But since the fixative is expensive, I often cover it with a simple colorless hairspray.
Drawings made with soft pencils, chalk, sauce, charcoal, as well as pastels are best covered with a special fixative, or sprinkled with clear hairspray. But only when the drawing is completed, because it is difficult or impossible to complete the drawing using the fixative.
Sometimes hairspray will darken light colors, so test on a sample sheet of light colors before spraying on your design.
Spray the varnish carefully, do not bring the can too close to the painting.
A pencil is a graphite rod in a wooden frame made of soft wood, such as cedar, approximately 18 cm long. Graphite pencils made from naturally occurring unprocessed graphite were first used in early XVII V. Before this, lead or silver rods (known as a silver pencil) were used for drawing. The modern form of lead or graphite pencil in a wooden frame came into use in early XIX V.
Typically, a pencil “works” if you guide it or press the lead onto the paper, the surface of which serves as a kind of grater, splitting the lead into tiny particles. By applying pressure to the pencil, the lead particles penetrate the fiber of the paper, leaving a line, or mark.
Graphite, one of the modifications of carbon, along with coal and diamond, is the main component of pencil lead. The hardness of the lead depends on the amount of clay added to the graphite. The softest brands of pencils contain little or no clay. Artists and draftsmen work with a whole range of pencils, choosing them depending on the task at hand.
Once the lead in a pencil wears off, you can continue to use it by sharpening it with a special sharpener or razor. Sharpening a pencil is an important process that determines the type of lines the pencil makes. There are many ways to sharpen pencils, and each of them gives its own result. The artist should try to sharpen pencils in different ways in order to know which lines can be drawn with a particular pencil when in different ways sharpening.
You need to know well the advantages and disadvantages of a pencil, like every material you work with. Different brands of pencils are used for specific purposes. The next section discusses some types of drawings, indicating what brand of pencil or graphite material they were made with.
The examples given give an idea of the strokes and lines made with different pencils. While looking at them, take your pencils one by one and see what strokes you can get with one pencil or another. Not only will you want to try each pencil and discover new drawing possibilities, but you will suddenly find that your “pencil sense” has increased. As artists, we feel the material we use, and this influences the work.
Materials and examples of strokes and lines.
HARD PENCIL
With a hard pencil you can apply strokes that are almost the same from each other, except perhaps in length. Tone is usually created by cross-hatching. Hard pencils are designated by the letter H. Like soft ones, they have a gradation of hardness: HB, N, 2H, ZN, 4H, 5H, 6H, 7H, 8H and 9H (the hardest).
Hard pencils are commonly used by designers, architects, and professionals who create precise drawings where fine, neat lines are important, such as when creating perspective or other projection systems. Although the strokes made with a hard pencil differ little from each other, they can be very expressive. The tone, like a soft one, can be created with a hard pencil by shading with cross lines, although the result will be a thinner and more formal drawing.
PROJECTION SYSTEMS FOR HARD PENCIL
Hard pencils are ideal for creating drawings. As we have already said, such drawings are usually carried out by engineers, designers and architects. Finished drawings must be accurate, dimensions should be indicated on them so that performers, for example craftsmen, following the instructions, can create an object according to the project. Drawings can be made using different projection systems, starting with a plan on a plane and ending with perspective images.
STROKES WITH HARD PENCIL
I do not give examples of strokes applied with 7H - 9H pencils.
SOFT PENCIL
A soft pencil has greater possibilities for tinting and conveying texture than a hard pencil. Soft pencils are designated by the letter B. A pencil marked HB is a cross between a hard and soft pencil and is the main medium between pencils with extreme properties. The range of soft pencils includes pencils НВ, В, 2В, ЗВ, 4В, 5В, bВ, 7В, 8В and 9В (the softest). Soft pencils allow the artist to express his ideas through shading, texture, shading, and even simple lines. The softest pencils can be used to tint a group of objects, although in general I find that in this case it is more convenient to use a graphite stick. It all depends on what surface you want to apply the tone to. If it is a small drawing, for example on AZ paper, then a soft pencil will probably be more suitable. But if you want to apply tone to a larger drawing, I would advise you to use a graphite stick.
The only soft pencil convenient for making drawings that require high precision - the palm, of course, behind a hard pencil - is a pencil with a clamped thin lead.
OTHER TYPES OF PENCIL
In addition to the pencils described above, there are other pencils that provide much more opportunities for experimentation and discovery in the field of drawing. You will find these pencils at any store that sells artist supplies.
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- Pencil placed in a frame of rolled paper - graphite in a frame of curled paper, which is turned away to release the lead.
- Rotary pencil - available in many types, with a variety of mechanisms that open the graphite tip.
- Pencil with clamped lead - a pencil for sketching with a very soft, thick or thick lead.
