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Graphite pencils are the first drawing materials many of us encounter, and they’re among the few that we continue to use at every stage of our careers. Beyond standard writing pencils, there are a wide range of graphite pencils developed specially for sketching and drawing. But subtle differences in a pencil’s shape, what it’s made from, the composition of its graphite core can have a big impact in how it performs, as well as its suitability for certain techniques.
Most of what distinguishes one pencil from another has to do with the lead. Even though we still use the term “lead,” modern pencil cores don’t contain any actual lead at all. They contain graphite, a silvery carbon isotope. Graphite became widely adopted as a writing and drawing medium after 1564, when a very pure graphite ore was discovered in Northern England. Thought to be a type of lead (hence the misnomer), this discovery eventually spurred the development of a significant pencil manufacturing industry nearby.
In the late 18th century, when war with England made pure graphite unavailable in France, two inventors independently arrived at the same conclusion: firing a mixture of water, clay, and graphite in a kiln resulted in solid rods. By altering the ratio of mixture, you could control the hardness of the pencil. This breakthrough not only facilitated precise grading, but it also made pencils more affordable—and widely available.
Left: Josef Hardtmuth; Right: Nicholas Jacques Conté
The pencils we use today rely on the same basic production methods discovered by Hardtmuth and Conté. Pencils containing more graphite are softer and produce darker marks, while pencils containing more clay are harder and produce lighter marks. Most drawing pencil manufacturers indicate the hardness of a pencil’s graphite with a letter and a number—this is known as European system, or the HB scale.
Lead hardness is indicated by two ranges: H (“hard”) and B (“black”). Softer leads are on the black side of the scale. The higher the number next to the B, the softer the lead. Harder leads are on the H side of the scale. The higher the number next to the H, the harder the lead. The HB grade in the middle of the scale represents a balance between the H and B ranges. Standard writing pencils are roughly equivalent to an HB grade. F (“fine) is slightly harder than HB and sharpens to a finer point. Some pencils, like Ebony, only come in one single hardness.
The earliest known wood-bound pencil was made by Simonio and Lyndiana Bernacotti in Italy in 1560. By the 1700s, pencil casings were made in two halves, which led to the method used today. The lead goes in the middle and the wood surrounds it like two sides of a hot dog bun.
The type of wood that the barrel (also called the casing) is made from can also impact your experience. California incense-cedar is considered a premier pencil wood thanks to its smooth texture and straight grain, which sharpens easily and uniformly without splintering. Other types of wood used in pencil making include basswood and pine. Although these woods sharpen with minimal splintering, they are harder woods and may contain some imperfections. Today, many manufacturers source their wood from sustainably managed forests.
Woodless pencils, made of graphite and clay, are similar to traditional drawing pencils—minus the wood casing. They often have a lacquered exterior for easy handling.
Drawing pencils are available in a variety of shapes, including hexagonal, round, and triangular. While each has its advantages, ultimately the choice comes down to personal preference.
Round pencils are sleek and easy to grip. Over long drawing sessions, however, artists may find round pencils difficult to handle due to hand moisture. Hexagonal barrels feature well-defined edges to prevent rolling. Some find that this shape allows for better handling, as artists can use all sides of a sharpened point. Triangular pencils are less common, but provide many of the benefits of hexagonal pencils due to their ergonomic shape.
There are also carpenter’s pencils with a flat lead and barrel, which are great for sketching with a lot of line variation, and for practicing italic-hand calligraphy
For most people, mechanical pencils are the most familiar form of non-wood bound pencil. They consist of a refillable holder that uses thin-gauge graphite stick leads. However, many artists prefer clutch pencils, which consist of a holder for thick, sturdy leads that are closer in dimensions to standard pencil leads.
For a long time, the preferred method for sharpening drawing pencils involved using a sharp knife to remove the wood and expose the lead, which was shaped to a long, conical point. Sandpaper was then used to create and maintain the point. Artists who do precision drawing, however, often prefer the shorter point produced by a manual or mechanical sharpener, which can bear more pressure from the hand, and which can be re-pointed easily with an electric sharpener.
Recently, a two-stage, long point manual sharpener has been introduced which removes wood with one blade and shapes the point with the other. The compact, two-stage sharpener is perfect for artists and teachers who prefer a long point for drawing, but want to avoid sharp blades.
Thick leads used in clutch pencils can be shaped to a needle-sharp point with a barrel-shaped pointer, or the compact pointer hidden in the release button on the end. Fine leads for propelling pencils are so thin, they don’t need much sharpening. The same hardness scale is used for mechanical pencil leads, including thin refills for propelling pencils and thick leads for clutch pencils.
Drawing pencils typically don’t have erasers, which sometimes surprises people new to art. In fact, the small, abrasive erasers on writing pencils really aren’t very good for drawing. There are so many great erasers for drawing, artists generally don’t miss them on the ends of the pencils. Learn more in our All About Erasers article!
A few traditional writing pencils are still favored by artists, but real drawing pencils generally offer a much richer experience than ordinary writing instruments. If you’ve only ever drawn with #2 pencils, you’ll be amazed at how expressive and descriptive your work can be when you start using something designed for making art!