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What are the best pencils to buy for drawing. Commodity dictionary

Depending on the material of the stylus pencils are divided into black (graphite), color and copy (ink). By purpose, pencils are divided into drawing, stationery, school, drawing, etc.

Drawing pencils are widely used in cartographic drawing: for auxiliary drawings, for enhancing a pale image on blue copies before drawing with ink, for field topographic surveys, etc. According to their drawing properties, drawing pencils are divided into hard and soft. Hard pencils are marked with the letter T, soft - M. According to the degree of hardness in ascending order, they are marked with a number: 6M, 5M, 4M, ZM, 2M, TM, T, 2T, ZT, 4T, 5T, 6T, 7T (pencils of foreign brands instead of the letter T have the letter H, instead of M- IN).

The quality of drawing to a certain extent depends on the correct choice of pencil. Too hard graphite leaves a hollow on the paper, too soft - it stains the paper. Pencils are used for cartographic work from 2M to 6T: 2M-2T - when drawing in wet and cold weather, on photographic paper and paper of lower quality, ZT-6T - on drawing paper of the highest quality and when working, in dry, hot weather, 2M-TM - for simple notes , sketches, shading.

On the right side of each pencil there is a marking consisting of the name of the manufacturer, the name of the pencil, the designation of the degree of hardness and the year of manufacture
From domestic brands, drawing pencils "Designer", "Architect" can be distinguished, from foreign ones - "K0N-1-NOOR" (Czechoslovakia).

Sharpening a pencil should be performed from the end opposite the marking (see Fig. 13). To do this, use various sharpeners, scalpels. First, the tree is cut by 30 mm, exposing graphite by 8-10 mm, then a graphite rod is sharpened on fine-grained sandpaper or a bar. The final polishing is done on drawing paper. A sharpened pencil should be in the shape of a cone.

Grinding graphite does not happen so quickly if you sharpen it with a spatula. This is usually done if there are many long lines drawn in the drawing. You need to work with a pencil with such a sharpening so that the sides of the sharpening are parallel to the ruler. Otherwise, the lines will be thick and of different thicknesses. When sharpening, keep the work area clean. Since pencils dull quickly, it is convenient to have 3-4 sharpened pencils when working. It is a good idea to have protective caps for pencils that protect the graphites from breaking when dropped or during transportation.

Recently, mechanical pencils with collet holders and a retractable lead have become widespread. However, not all of them can be used in drawing. It depends on the design of the holder, the availability of the necessary leads.

To erase pencil lines and clean dirty areas of the drawing, use erasers(erasers). They can be soft (pencil) and hard (ink). The composition of the latter includes abrasive substances. With a hard rubber band, weak traces of ink or paint are usually removed from the drawing. In topographic drawing, soft rubber bands are more often used. Erasing with an elastic band should be done carefully and in one direction, as strong pressure and multidirectional movements damage the surface of the paper. This is especially noticeable on low quality paper. With rapid erasing, the temperature of the gum and paper rises, as a result of which the graphite is smeared and rubbed into the paper - a hard-to-remove stain is formed. Therefore, rubber bands should only be used when absolutely necessary.

To delete in a drawing small parts use an elastic band with a sharp edge, for which a rectangular piece of elastic band is cut diagonally. Contaminated gum is either trimmed or rubbed off on clean white paper. Over time, the gum becomes covered with a hard crust, which is also cut off. To soften the gum is sometimes placed in kerosene, but after that it must be kept in hot water to remove fat. It is recommended to store the gum in a case.

Pencils They differ mainly in the type and nature of the writing rod (which determine the writing properties of the pencil and its purpose), as well as in size, cross-sectional shape, color and type of wooden shell coating.

Since the 1950s, pencils have been produced in the USSR in accordance with GOST 6602-51. The quality was good. The current situation is rather sad. Let's talk about what happened before.

Pencils

Depending on the writing rod and its properties, the following main groups of pencils are distinguished: a) graphite - the writing rod is made of graphite and clay and impregnated with fats and waxes; when writing, they leave a line of gray-black color of varying intensity, depending mainly on the degree of hardness of the rod; b) colored - the writing rod is made of pigments and dyes, fillers, binders and sometimes fats; c) copiers - the writing rod is made from a mixture of water-soluble dyes and a binder with graphite or mineral fillers; when writing, they leave a gray or colored line, difficult to cut with an elastic band.