- Standard thick black pencil, known for many years as "Black Beauty".
- Carpenter's pencil - used by carpenters and builders to take measurements, make notes and sketch out new ideas.
- Graphite pencil or stick. This pencil is a hard graphite about the same thickness as a regular pencil. The thin film covering the tip from the outside turns away, revealing the graphite. A graphite stick is a thicker piece of graphite, like pastel, wrapped in paper that is removed as needed. This is a universal pencil.
- A watercolor sketch pencil is a regular pencil, but if you dip it in water, it can be used as a watercolor brush.
What is graphite.
Graphite is the substance from which pencil leads are made, but naturally occurring graphite is not placed in a wooden frame. Graphite mined from different deposits varies in thickness and varying degrees of hardness/softness. As you can see from the pictures, graphite is not intended for creating detailed drawings. It is more suitable for expressive sketches; graphite is convenient to work with a vinyl eraser.
Graphite pencil can be used for quick, heavy, dramatic sketches that use energetic lines, large areas of dark tones, or interesting textured strokes. This method of drawing conveys the mood well, but is completely unsuitable for drawing. It is better to draw large drawings with graphite: the reasons for this are clear to everyone. Graphite is a universal medium, and before you start working with it, learn more about its properties and features. Since it does not have an outer frame, its sides can be fully used. We don't have this option when we draw with a pencil. You will be pleasantly surprised when you see what you can achieve when painting with graphite. Personally, if I draw in a free and dynamic manner, I always use graphite. If you also draw with graphite in this manner, you will undoubtedly achieve great success.
DRAWING WITH SOFT PENCILS AND GRAPHITE
Unlike a hard pencil, a soft pencil and graphite can make thicker strokes and create a wide range of tones - from deep black to white. A soft pencil and graphite allow you to do this quickly and efficiently. With a soft, sharp enough pencil you can convey the outline of an object, as well as its volume.
Drawings made with these means are more expressive. They are associated with our feelings, ideas, impressions and thoughts, for example, these can be sketches in a notebook, as a result of our first impressions of an object. They can be part of our visual observations and recordings. Drawings convey changes in tone during the process of observation, either through creative imagination, or express the surface texture. These drawings can also arbitrarily explain or express expression - that is, they themselves can be works visual arts, and not preparations for future work.
The eraser enhances the effect of a soft pencil. A soft pencil and eraser allow you to achieve greater expressiveness in your drawing. The eraser, used in conjunction with a hard pencil, is most often used to correct mistakes, and as an addition to a soft pencil and charcoal, it is a means of creating an image.
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You can achieve different results if you apply different amounts of pressure when working with a soft pencil and graphite. Pressing allows you to transform the image, either changing the tone or making the strokes more significant. Look at examples of tone gradations and try to experiment in this direction yourself. By changing the pressure on the pencil, try to change the maximum amount of the image using different movements.
What are erasers?
As a rule, we first get acquainted with the eraser when we need to correct a mistake. We want to erase the place where the mistake was made and continue drawing. Since the eraser is associated with correcting mistakes, we have a rather negative view of it and its functions. An eraser seems to be a necessary evil, and the more it wears down from constant use, the more we feel it doesn't meet our needs. It's time to reconsider the role of the eraser in our work. If you use an eraser skillfully, it can be the most useful tool when drawing. But first you need to give up the idea that mistakes are always bad, because you learn from mistakes.
While sketching, many artists think about the drawing process or decide what the drawing will look like. Sketches may be incorrect and need to be corrected as work progresses. This happened to every artist - even to such great masters as Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt. Revision is almost always part of the creative process and is evident in many works, especially in sketches where artists develop their ideas and designs.
The desire to completely erase the errors in the work and start drawing again is one of the common mistakes of beginning artists. As a result, they make more mistakes or repeat the same ones, which causes a feeling of dissatisfaction, leading to a feeling of failure. When you make corrections, do not erase the original lines until you are happy with the new drawing and feel that the lines are unnecessary. My advice: keep traces of the correction, do not destroy them completely, as they reflect the process of your thinking and refinement of the idea.
Another positive function of the eraser is to reproduce areas of light in a tonal drawing done in graphite, charcoal or ink. The eraser can be used to add expressiveness to strokes that emphasize texture - a prime example of this approach is the drawings of Frank Auerbach. In these, the "tonking" technique is an example of the use of an eraser to create a sense of atmosphere.
There are many types of erasers on the market that can be used to remove traces of all the substances an artist uses. Listed below are the types of erasers and their functions.
Soft eraser (“klyagka”). Typically used for charcoal and pastel drawings, it can also be used in pencil drawings. This eraser can be given any shape - this is its main advantage. It helps develop a positive approach to drawing because it is designed to bring new things into the drawing, and not destroy what has been done.
