Solid pencil designation letter. Hardness of pencils

A pencil is a graphite rod in a wooden frame made of soft wood, such as cedar, about 18 cm long. Graphite pencils from raw graphite existing in nature were first used in early XVII V. Prior to this, lead or silver rods (known as a silver pencil) were used for drawing. Modern form lead or graphite pencil in a wooden frame came into use in early XIX V.

Usually a pencil "works" if you lead it or press it with a stylus on paper, the surface of which serves as a kind of grater that splits the stylus into tiny particles. Due to the pressure on the pencil, the lead particles penetrate the paper fiber, leaving a line, or trace.

Graphite, one of the modifications of carbon, along with coal and diamond, is the main component of the pencil lead. The hardness of the lead depends on the amount of clay added to the graphite. The softest grades of pencils contain little or no clay. Artists and draftsmen work with a whole set of pencils, choosing them depending on the task at hand.

When the lead in a pencil wears off, it can be reused by sharpening it with a special sharpener or razor. Sharpening a pencil is an important process that determines the type of lines drawn with a pencil. There are many ways to sharpen pencils, and each of them gives a different result. The artist should try to sharpen pencils in different ways in order to know exactly which lines can be drawn with one pencil or another with different sharpening methods.

You need to know well the advantages and disadvantages of a pencil, like each material with which you work. Different brands of pencils are used for certain occasions. The following section discusses some types of drawings, indicating what brand of pencil or graphite material they were made.

The examples given give an idea of ​​the strokes and lines made by different pencils. As you look at them, take your pencils in turn and see what strokes you can get with each pencil. Surely you will not only want to try each pencil and discover new possibilities for drawing, you will suddenly find that your “pencil sense” has increased. We, as artists, feel the material we use, and this affects the work.

Materials and examples of strokes and lines.

HARD PENCIL

With a hard pencil, you can apply strokes that almost do not differ from each other, except perhaps in length. Tone is usually created by cross hatching. Hard pencils are designated by the letter H. Like soft ones, they have a hardness gradation: HB, H, 2H, 3H, 4H, 5H, 6H, 7H, 8H and 9H (the hardest).

Hard pencils are commonly used by planners, architects, and professionals who create precise drawings for which thin, neat lines are important, as when creating perspective or other projection systems. Although the strokes made with a hard pencil differ little from each other, they can be very expressive. Tone, as well as soft, can be created with a hard pencil, shading with cross lines, although the result will be a thinner and more formal drawing.

PROJECTION SYSTEMS FOR HARD PENCILS

Hard pencils are ideal for creating blueprints. As we have already said, such drawings are usually carried out by engineers, designers and architects. The finished drawings must be accurate, they should indicate the dimensions so that the performers, such as craftsmen, following the instructions, can create an object according to the project. Drawings can be made using different systems projections, starting with a plan on a plane and ending with images in perspective.

STROKES WITH A HARD PENCIL
I do not give examples of strokes applied with pencils 7H - 9H.

SOFT PENCIL

A soft pencil has more possibilities for toning and transferring texture than a hard pencil. Soft pencils are designated with the letter B. A pencil marked HB is a cross between a hard and soft pencil and is the main tool between pencils with extreme properties. The range of soft pencils includes HB, B, 2V, 3V, 4V, 5V, bV, 7V, 8V and 9V pencils (the softest). Soft pencils allow the artist to express their ideas through toning, texture reproduction, shading, and even simple lines. The softest pencils can be used to tint a group of objects, although in general I find it more convenient to use a graphite stick in this case. It all depends on which surface you want to apply the tone. If this is a small drawing, for example on AZ paper, then it is probably more suitable soft pencil. But if you want to set the tone for a larger drawing, I would advise you to use a graphite stick.

The only soft pencil that is convenient for making drawings that require high precision - the palm, of course, for a hard pencil - is a pencil with a thin lead that is clamped.

OTHER TYPES OF PENCILS

In addition to the pencils described above, there are other pencils that provide much more room for experimentation and discovery in the field of drawing. You will find these pencils in any store that sells art supplies.