Stages of production of pencils from glued boards

Production of pencils consists of the following main processes: a) the manufacture of the writing core, b) the manufacture of the wood shell and c) the finishing of the finished pencil (coloring, marking, sorting and packaging). The composition of graphite rods includes: graphite, clay and adhesives. Graphite is very graded and leaves a gray or grey-black streak on paper. Clay is mixed into graphite to bond its particles, and adhesives are added to the graphite-clay mixture to impart plasticity. Screened graphite in vibratory mills is crushed to the smallest particles. Clay is soaked in water. Then these components are thoroughly mixed in special mixers, pressed and dried. The dried mass is mixed with adhesives, repeatedly pressed, turning into a homogeneous plastic mass suitable for molding writing rods. This mass is placed in a powerful press, which squeezes out thin elastic threads from the round holes of the matrix. Upon exiting the matrix, the threads are automatically cut into segments of the required length, which are the writing rods. The segments are then placed in rotating drums, where they are rolled out, straightened and dried. After drying, they are loaded into crucibles and fired in electric furnaces. As a result of drying and firing, the rods acquire hardness and strength. The cooled rods are sorted by straightness and sent for impregnation. This operation aims to give the rods, which after firing increased rigidity, softness and elasticity, i.e., the properties necessary for writing. For the impregnation of graphite rods, tallow, stearin, paraffin and various types of wax are used. For the manufacture of color and copy rods, other types of raw materials are used, the technological process is partially changed.

For colored rods, water-insoluble dyes and pigments are used as colorants, talc is used as fillers, and pectin glue and starch are used as binders. The mass, consisting of dyes, fillers and binders, is mixed in mixers, the firing operation falls out. The strength of the colored rod is given by the pressing mode and the regulation of the amount of binders introduced into the mass, and this, in turn, depends on the nature and amount of pigments and dyes. For copy rods, water-soluble aniline dyes are used as dyes, mainly methyl violet, which gives a trait when moistened. purple, methylene blue, giving a line of greenish-blue color, brilliant green - bright green, etc.

The strength of the copy rods is regulated by the recipe, the amount of binder and the pressing mode. Finished rods are placed in a wood shell; wood should be soft, have low cutting resistance along and across the grain, have a smooth, shiny cut surface and even tone and color. The best material for the shell is the wood of the Siberian cedar and linden. Wooden boards are treated with ammonia vapor (to remove resinous substances), soaked in paraffin and stained. Then, on a special machine, “paths” are made on the boards, into which the rods are placed, the boards are glued and divided into individual pencils, while giving them a hexagonal or round shape. After that, the pencils are ground, primed and painted. Painting is done with fast-drying nitrocellulose paints and varnishes, which have a clean tone and bright color. After repeated coating of the shell with these varnishes, a strong varnish film is formed on it, giving the finished pencil a glossy, shiny surface and a beautiful appearance.

Classification of pencils

Depending on the source materials of the writing rod and the purpose, the following groups and types of pencils are distinguished.

1. Graphite: School, Stationery, Drawing, Drawing;

2. Color: School, Stationery, Drawing, Drawing;

3. Photocopiers: stationery

In addition, pencils differ in overall dimensions, in the hardness of the core, and in the finish of the shell. Dimensional indicators include: cross-sectional shape, length and thickness of the pencil. According to the shape of the cross section, pencils are round, faceted and oval. Some groups or types of pencils are assigned only one cross-sectional shape; for others, different ones are allowed. So, drawing pencils are produced only faceted - hexagonal, copying pencils - only round; stationery can have any of the indicated shapes, as well as a three-, four-, octahedral or oval cross-sectional shape. The pencils are 178, 160, 140 and 113 mm long (with a tolerance of ±2 mm for these dimensions). The main and most commonly used of these sizes is 178 mm, it is mandatory for graphite pencils - school, drawing and drawing; for color - drawing and drawing; for stationery colored pencils, a length of 220 mm is also allowed. The thickness of a pencil is determined by its diameter, and for faceted pencils, the diameter is measured along the inscribed circle; it ranges from 4.1 to 11 mm, the most common thickness is 7.9 and 7.1 mm.

According to the degree of hardness writing rod pencils are divided into 15 groups, designated by letters and numerical indices in sequential order: 6M, 5M, 4M, 3M, 2M, M, TM, ST, T, 2T, ZT, 4T, 5T, 6T, 7T. The letter "M" denotes the softness of the writing rod, the letter "T" - its hardness; the larger the digital index, the stronger this property is for a given writing rod. At school graphite pencils the degree of hardness is indicated by the numbers No. 1 (soft), No. 2 (medium) and No. 3 (hard). On copy pencils- in words: soft, medium hard, hard.