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- Vinyl eraser. Usually they are used to erase strokes with charcoal, pastel and pencil. It can also be used to create some types of strokes.
- Indian eraser. Used to remove light pencil marks.
- Ink eraser. It is very difficult to completely remove ink marks. Erasers for removing ink and typewritten text are available in pencil or round shapes. You can use a combination eraser, one end of which removes pencil, the other removes ink.
- Surface cleaners, namely scalpels, razor blades, pumice, fine steel wire and sandpaper, are used to remove stubborn ink marks from drawings. Obviously, before using these products, you need to make sure that your paper is thick enough so that you can remove its top layer without rubbing it into holes.
- Products applied to paper, such as correction fluid, titanium or Chinese white. Wrong strokes are covered with an opaque layer of white. After they have dried, you can work on the surface again.
Artist's safety measures.
When working with materials, do not forget about safety measures. Handle scalpels and razor blades with care. Do not leave them open when not in use. Find out if the fluids you use are toxic or flammable. Thus, applying whitewash is a very convenient and cheap way to remove water-based ink, but whitewash is poisonous and must be used with caution.
Pumice is used to remove marks that are difficult to erase. However, pumice should be used carefully as it can damage the paper. A razor blade (or scalpel) can scrape off marks that cannot be removed by other means. They can be used in case of emergency, because by removing unnecessary strokes, you can
In creativity it is impossible to do without an important tool - a pencil. It doesn't matter if you are an architect, a professional artist, or just learning to draw; A good graphite pencil plays an important role in the work of any artist.
In fact, you're probably like most artists and use several different pencils depending on the effect you want to create.
Choosing good pencils to bring your sketches and artwork to life may seem like a daunting task, but it all depends on your tastes. Once you choose a brand you like, you can use different pencils and combine them. You'll see that much of what we offer are sets of pencils that allow you to experiment with a wide variety of lines and shading, but each brand also sells pencils separately once you need to replenish the set.
How to choose the best pencil for drawing
When choosing the perfect graphite pencil, the first thing to consider is your drawing style. For technical drawings and similar work with fine lines, the pencils used for shading are not suitable. Do you use dark, thick lines in your sketches or do you prefer lighter, finer strokes? Your personal art style and needs will help you in choosing a good drawing pencil.
Keep in mind that most artists use more than one type of pencil. In fact, many manufacturers produce pencil sets different types. This will allow you to combine tools depending on the requirements of a particular design.
Once you know what type of work you need a pencil for, you need to figure out how much stiffness you need. Although we often talk about lead content in pencils, they actually do not contain lead. While colored pencils are made of wax and pigment, graphite pencils are made of clay and graphite. The combination of the two creates smooth strokes, but graphite pencils produce different lines depending on how much clay they contain. As a general rule, the more clay in the pencil, the stiffer the pencil and the lighter the shading.
The Russian pencil hardness scale uses the TM scale, but the rest of the world uses a different scale. Most manufacturers use the HB scale, where "H" denotes hardness and "B" denotes softness and blackness.
The HB scale ranges from 9H, a hard pencil that creates thin, light lines, to 9B, a soft pencil that contains a lot of graphite and creates bold, dark lines. While manufacturers give each pencil a designation on the scale, it's all relative within a given brand, so remember that one manufacturer's 6H pencil may be slightly different from another manufacturer's 6H pencil.
Once you understand the lines your pencils create, you can easily combine them to create a set of graphite pencils that suits your needs as an artist.
Best Graphite Pencils for Drawing
Available in different sets, Derwent pencils are suitable for beginners and professionals alike. You'll be able to choose from sets of soft, medium, and hard pencils, which people report are easy to sharpen. This allows for detailed work as well as shading. The hexagonal shape makes the pencil easier to grip.
The Prismacolor kit is a good kit for beginners. It includes seven different types of graphite pencils, as well as four wood-free pencils. They create beautiful, sweeping strokes and allow for experimentation. As an added bonus, the pencil set includes water-soluble graphite pencils that soften when exposed to water. So this set is a great option for sketching.
Many artists draw with Staedtler pencils. The Mars Lumograph kit is known for its strength and durability, making it an excellent kit for detail work. Pencils also erase cleanly, so there are no smudges left on the paper. The standard Staedtler set includes pencils 6B, 5B, 4B, 3B, 2B, B, HB, F, H, 2H, 3H, 4H, making it extremely versatile. “I have been using the Staedtler Lumograph set professionally for over 30 years, and in that time I have not found a better set,” says Mike Sibley, artist and art teacher. “I even give them to my workshops.”
Excellent quality Lyra Art Design pencils. Graphite is quite hard, so this set is suitable for technical drawing, and also does not create problems with shading thanks to 17 types of pencils in terms of hardness. One critic writes: “The best pencils for drawing. High quality smooth graphite that blends easily. A large variety of stiffness for all your art needs.”
