{"id":552,"date":"2023-06-09T22:54:42","date_gmt":"2023-06-09T22:54:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artlooklearn.com\/?p=552"},"modified":"2023-10-26T21:47:00","modified_gmt":"2023-10-26T21:47:00","slug":"best-artist-drawing-pencils-and-how-to-use-types-of-graphite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artlooklearn.com\/best-artist-drawing-pencils-and-how-to-use-types-of-graphite\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Artist Drawing Pencils and How to Use Types of Graphite"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Learn all about the best artist drawing pencils and how to use types of graphite. Discover everything that you need to know about art drawing and sketching pencils in this simple tutorial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find out the best drawing pencils for beginners, what types to use for sketching and shading,  and take a look at different brands, Also learn about extra drawing tools that are great to have on hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Artists<\/figure>\n\n\n[feast_advanced_jump_to]\n\n\n

Artist pencils can be intimidating when you are just starting out. This easy guide will help explain what the letters and numbers on artists\u2019 pencils really mean and the different ways to use the different types of pencils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding graphite drawing pencils and how to use them can improve your drawing skills, help you learn faster, and make you a more confident artist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn all About Artist\u2019s Drawing Pencils<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Artist Drawing pencils - different grades of graphite sketches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

H Artist Drawing Pencils<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

H in artist pencils means \u201chardness.\u201d These pencils tend to stay sharp, have soft lines and do not need sharpening that often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

H pencils are great for initial sketches, underdrawings, underpaintings, and detailed lines. Marks made with these pencils are generally easy to erase if you do not push hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When sketching in initial lines for a watercolor painting use an H pencil. If you draw very lightly the lines will disappear under the paint with no need to erase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

F Artist Drawing Pencils<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

F stands for \u201cfine.\u201d F pencils are fairly hard and designed to maintain a pointy tip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These pencils are best for fine lines and detailed work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

B Artist Drawing Pencils<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The B on pencils signifies \u201cblackness\u201d. B pencils make soft, dark marks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The higher the number in front of the B, the softer and darker the pencil will be. HB pencils are the lightest, followed by B, then 2B, 3B and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

B Pencils are best used for shading, adding value, achieving contrast. By applying more or less pressure a wide variety of marks can be made with these pencils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HB Artists Drawing Pencils<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

HB Pencils are hard and black. They are the lightest of the B Pencils and offer a tip that stays sharp with darker values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number 2 Pencils<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most #2 school pencils are HB. This is a good mix of hardness and darkness which makes them very versatile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number 2 pencils can absolutely be used for nice drawings. Artist pencils are not necessary to be an artist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matte Drawing Pencils<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Graphite tends to have a shiny surface quality. If this bothers you, look for look special matte drawing pencils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matte pencils come in a variety of types, H, F, HB and Bs. They have carbon added to give them a dull finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Combining types of Artist Drawing Pencils<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Lips<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While each different type of drawing pencil has a specific purpose and use you can also combine the different types of pencils into one drawing to create a variety of line quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use the H and F pencils to draw fine detailed lines and then use the B pencils to create a variety of shading and fuzzier, less defined lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I am drawing, I like to draw in a quick overall sketch of my drawing with a H or F pencil and then use several different B pencils to shade it in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other Drawing Tools and Supplies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Different<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Woodless Graphite<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Woodless graphite is a graphite pencil without the wood casing. Another fun way to draw and sketch. These also come in different hardness and blackness grades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Graphite Sticks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Graphite sticks are graphite compressed into small easy-to-grab sticks. These are great for shading or turning on the side to fill in large areas more quickly. They also come in different gradients of blackness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water-Soluble Graphite<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Use water-soluble graphite sticks with water to spread the graphite around. You can use a brush to paint the graphite on your paper or wet the paper first and draw back into it for some fantastic effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mechanical Pencils<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mechanical pencils can be great drawing tools as well, especially for fine lines and detailed work. If you like using mechanical pencils, specialty pencils are available with artist-grade graphite in varying hardness, fineness, and blackness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blending Stumps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Stumps are compressed paper in the shape of a pencil used to blend your pencil marks together for smooth shading. You could use your finger or Q-tips to blend as another option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soft Brush<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A soft brush is optional, but really nice to brush off eraser dust without smudging your paper. I use an inexpensive bristle paint sample brush from the hardware store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eraser <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Erasers are essential and come in many different kinds the best to use with graphite are white vinyl erasers and kneaded erasers, which you can mold into a pointy tip for erasing small areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pencil Sharpener<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Never use electric or hand crank sharpeners on nice artist drawing pencils, that eats them up too quickly! Use a hand pencil sharpener. The all-metal ones last the longest and are nice and strong for repeated sharpening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pencil Holders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t throw away those little nubby ends of pencils that are hard to hold. Instead, get a pencil holder to use your entire drawing pencil comfortably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Artist Pencil Brands<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many brands of drawing pencils are comparable. When purchasing drawing or sketching pencils it is best not to focus too much on the brand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if you want to invest in some nice drawing pencils it is best to avoid the very cheap store brands. Remember that regular number 2 writing pencils will also work well for basic drawing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prismacolor Turquoise pencils are my personal favorite because they are very smooth and easy to draw with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many artists also like Staedtler, Faber-Castell, General and Derwent brands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips and tricks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  • Combine soft and hard pencils lines in a drawing for variety<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Build up layers to create value that increases the darkness and contrast<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • You don\u2019t need to get all the drawing pencils, small sets offer a variety of pencils that range from light to dark<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • For white areas and highlights, remember to leave some paper showing<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Like all pencils, avoid dropping them because it can break the graphite inside the wooden pencil case and cause chunks of the graphite to fall out when you sharpen it<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Video<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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