Abroad, the degree of hardness is indicated by the Latin letters "B" (soft) and "H" (hard).

Graphite school pencils were produced in medium hardness, drawing pencils - of all existing degrees of hardness, colored pencils of all types - usually soft.

Graphite drawing pencils "Designer"

The color of the wood shell coating is also different for different pencils; the shell of colored pencils, as a rule, was painted according to the color of the writing rod; for the shell of other pencils, each title was usually assigned one or more permanent colorings. The color of the shell was of several types: one-color or marbled, decorative, with ribs or edges painted in contrasting colors or covered with metal foil, etc. Some types of pencils were produced with a decorative head, which was painted in colors different from the color of the shell , with a plastic or metal head, etc. Pencils with plastic or metal tips, with an elastic band (only graphite), with a sharpening of the rod, etc. were also produced.

Depending on these indicators (properties of the writing rod, cross-sectional shape, overall dimensions, type of finish and design), different names were assigned to each type of pencils and sets.

Graphite drawing pencils "Polytechnic"

Assortment of pencils

Pencils are divided into three main groups: graphite, colored, copying; in addition, there is a special group of special pencils.

Graphite pencils by purpose are divided into school, stationery, drawing And drawing.

School pencils - for school writing and drawing classes; three degrees of hardness were produced - soft, medium and hard - designated respectively by numbers: No. 1, No. 2, No. 3.

Pencil No. 1 - soft - gave a line of thick black and was used for school drawing.

Pencil No. 2 - medium hardness - gave a clear black line; used for writing and drawing.

Pencil No. 3 - hard - gave a pale line of grayish-black color: it was intended for drawing and initial work on drawing at school.

School pencils included pencils that had a metal nipple in which a rubber band was fixed to erase notes made with a pencil.

Stationery pencils - for writing; produced mainly soft and medium hardness.

Drawing pencils - for graphic works; produced according to the degree of hardness of the writing rod from 6M to 7T. Hardness determined the purpose of the pencils. So, 6M, 5M and 4M are very soft; ZM and 2M - soft; M, TM, ST, T - medium hardness; ST and 4T - very hard; 5T, 6T and 7T - very hard, for special graphic works.

Drawing pencils - for drawing, shading sketches and other graphic works: only soft ones are produced, various degrees hardness.

Assortment of graphite pencils

colored pencils according to purpose are divided into school, stationery, drawing, drawing.

School pencils - for elementary child drawing and drawing works of schoolchildren lower grades ; were produced in round shape, in sets of 6-12 colors.

Stationery pencils - for signature, proofreading, etc., 5 colors were produced, sometimes two-color - for example, red-blue, mainly hexagonal, except for Svetlana pencils, which had a round shape.

Drawing pencils - for drawing and topographic work; produced mainly in sets of 6 or 10 colors; hexagon shape; coating color - according to the color of the rod.

Drawing pencils - for graphic works; several types were produced, differing from school ones in length and in the number of flowers in sets, from 12 to 48, mostly round, except for drawing No. 1 and No. 2, which had a hexagonal shape. All sets had 6 primary colors, additional shades of these colors and usually white pencils.

All pencils produced in sets were packaged in artistically designed cardboard boxes with multi-colored labels.

Assortment of colored pencils

Copying pencils two types were produced: graphite, that is, containing graphite as a filler, and colored, the writing rod of which contained talc instead of graphite. Copying pencils were produced in three degrees of hardness: soft, medium hard and hard. Copying pencils were produced, as a rule, in a round shape.

Assortment of copying pencils

Specialty pencils - pencils with special properties of the writing rod or special purpose; produced graphite and non-ferrous. The group of special graphite pencils included "Carpenter", "Retouch" and briefcase pencils (for notebooks).

Carpenter's pencil was intended for marks on a tree when performing carpentry and joinery work. It had an oval-shaped shell and sometimes a rectangular section of the writing rod.

Pencil "Retouch"- for retouching photos, shading, applying shadows. The writing rod contained finely ground birch charcoal, as a result of which it gave a thick line of thick black color.

Four numbers were produced, differing in hardness: No. 1 - very soft, No. 2 - soft, No. 3 - medium hardness, No. 4 - hard.

Special colored pencils included "Glassographer" And "Traffic light".

Pencil "Glassographer" had a soft core, giving a fat and thick line; used for marks on glass, metal, porcelain, celluloid, for laboratory work, etc. 6 colors were produced: red, blue, green, yellow, brown and black.