- A pencil placed in a frame of twisted paper - graphite in a frame of twisted paper, which is turned away to release the stylus.
- Rotary pencil - available in many types, with a variety of mechanisms that open the tip of the graphite.
- Pencil with clamping lead - a pencil for sketching with a very soft fuzzy or thick lead.
- A standard thick black pencil, known for many years as "Black Beauty".
- Carpenter's pencil - used by carpenters and builders to measure, write down and sketch new ideas.
- Graphite pencil or stick. This pencil is hard graphite about the same thickness as a regular pencil. A thin film that covers the tip from the outside turns away, revealing graphite. A graphite stick is a thicker piece of graphite, like a pastel, wrapped in paper, which is removed as needed. This is a versatile pencil.
- The watercolor sketch pencil is a normal pencil, but when immersed in water, it can be used as a watercolor brush.

What is graphite.

Graphite is the substance used to make pencil leads, but naturally occurring graphite is not placed in a wooden frame. Graphite mined in different deposits varies in thickness and varying degrees of hardness/softness. As can be seen from the drawings, graphite is not intended for creating detailed drawings. It is more suitable for sketches of an expressive nature; it is convenient to work with graphite together with a vinyl eraser.

Graphite pencil can be used to make quick, heavy, dramatic sketches using energetic lines, large areas of dark tones, or interesting textured strokes. This way of drawing will convey the mood well, but it is completely unsuitable for making drawings. Graphite is better to draw large drawings: the reasons for this are clear to everyone. Graphite is universal remedy, and before you start working with it, learn more about its properties and features. Since it does not have an outer frame, its side surfaces can be fully utilized. We don't have that opportunity when we draw with a pencil. You will be pleasantly surprised when you see what can be achieved by painting with graphite. Personally, if I draw in a free and dynamic manner, I always use graphite. If you also paint with graphite in this manner, then, no doubt, you will achieve great success.

DRAWING WITH SOFT PENCILS AND GRAPHITE

Unlike a hard pencil, a soft pencil and graphite can make thicker strokes and create a wide tonal spectrum - from deep black to white. Soft pencil and graphite allow you to do this quickly and efficiently. With a soft, sharp enough pencil, you can convey the contour of the object, as well as its volume.

Drawings made by these means are more expressive. They are associated with our feelings, ideas, impressions and thoughts, for example, they can be sketches in a notebook as a result of our first impressions of an object. They may be part of our visual observation and records. The drawings convey the change in tone in the process of observation, either due to creative imagination, or express the surface of the texture. These drawings can also arbitrarily explain or express expression - that is, they themselves can be works of fine art, and not blanks for future work.

The eraser enhances the effect of a soft pencil. A soft pencil and eraser allow you to achieve greater expressiveness of the drawing. The eraser, used with a hard pencil, is most often used to correct mistakes, and as an addition to a soft pencil and charcoal, it is a means of creating an image.

Can be achieved different results, if you press them differently when working with a soft pencil and graphite. Pressure allows you to transform an image, either by changing the tone or making strokes more weighty. Look at examples of tone gradations and try to experiment in this direction yourself. When changing the pressure on the pencil, try to change the maximum amount of the image using different movements.

What are erasers.

As a rule, we first get acquainted with the eraser when we need to correct a mistake. We want to erase the place where the mistake was made and continue drawing. Since the eraser is associated with correcting errors, we have a rather negative attitude towards it and its functions. The eraser seems to be a necessary evil, and the more it wears away from constant use, the more often we feel that the om does not meet our requirements. It's time to reconsider the role of the eraser in our work. If you use the eraser skillfully, it can be the most useful tool when drawing. But first you need to give up the idea that mistakes are always bad, because you learn from mistakes.

When sketching, many artists think about the process of drawing or decide how the drawing will look. Sketches can be erroneous, and they need to be corrected in the process. This has happened to every artist - even to such great masters as Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt. Revisiting views is almost always part of the creative process, it is noticeable in many works, especially in sketches, where artists develop their ideas and designs.

