Yes - A Promise!

While I have been posting my drawings with a step-by-step tutorial over the last few weeks, I realized that some might not know what tool I am referring to. So... I started promising in the tutorials to do posts about those that I use.

I also want to re-assure people that you don't need all these tools to draw, but some are nice, and... most of these are very inexpensive at art stores. In fact drawing is probably one of the cheapest hobbies you can pursue... except for time of course.

Yep it takes time.

Also I will be doing these posts in a Series and this is Part One - Pencils

Pencils

There are so many pencils in all kinds of numbers.

What do the numbers mean? I am no expert but what I know is that the "Letter" on the pencil is important and the "number".

Graphite

Pencils are no longer made of lead. This is very important to note. As a descriptor the action part of the pencil is still referred to as the"pencil lead" as that it what it was historically called all the way back to Roman Times.

The pencil lead is made of a non-toxic mineral called graphite and it is mixed with a clay binder that holds it together. That is why I sometimes say "I am laying down the graphite". You do not need to find a special pencil - any in an art store though are well made.

Various Letters and Numbers (Image Above)

Generally ... H is harder and more compacted.

B is looser and easier to do large areas with dark graphite.

7B 4B 2B HB 2H

B's are loose, and get looser and looser (darker and softer) - HB - is the center and what most normal writing pencils are - gets harder as you go up in the Hs

So these are the pencils I use for various reasons. You ultimately have to decide which you like better.

Above is an HB and a 2H

I use these for light sketches (or at least I use to). These are the pencils a lot of people use. These are light on the paper (not too dark) and they are harder.

The B Pencils I Like To Use (image above)

So these are the pencils I use the most now. I don't even really use the Hs. I like to sketch with the 2B and shade with a nice variety of the 4B and then the 7B.

The 4B is nice and loose so that you can do darker shades over a larger area.

The 7B is much looser and you can cover very broad areas more easily.

Now keep in mind pressure will also make a difference in the darkness of your shades. When you use different pressures while you draw, and shade you get different darknesses and coverage. This is something you should work on and it is called the "tonal values". Tonal values are an important thing that with practice you will learn to use.

You know when you see those artists who can make their drawings look like photographs? Not me by the way. Those people have the skill to create probably 5 to 10 different tonal values. I have mastered approximately 3. Sometimes maybe 4.

I should do a separate post just on tonal values. Maybe a promise. Ha ha.

About Price Of Pencils.

At most art stores you can buy a whole set of pencils with many variations. I think this is a more expensive way to buy pencils as it usually has one of each in a nice case or package.

Personally, because I have decided which pencils I like the most, I like to buy the pencils I want separately. Most art stores will have a section where they sell each pencil individually. I find the price varies from about .50 to maybe $1.00 or |$1.50 per pencil. Really depends on the area you live in.

Also, by buying the ones I like I can buy several of the ones I use the most. Cause... the more I draw the smaller my poor old pencils get.

So... a good pencil is worth it's weight in gold. However, if you have a pencil at home - probably an HB - you can still do a great drawing. It might require a little more work in creating your tonal values.

Also, the next subject is paper. Watch for this post coming soon.
I am also working on some new drawings and step-by-step tutorials this week.

Have fun drawing...