Pencil "Traffic light" It was a type of colored pencils, had a longitudinally composite rod, consisting of two or three colors, which made it possible to get a line of several colors when writing with one pencil. Pencils were designated by numbers corresponding to the number of colors that the rod wrote with.

Names and main indicators of special pencils

Pencil quality

The quality of the pencils was determined by the conformity of the core, shell, finish and packaging to the requirements set by the standard. The most important indicator of the quality of pencils were: for graphite - fracture strength, hardness, intensity of the line and slip; for color - the same indicators and (color compliance with approved standards; for copiers - the same is the copying ability of the rod. All these indicators were checked with special instruments and in laboratory conditions. In practice, to determine the quality of pencils, the following requirements should be followed. The writing rod should have be glued into a wooden shell firmly and as accurately as possible in its center; the non-centricity of the rod was determined by the smallest, i.e., the thinnest part of the shell, the dimensions of which were established by the standard for pencils of the 1st and 2nd grades; the writing rod should not come out freely from the shell when sharpening a pencil or when pressing on it from the end; should be whole and uniform along its entire length, should not contain foreign impurities and inclusions that scratch the paper when writing, should not have any obvious or hidden cracks, should not should have crumbled during sharpening and writing.When sharpening a pencil, with vertical pressure on the sharpened tip of the rod, the latter should not give chips, i.e., arbitrary breaking off or chipping of the particles of the rod. The cross-sectional area of the rod at the ends of the pencil had to be even, smooth, without damage and chips. For colored rods, a line of the same color and intensity was required when writing along the entire length of the rod.

The shell of the pencils was made of good quality wood, without knots, cracks and other defects; should have low cutting resistance, i.e., it should be easily and softly repaired with a sharply sharpened knife, not break during sharpening and have a smooth cut surface. The ends of the pencils had to be cut evenly, smoothly and strictly perpendicular to the axis of the pencil. The pencil should be straight and even along its entire length, without deformation. The surface had to be smooth, shiny, without scratches, dents, cracks and varnish runs. The varnish coating should not crack, crumble and stick when wet.

By defects appearance pencils were divided into two grades: 1st and 2nd; moreover, the writing properties for pencils of both varieties should have been the same. The 2nd grade included pencils in which the deflection along the length was not more than 0.8 mm, the chipping of wood or varnish film from the end of the pencil was not more than 1.5 mm, the chipping of the rod at the ends was not more than half the cross-sectional area of the rod - to a depth not more than 1.0 mm, the non-centricity of the rod is not more than 0.33 D—d (D is the diameter of the pencil shell along the inscribed circle, d is the diameter of the rod in mm), as well as scratches, dents, roughness and sagging (width and depth not more than 0.4 mm) no more than 3 over the entire surface of the pencil, with a total length of up to 6 mm and a width of up to 2 mm.

Pencils were marked with bronze or aluminum foil on one or more faces. The marking had to contain the name of the manufacturer, the name of the pencils, the degree of hardness (usually in letters) and the year of issue (usually the last two digits of the corresponding year (for example, “55” means the release of 1955). On copying pencils, the marking contained the abbreviated word “Copy” On pencils of the 2nd grade, in addition, there should have been the designation “2 s.” The marking had to stick firmly to the surface of the pencil, be clear, legible, all lines and signs should be solid and not merge.

Pencils: Ruslan, Rogdai, Ratmir (factory named after Krasin)

Pencils were packed in cardboard boxes, mainly in 50 and 100 pieces of the same name and grade. Colored pencils for school and drawing were packed in sets different colors 6, 12, 18, 24, 36 and 48 colors in one set. Graphite drawing pencils, colored drawing pencils and some other types of pencils were also produced in sets of different contents. Boxes with pencils of 50 and 100 pieces and sets of all kinds were issued with a multi-color art label sticker. Boxes with sets and pencils of 10 and 25 pieces were placed in cardboard cases or packed in packs of thick wrapping paper and tied with twine or braid. Boxes with pencils of 50 and 100 pieces were tied with twine or braid or pasted over with a paper parcel. Boxes with sets of colored pencils were pasted over with multi-color labels, usually with art reproductions.

Pencils "Cosmetics" (Slavic State Pencil Factory MMP Ukrainian SSR)

Graphite pencils "Painting", "Youth", "Colored"

Set of colored pencils "Youth" - art. 139 out of 6 pencils. The price is 77 kopecks.

Set of colored pencils "Color" - art. 127 and 128 from 6 and 12 pencils. The price of one pencil is 8 kopecks and 17 kopecks, respectively.

Set of colored pencils "Painting" - art. 135 out of 18 pencils. The price is 80 kopecks.