The desire to completely erase the errors in the work and start drawing again is one of the common mistakes of novice artists. As a result, they make more mistakes or repeat old ones, which causes a feeling of dissatisfaction, leading to a sense of failure. When you make corrections, do not erase the original lines until you are satisfied with the new drawing and you feel that these lines are superfluous. My advice: keep the traces of correction, do not completely destroy them, as they reflect the process of your reflection and refinement of the idea.

Another positive function of the eraser is to reproduce areas of light in a tone pattern made with graphite, charcoal or ink. The eraser can be used to give expressiveness to strokes that emphasize texture - a prime example This approach is served by the drawings of Frank Auerbach. In these, the "tonking" technique is an example of using an eraser to create a sense of atmosphere.

There are many types of erasers on the market, with the help of which traces of all substances with which the artist works are removed. Listed below are the types of erasers and their functions.

Soft eraser ("nag"). Usually used for charcoal and pastel drawings, but it can also be used in pencil drawing. This eraser can be given any shape - this is its main advantage. It helps to develop a positive approach to drawing, as it is intended to bring something new to the drawing, and not to destroy what has already been done.

- Vinyl eraser. Usually they erase strokes with charcoal, pastel and pencil. It can also be used to create some types of strokes.
- Indian eraser. Used to remove strokes made with a light pencil.
- Ink eraser. It is very difficult to completely remove strokes made with ink. Erasers for removing ink and typescript come in pencil or round shape. You can use a combination eraser, one end of which removes the pencil, the other - the ink.
- Surface cleaners, namely scalpels, razor blades, pumice stone, fine steel wire, and sandpaper, are used to remove stubborn ink marks from drawings. Obviously, before using these tools, you need to make sure that your paper is thick enough to be able to remove it. upper layer and do not rub to the holes.
- Media applied to paper, such as correction fluid, titanium white or Chinese white. Incorrect strokes are covered with an opaque layer of white. After they dry, you can work on the surface again.

Artist security measures.

When working with materials, do not forget about safety measures. Handle scalpels and razor blades with care. Don't leave them open when you're not using them. Find out if the fluids you use are non-toxic or flammable. So, applying white is a very convenient and cheap way to remove ink, which is based on water, but white is poisonous, and you need to use them with care.

Pumice stone is used to remove hard-to-erase strokes. However, pumice must be used with care, as it can damage the paper. A razor blade (or scalpel) allows you to scrape off strokes that cannot be removed by other means. They can be used in case of emergency, because by removing extra strokes, you can

Decide what you need pencils for.

• What are you going to do with the pencil? Will you write a lot? Or do homework? How about solving crossword puzzles? Or do sketches and draw full-fledged paintings?
• How much pressure do you use on the pencil when writing or drawing?
• Do you prefer a thin line or a thick one?
• Do you tend to regularly lose pencils, give them to others, chew them or spoil them, or do you try to save pencils and keep them exclusively in a pencil case?
• Do you carry pencils in your pocket, at the risk of injuring yourself with the tip of the lead?
• Do you try to keep the eraser on your pencil, or does it tend to get lost? Do you rarely use an eraser and it just dries out?

Pay attention to what you like or dislike about the pencils you use. Perhaps some are very comfortable to hold in your hand, while others, on the contrary, are difficult to move across a sheet of paper.

Think what you like best: mechanical pencil or traditional.

• Mechanical pencils do not need to be sharpened, but they do require replacement of the correct lead thickness. As a rule, when about 1 centimeter remains from the stylus, it can no longer be used.
• Mechanical pencils allow fine, even lines to be drawn, which may be advantageous when creating technical drawings or small drawings.
• The length of a mechanical pencil does not change over time.
• Mechanical pencils are usually more expensive than traditional ones, especially high-quality ones designed for long-term use. Most often, in mechanical pencils, it is possible to replace the lead and eraser, which allows you to use it for a very long time.
• Regular pencils are usually cheap. The thickness of the line may vary depending on the angle of inclination and the degree of dullness of the lead.
• The advantages of conventional pencils are their low cost, availability and ease of use. Many also like the feel of using a regular pencil.

Decide on the thickness of the lead when choosing a mechanical pencil.

