Drawing Pencils – what’s the Difference, and what type is Best?

Drawing pencils, often recognized as the familiar yellow No. 2 pencils, are commonly purchased in packs and used in schools. These pencils are not recommended for drawing, as the tiny particles in the graphite, or lead, contain reflective particles. These particles can cause your drawing to exhibit glare from certain angles or produce an excessively silvery, unrealistic appearance.

While these pencils can be useful for specific drawing techniques and parts of a drawing, they should not be used for the entire piece. Areas in which regular graphite pencils are suitable include shading the white of an eye, drawing glass, shiny or silvery metals, and smooth or glossy fabrics such as silk or satin.

It is important to note that although “ordinary” pencils contain graphite, there are also artist-quality graphite pencils available that are more suitable for drawing. The key difference lies in the filler mixed with the graphite, with varying amounts producing different levels of stiffness. Standard pencils have a hardness level in the middle of the scale, while artist pencils offer a wide range of fillers to choose from.

Drawing Pencil Grades:

• Extremely hard: 7H to 9H
• Very hard: 4H to 6H
• Hard: 3H to 4H
• Medium hard: H to 2H
• Medium: HB to F
• Medium soft: B to 2B
• Soft: 3B to 4B
• Very soft: 4B to 6B
• Extremely soft: 7B to 9B

Charcoal Pencils: Drawings created with charcoal pencils often appear to have greater depth than those made with graphite. Charcoal pencils produce darker, deeper lines because the particles within the pencil are irregular and do not reflect light well. If you are new to drawing with charcoal, you may find it challenging at first, as charcoal pencils do not glide across paper as smoothly as graphite pencils. It is also easy to smear the main design, and for beginners, it may be difficult to create fine lines for detailed areas.

Charcoal pencils are suitable for specific drawing techniques and parts of a drawing, such as skin tones, wood, fur, bark, eyelashes, shadows, and coarse materials like leather, denim, or corduroys.

Charcoal pencils come in various forms, including charcoal sticks, which can be messy but enjoyable to use, as you can employ the side, corner, or tip. There are also charcoal pencils encased in wood, which provide a fine point for drawing without being overly messy. Like graphite pencils, charcoal pencils come in numerous grades.

Carbon Pencils: Carbon pencils are a blend of charcoal and graphite, producing different levels of smooth lines and darkness. This type of pencil offers some of the benefits of charcoal while providing the smoothness of graphite without the shine. Additionally, depending on the color of the paper, carbon pencils can create an almost sepia-toned hue. It is important to note, however, that carbon pencils can be an unforgiving medium to work with. Those new to drawing may struggle with these types of drawing tools. Carbon pencils do not have various shades of tone, so they produce a rich, dark black color. Furthermore, while graphite is easy to erase and charcoal is slightly more difficult but still erasable, carbon pencils cannot be erased. You must be confident in your drawing before using carbon.

In conclusion, if you are serious about drawing or wish to delve deeper into this art form Useful Strategies For Landscape Photography
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