Colored graphite pencils "Painting", "Art"

Set of colored pencils "Painting" - art. 133 out of 6 pencils. The price is 23 kopecks.

Set of colored pencils "Art" - art. 113 out of 18 pencils. The price is 69 kopecks.

Set of colored pencils "Art" - art. 116 out of 24 pencils. The price is 1 ruble 20 kopecks.

If you have to make drawings, then it is better to buy everything you need for this. Otherwise, the drawing process will become a real torment. The drawing set includes the following special tools: compasses, pencils, eraser. For a beginner, you need a preparation with a minimum number of items. Usually, in addition to the compass, one spare rod is included in the kit.

It looks like a special set for drawing

The following components are distinguished in the circuit:

holder;
two rods with fasteners;
nozzles with needles for drawing or drawing.

In accordance with the age characteristics of consumers, compasses can be:

teaching (for schools, as well as colleges and universities);
professional.

More about the constituent parts of the compass and its dimensions

The length of the product depends on the age of those for whom the instrument is purchased:

for models intended for training - no more than 12 cm;
for products intended for middle-level students at school - 12-13 cm;
for tools recommended for high school students - 13-15 cm;
to create professional drawings, a suitable value is more than 14 cm.

Compasses and rod holder

The holder is made of plastic.

Its shape and materials may vary. So that it does not slip out of your hand, it is better to choose holders with notches or from a soft material. A professional product is distinguished by the presence of special grooves designed for rods. A plastic case is put on top of the holder.

Barbells for children can be made of plastic. These compasses are bright and light. To complete the drawings, it is better to choose rods made of brass and its alloys. The classic model with solid steel parts is optimally accurate if the parts do not wobble. Modern models of compasses have special clamps for rods. These are levers with hinges or screw fastenings.

A high-quality compass can be easily identified if you test it when buying: its rods sit tightly in the grooves and do not wobble.

Needles and nozzles

Needles are also responsible for the accuracy of measurements.

Various compass designs

If the compass is used for teaching purposes, the tip of the needle is not too sharp to prevent injury. Such a needle does not hold a reference point well. In professional models, the tips of the needles are sharp.

They have different lengths and mounting methods. For schoolchildren's compasses, the size of the needles varies from 3 mm to 5 mm, and for professional ones - within 7-9 mm.

If you are going to use the tool every day, choose a model with a replaceable needle, not a welded one. Special built-in covers allow you to protect your hands from contact with the needle. The advantage of replaceable or interchangeable needles is that it can be quickly changed if it becomes dull and even sharpened.

The compasses are the latest important detail. They come in 3 types: With a mechanical pencil with a lead diameter of 0.5 mm; with universal holder; with lead 2 mm.

Leads for compasses

The first variety is considered the most unpretentious. The second nozzle is called the "goat's leg": a pencil acts as a drawing tool. The third is professional. For students, it is not convenient. You have to additionally buy a "refueling" for the compass.

Characteristics of a professional drawing set

The builder uses a cooker with a large number of items:

3 types of compass - standard, large and with a falling needle;
screwdriver;
pencil holders;
mechanical pencils;
extension cords;
containers with spare wheels, needles and leads;
teat;
needle with holder.

Professional drawing set

The compass copes with various tasks. Without this tool, it is impossible to draw an arc or a circle. On one leg he has a needle, and on the second - a writing element. The compass is made of metal. The tool can be used for navigation: it helps to accurately measure the distance between two points or objects on a plan or map. At the measuring compass, needles are located at the ends of both metal legs.

Choosing the right pencils

Pencils designed for drawing are indispensable for any job. The artist uses this tool both to sketch the sketch and to complete the drawings. A pencil is needed when creating a plan for a future building or piece of furniture.

The tool has 17 degrees of hardness. If you choose a pencil for drawing for beginners, then you should give preference to the average TM.

These 2 letters in Russian marking designate (hard-soft). In the English version of medium hardness-softness, the designation HB corresponds. The fact is that the beginner is not yet used to working with a pencil and feels pressure. Therefore, when drawing, incorrectly drawn lines cannot be removed even by a high-quality eraser. Pencil marks can be erased, but a dented groove left by hard pressure cannot be removed.

Set of pencils and leads for drawing

After the hand gets used to working with the tool, you can switch to softer models. As for drawing, the best choice become hard pencils. It is important that their sharpening is technically correct. You need to learn how to properly hold a pencil in your hand.

