| When you are just starting out in art, the amount of | | | | grade pencils and you almost always see just one |
| choices in materials can be daunting. This is especially | | | | kind of pencil. That system is a number system that |
| true when it comes to choosing drawing pencils. | | | | goes from one to four with one being the darkest |
| Problems with Cheap Drawing Pencils | | | | and softest and four being the lightest and hardest. |
| For some it may seem silly to worry about what kind | | | | The number #2 pencil that is used in schools all over |
| of drawing pencils to use but there are very real | | | | the country is on this scale, it is harder than a one |
| reasons why it is important to choose the right tools | | | | and darker than a three or four pencil. |
| for the job. Take for instance the normal #2 yellow | | | | The second scale and the one used for all artist |
| pencil with the pink eraser that I am sure everyone is | | | | grade pencils is an HB, Hard-Black scale. Normally this |
| very familiar with. These pencils are generally not of | | | | scale goes from H9, very hard and very light, to B9, |
| a high enough quality where you would want to use | | | | very black and very soft. On this scale the #2 pencil |
| them for creating artwork. The reason for this stems | | | | would be an HB. The way that this variation in value |
| from the poor quality of lead used inside the pencil. | | | | and hardness is achieved is through the mix of clay |
| This lead tends to break more easily and is usually | | | | and graphite used to create the lead. The more clay, |
| mixed with an inferior binder to that of artist grade | | | | the harder and lighter a pencil becomes. The more |
| pencils. | | | | graphite, the softer and blacker the lead becomes. |
| The same holds true for colored pencils. Very cheap | | | | As an artist this range of values is very useful in |
| brands normally are made out of worse material than | | | | allowing you express the subtlest of details or really |
| their artist grade counterparts and the results can be | | | | pushing a sense of darkness. |
| even more noticeable than in graphite pencils. | | | | With colored pencils there isn't a scale. Because of |
| Because colored pencils are partly wax, your | | | | this you needn't worry about different values instead |
| creations tend to develop a light white film as your | | | | you will have to focus on mixing colors. The theory |
| picture ages. This can be even more pronounced in | | | | behind color mixing is beyond the scope of this article |
| cheap colored pencils because the mix of wax to | | | | but there are many wonderful books written on the |
| pigment is much higher than it is in artist grade | | | | topic if one wishes to investigate further. |
| colored pencils. | | | | Conclusion |
| Types of lead | | | | In providing this overview, hopefully some light has |
| With graphite pencils it is important to understand all | | | | been shed on what you should look out for in |
| the different types of pencils there are out there. In | | | | choosing drawing pencils. Also now that you |
| the US, there are two scales that are used to | | | | understand how different pencils are classified, you |
| convey a pencils hardness and darkness, or | | | | will be able to understand the difference between a |
| blackness. | | | | #2, an H3, and a B8 drawing pencil. Now all that is left |
| The first scale is rarer and mostly used for lower | | | | for you to do is to dive in and start creating! |