Faber-Castell is a German brand known for its high-quality art supplies, and this pencil set is no exception. The brand produces sets of pencils with a variety of hardness types, which you can purchase separately. Strong and durable pencils are easy to sharpen. In addition, Faber-Castell's convenient packaging allows you to carry the pencils with you. It's no surprise that these are artists' favorite pencils, regardless of style or skill level.
Japanese manufacturer Tombow is known for its highly durable pencils, which means they are easy to sharpen. Mono pencil is known to be very dark and virtually indelible. Tombow Mono's dark lines almost mimic ink, making it an artists' favorite pencil for shading and outlining.
Woodless pencils cost a little more, but they generally last longer than regular wood pencils. The Cretacolor set is ideal for shading, and the graphite in the pencils is water-soluble, so it allows you to create soft shading. The Creatacolor kit also comes with an eraser and sharpener, giving you all the tools you need in one package.
The 2H Prismacolor Ebony pencil is an excellent choice for rich, velvety lines. Soft pencil, easy to shade, does not create thick black lines. It often needs sharpening due to its softness, but many people use this pencil for shading.
Don't be put off by the price. Caran D"ache is a set for serious sketching. As the only pencil manufacturer in Switzerland, the brand has carried out thorough research, creating pencils that many artists admire. The set contains 15 graphic and 3 water-soluble graphite pencils, as well as accessories. Some say that this the best pencils for drawing and once you try them you will never go back to other pencils.
The Best Mechanical Pencils for Drawing
Rotring is the dominant brand in the mechanical pencil industry. A professional drawing pencil is durable, which means you'll spend less money on new tools. With a retractable lead and a non-slip metal barrel, this pencil is a great option for sketching.
There's a reason why this pencil won awards for its design. Rubber dots along the entire body make the tool extremely comfortable and easy to grip. This pencil also has an eraser.
So which pencil is suitable for drawing - video
Simple pencils for the artist
Any person who has ever written, drawn or drawn with a simple pencil is familiar with graphite.We are used to counting simple pencils made made of graphite, and we don’t think about what but in realityThe lead of a graphite pencil is made from a mixture of graphite and clay, and is packaged in a body, most often wooden. Exactly toThe amount of clay determines the degree of hardness or softness of the pencil.
Graphite is a mineral that is a form of carbon. It is mined from various rocks, and its artificial analogues are also produced. The raw materials for this, for example, can be carbides, which are exposed to high temperatures, or cast iron, which, on the contrary, is gradually cooled to obtain artificial graphite.
The main line of dividing pencils by hardness is as follows: “H” pencils and “B” pencils.“H” pencils are hard, and the higher the number (it is placed next to the letter designation, for example: 1H or 2H), the lighter the lines. TOA 6H pencil, for example, will be much easier to draw than a 2H pencil."B" pencils are soft and the higher the number, the darker the lines or strokes it will make. Which corresponds to the Russian markings “T” (hard) and “M” (soft).For drawing, pencils of softness “B” or “M” are usually used - if in our opinion.
Below diagramshows the full range of hardness of graphite pencils, accepted in the West, which we also have to deal with all the time.“NV” means in Russian and corresponds in properties to the marking “TM” - hard-soft - and is the middle of the scale. The “F” marking corresponds to “TM”, it is just less common.
Hardness scale for imported pencils
The blackest (and most expensive) graphite still lacks the intensity of blackness; in addition, it, like graphite in general, is characterized by shine. A drawing made with graphite (especially hard) shines. Therefore, in some artistic works it is replaced by drawing, which gives an intense thick blackness and has no shine. That is why graphite is suitable exclusively for small, mainly landscape drawings, which are well preserved without (unless the graphite used for the drawing is too soft).
Other forms of artistic graphite
Two other forms of graphite that are commonly used in drawing are: woodless pencil And graphite bar(or sticks).
Wood-free graphite pencil. It is also known as “graphite in varnish”.
Bwood pencil(as you can guess) it is graphite without a wooden body. It is often sold under the name “graphite in varnish” or “graphite rods” (then they will not be varnished). Basically, the lead has a round shape. Woodless pencils need to be sharpened with a regular sharpener.They are made for drawing and painting and are usually on the soft side of the hardness scale, often in HB, 2B, 4B, 6B and 8B. Again, different manufacturers offer different degrees of hardness. With a wood-free pencil you can make both very thin and broad strokes, which are made with the beveled side of the writing tip.
Graphite bars (sticks)
Graphite drawing stones
Convenient for large images and for quickly covering large areas.They are also available in different degrees of hardness, and some manufacturers, such asCaran d'Ache(pictured above) make them in different sizes.