A solid drafting tool leaves traces of a light gray color behind it. For the drawing, it is important that there is more darkness in the shadow. It will take longer to draw with TM. Using a soft pencil allows you to hatch in one layer. Automatic products buy 2 types:

for drawing extension lines - a pencil with a lead of 0.2 mm;
for the main lines - with a rod diameter of 0.5 mm.

Automatic pencils need refills. They are convenient to use: there is no need for sharpening.

Drawing pencils

There is a special series of pencils "Designer".

These are some of the best pencils for sketching and drawing projects.

Each pencil has its own special marking. And this is no accident. Different lines are applied with pencils of varying degrees of softness and hardness. You probably noticed letters and numbers on pencils: 2T, T, TM, M, 2M, 3M and even 5M? What do they stand for?

This is the softness of the pencil lead. T - hard, TM - hard-soft, M - soft. The numbers indicate the degree of hardness or softness.

Let's say you want to shade a part with thin gray lines. For this purpose, a pencil marked 2T is suitable. And if you need to draw a bold frame, then take a 3M pencil. It will allow you to apply a wide line in one pass. You can't make such a line with a hard pencil. foreign pencils are marked with the letters H and B. H - hard, HB - hard-soft, B - soft or fat.

Rulers and erasers

For drawing, it is better to arm yourself with 3 types of rulers:

long - from 50 to 100 cm;
medium - 30 cm;
short - from 10 to 20 cm.

This set allows you to make any drawings. If you want to draw a line 50 cm long, it is more convenient to use a long ruler. And, conversely, for a segment of 2 cm, there is no need to mess around with a meter-sized ruler. Buy plastic and metal products. Wooden ones can deteriorate quickly. Dents on the ribs will not allow you to draw straight lines. To build curved lines, a pattern is required. This drawing tool is available with constant or variable curvature.

Products are made from the following materials:

plastics;
tree;
metal.

For the manufacture of patterns with variable curvature, steel is used. Choose a tool with a presentable look. Then he can serve you for a long time.

Rulers for drawing

A drawing square is useful for drawing vertical and oblique lines. It is made from wood or plastic. The tool helps to build angles of 90, 30 or 45 degrees. It is convenient to have 2 squares: one with angles of 90-45-45 degrees and 90-30-60 degrees. Any angles can be built using a protractor.

Ruler

The second main tool of a draftsman is a ruler. Rulers are also divided by purpose. Ordinary wooden rulers work great paired with a simple pencil. Mascara requires special rulers. Previously, wooden rulers with plastic inserts were produced. To draw a metal blank, you need a metal ruler.

Reisshina

Have you seen the ruler on wheels? There is such an invention, and it is called - reyshina. With the help of such a ruler, draw parallel lines. Various triangles are used to draw angles. Next come the protractors, the template - funny figures that look like a treble clef.

The line has another great feature. It can limit the length of the line. Perhaps this is the main difference between a draftsman and an artist.

The easiest drawing kit

The flight of thought of a draftsman can always be measured and limited.

Sterka

But back to the pencil. This tool has a wonderful property. It is for this property that he is loved. creative people. A line drawn with a pencil can be corrected using another wonderful tool - an eraser, in a simple way, an eraser.

What could be easier than a pencil? This simple tool, familiar to everyone since childhood, is not as primitive as it seems at first glance. Any artist must be able to draw with a pencil. And, more importantly, understand them.

Article structure:

Graphite ("simple") pencils are pretty different from each other. By the way, "pencil" comes from two Turkic words - "kara" and "dash" (black stone).

The pen's nib is set in a frame made of wood or plastic, and may be made of graphite, charcoal, or other materials. The most common type - graphite pencils - differ in the degree of rigidity.

Pavel Chistyakov, professor at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts of the 19th-early 20th century, advised to start by putting paint aside and practicing drawing “with a pencil for at least a year.” great artist Ilya Repin never parted with pencils. Pencil drawing is the basis of any painting.

The human eye distinguishes about 150 shades of gray. An artist who draws with graphite pencils has three colors at his disposal. White (paper color), black and gray (color of graphite pencils of different hardness). These are achromatic colors. Drawing only with a pencil, only in shades of gray allows you to create images that convey the volume of objects, the play of shadows and glare of light.

Lead hardness

The hardness of the lead is indicated on the pencil with letters and numbers. Manufacturers from different countries(Europe, USA and Russia) the marking of the hardness of the pencils is different.

Rigidity designation

In Russia hardness scale looks like this:

M - soft;
T - solid;
TM - hard-soft;

European scale somewhat wider (marking F does not have a Russian equivalent):

B - soft, from blackness (blackness);
H - hard, from hardness (hardness);
F is the middle tone between HB and H (from the English fine point - subtlety)
HB - hard-soft (Hardness Blackness - hardness-blackness);

IN THE USA a number scale is used to indicate the stiffness of a pencil:

#1 - corresponds to B - soft;
#2 - corresponds to HB - hard-soft;
#2½ - corresponds to F - medium between hard-soft and hard;
#3 - corresponds to H - hard;
#4 - corresponds to 2H - very hard.

Pencil pencil strife. Depending on the manufacturer, the tone of the line drawn with a pencil of the same marking may differ.

In Russian and European marking of pencils, the number before the letter indicates the degree of softness or hardness. For example, 2B is twice as soft as B and 2H is twice as hard as H. Pencils are commercially available and are labeled 9H (hardest) to 9B (softest).

soft pencils

Start from B before 9B.

The most commonly used pencil when creating a drawing is HB. However, this is the most common pencil. With this pencil draw the basis, the shape of the picture. HB handy for drawing, creating tonal spots, it is not too hard, not too soft. Draw dark places, highlight them and place accents, a soft pencil will help to make a clear line in the picture. 2B.

Hard pencils

Start from H before 9H.

H- a hard pencil, hence - thin, light, "dry" lines. With a hard pencil draw solid objects with a clear outline (stone, metal). With such a hard pencil, according to the finished drawing, over the shaded or shaded fragments, thin lines are drawn, for example, strands are drawn in the hair.

The line drawn with a soft pencil has a slightly loose contour. A soft lead will allow you to reliably draw representatives of the fauna - birds, hares, cats, dogs.

If it is necessary to choose between a hard or soft pencil, artists take a pencil with a soft lead. An image drawn with such a pencil is easy to shade with a piece of thin paper, a finger or an eraser. If necessary, you can finely sharpen the graphite core of a soft pencil and draw a thin line similar to the line from a hard pencil.

The figure below shows more clearly the hatching of different pencils:

Hatching and drawing

Strokes on paper are drawn with a pencil inclined at an angle of about 45 ° to the plane of the sheet. To make the line bolder, you can rotate the pencil around the axis.

Light areas are shaded with a hard pencil. Dark areas are correspondingly soft.

It is inconvenient to hatch with a very soft pencil, as the stylus quickly becomes dull and the fineness of the line is lost. The way out is to either sharpen the point very often, or use a harder pencil.

When drawing, they gradually move from light to dark areas, since it is much easier to darken a part of the drawing with a pencil than to make a dark place lighter.

Please note that the pencil must be sharpened not with a simple sharpener, but with a knife. The lead should be 5-7mm long, which allows you to tilt the pencil and achieve the desired effect.

Graphite pencil lead is a fragile material. Despite the protection of the wooden shell, the pencil requires careful handling. When dropped, the lead inside the pencil breaks into pieces and then crumbles during sharpening, making the pencil unusable.

Nuances to know when working with pencils

For hatching at the very beginning, you should use a hard pencil. Those. the driest lines are made with a hard pencil.

The finished drawing is drawn with a soft pencil to give it richness and expressiveness. Soft pencil leaves dark lines.

The more you tilt the pencil, the wider its mark will be. However, with the advent of pencils with a thick lead, this need is no longer necessary.

If you do not know how the final drawing will look like, it is recommended to start with a hard pencil. With a hard pencil, you can gradually dial the desired tone. At the very beginning, I myself made the following mistake: I took too soft a pencil, which made the drawing dark and incomprehensible.

Pencil frames

Certainly, classic version- This is a stylus in a wooden frame. But now there are also plastic, varnished and even paper frames. The lead on these pencils is thick. On the one hand, this is good, but on the other hand, such pencils are easy to break if put in a pocket or dropped unsuccessfully.

Although there are special cases for carrying pencils (for example, I have a set of KOH-I-NOOR Progresso black lead pencils - good, solid packaging, like a pencil case).

Video: choosing pencils

In fact, you probably, like most artists, use several different pencils depending on the effect you want to create.

Choosing the right pencils to bring your sketches and artwork to life can seem like a daunting task, but it all depends on your tastes. After you choose a brand that you like, you can use different pencils and combine them. You'll see, a lot of what we offer are pencil sets that allow you to experiment with a wide variety of lines and shading, but each brand also sells pencils separately as soon as you need to refill the set.

How to choose the best drawing pencil

When choosing the perfect graphite pencil, the first thing to consider is your drawing style. For technical drawings and similar works with thin lines, those pencils that are used for darkening will not work. Do you use dark, thick lines in your sketches, or do you prefer lighter, thinner strokes? Your personal art style and needs will guide you in choosing a good drawing pencil.

Keep in mind that most artists use more than one type of pencil. In fact, many manufacturers produce pencil sets different types. This will allow you to combine tools depending on the requirements of a particular drawing.

When you know what type of work you need a pencil for, you need to understand what kind of stiffness you need. Despite the fact that we often talk about the lead content in pencils, they actually do not have it. While colored pencils are made from wax and pigment, graphite pencils are made from clay and graphite. The combination of these two creates smooth strokes, but graphite pencils produce different lines depending on how much clay they contain. As a general rule, the more clay in a pencil, the harder the pencil will be and the lighter the shading will be.

The Russian scale for pencil hardness uses the TM scale, but the rest of the world uses a different scale. Most manufacturers use the HB scale, where "H" stands for hardness and "B" for softness and blackness.

The HB scale ranges from 9H, a hard pencil that creates thin, light lines, to 9B, a soft pencil that contains a lot of graphite and creates heavy, dark lines. While manufacturers give each pencil a scale designation, it's all relative within a given brand, so remember that one manufacturer's 6H pencil may differ slightly from another manufacturer's 6H pencil.

Once you understand what kind of lines your pencils create, you can easily combine them to create a graphite pencil set that suits your needs as an artist.

The best graphite pencils for drawing

Available in different sets, Derwent pencils are suitable for both beginners and professionals. You can choose from soft, medium, and hard pencil sets that people say are easy to sharpen. This allows for detailed work as well as shading. The hexagonal shape makes the pencil easy to grip.

The Prismacolor set is a good starter kit. It includes seven graphite pencils of different types, as well as four woodless pencils. They create beautiful, wide strokes and allow you to experiment. As an added bonus, the pencil set includes water-soluble graphite pencils that soften when in contact with water. Thus, this set is a great option for sketching.

Many artists draw with Staedtler pencils. The Mars Lumograph set is known for its strength and durability, making it a great kit for detailed work. Pencils also cleanly erase, so paper won't smudge. IN standard set Staedtler comes with 6B, 5B, 4B, 3B, 2B, B, HB, F, H, 2H, 3H, 4H pencils making it extremely versatile. “I have been using the Staedtler Lumograph set professionally for over 30 years and in that time I have not found a better set,” says Mike Sibley, artist and art educator. “I even give them to my workshops.”

Excellent quality Lyra Art Design pencils. The graphite is hard enough that this set is suitable for technical drawing, and also does not create problems with shading thanks to 17 types of pencils in hardness. One critic writes: “The best pencils for drawing. High quality smooth graphite that blends easily. A great variety of rigidity for all your artwork needs."

Faber-Castell is a German brand known for their high quality art supplies and this pencil set is no exception. The brand produces sets of pencils with many types of hardness, which you can purchase separately. Strong and durable pencils are easy to sharpen. In addition, the handy packaging of Faber-Castell allows you to carry pencils with you. No wonder these are the favorite pencils of artists, regardless of style or skill level.

The Japanese manufacturer Tombow is known for their high strength pencils, which means they sharpen easily. The Mono pencil is known to be very dark and virtually indelible. Tombow Mono's dark lines almost mimic ink, making it an artist's favorite pencil for shading and tracing.

Woodless pencils are a little more expensive, but they usually last longer than regular ones. wooden pencils. The Cretacolor set is ideal for shading, and the graphite in the pencils is water-soluble, so you can create soft shading. The Creatacolor kit is also equipped with an eraser and a sharpener, giving you everything necessary tools in one package.

The 2H Prismacolor Ebony Pencil is the perfect choice for rich, velvety lines. Soft pencil, easy to blend, does not create greasy black lines. It often needs to be sharpened due to its softness, but many people use this pencil to darken.

Don't be afraid of the price. Caran D "ache is a set for serious sketches. Being the only pencil manufacturer in Switzerland, the brand has conducted thorough research, creating pencils that many artists admire. There are 15 graphic and 3 water-soluble pencils in the set. graphite pencil as well as accessories. Some say it's best pencils for drawing and once you try them you will never go back to other pencils.

The best mechanical pencils for drawing

Rotring is the dominant brand in production mechanical pencils. Professional pencil for drawing is durable, which means that you will spend less money on buying new tools. With a retractable lead and non-slip metal body, this pencil is great for sketching.

This pencil won design awards for a reason. Rubber dots along the entire body make the tool extremely comfortable and easy to grip. This pencil also has an eraser.