• If you're a bit clumsy and used to pushing hard on a pencil, try a 0.9mm thick lead. Pencils with 0.9mm lead tend to be darker than others because their lead is almost twice as thick as normal.
• The 0.5mm thick lead is designed for those who prefer easy movements. Such pencils allow you to make even very small drawings neat and detailed.
• The thickness of 0.7mm is the average option.
• Artists and draftsmen may be interested in other lead sizes, but be aware that thick leads require sharpening, even if they are mechanical pencil leads, and thin leads can be very fragile.
• Generally speaking, a thick lead is a flexible solution, since it is possible to achieve the desired thickness by sharpening.

Write comfortably. Use pencils with a comfortable body. Some constructions can prevent seizures, which is useful when writing long texts.

Select lead hardness. Understanding hardness grades can be difficult because there are two different scales of measurement, which, moreover, are not very well standardized. It is possible, however, to understand the basic division of pencils according to the hardness of the lead.

Determine what other parameters your pencil should have.

• Should there be a built-in eraser? Do you need a cap?
• What is the most convenient way for you to move the lead in a mechanical pencil? By pressing from above or from the side? By rotating a certain part of the pencil?
• How strong should the pencil construction be?
• Is it comfortable to hold in your hand?
• How much does a pencil cost?

Use crayons for coloring, underlining, and more, all the way to coloring books.

• If you are drawing professionally, you should visit a specialty store and purchase colored pencils for artists. Although they are more expensive, the variety of colors is greater, and the quality is higher.
• An underline pencil is a type of colored pencil. Although it has been superseded by the marker, it can still be found in a good stationery store.

Pencil is a very simple drawing material with which artists begin their creative way. Even any kid makes his first lines with a pencil before moving on to more complex material. But not such a pencil and primitive, if you study in more detail. He is able to help the artist create sketches, various illustrations, drawings and paintings. Pencils have their own types and it is important for any artist to be able to choose the right material for their work so that the illustration has a presentable appearance. So let's figure it out how to choose a pencil for drawing?

The principle of the pencil

When a person presses down on a pencil, the rod slides over the paper, and the graphite particles break down into small particles and linger in the paper fiber. Thus, a line is obtained. In the process of drawing, the graphite rod is erased, so it is sharpened. The most familiar way is a special sharpener, you can also use a regular blade. It is important to understand that this method requires special care and preparation in order to avoid cuts. But thanks to the blade, you can make the desired thickness and shape of graphite.

Types of a simple pencil

The basic definition of a pencil is a graphite rod framed in a wood or plastic frame. A simple graphite pencil comes in various types. They differ in their degree of hardness.
Human eyes can distinguish a large number of shades of gray, and to be precise - 150 tones. Despite this, the artist must have in his arsenal at least three types simple pencil- hard, medium soft and soft. With their help, you can create three-dimensional drawing. Different degrees of rigidity will be able to convey the contrast, you just need to skillfully handle them.
You can determine the degree of softness of graphite using the symbols (letters and numbers) that are printed on the frame of the pencil. The scale of hardness and softness are different. We will consider three types of notation:

Russia

1. T- solid.
2. M- soft.
3. TM- medium softness.

Europe

1. H- solid.
2. B- soft.
3. HB- medium softness.
4. F- middle tone, which is determined between H and HB.

1. #1 (B)- soft.
2. #2 (HB)- medium softness.
3. #2½ (F) Medium between hard and medium soft.
4. #3 (H)- solid.
5. #4 (2H)- very hard.

It is impossible not to take into account such a moment as the manufacturer. Sometimes, even the same softness of pencils from different manufacturers will differ significantly from each other due to their quality.

A palette of shades of a simple pencil

It is worth noting that the softness of pencils can vary significantly. In other words, softness and hardness are further divided into tonality. The H designation is considered the hardest, while B is the softest. It's not surprising if there are whole sets in the store from 9H (hardest) to 9B (softest).
The most common and popular is the HB pencil. It has moderate softness and hardness, making it easy to sketch. With it, you can enhance dark places, thanks to its light softness.
To enhance the contrast of the picture, it is worth purchasing 2B. Artists rarely use very hard pencils, but this is a matter of taste. This type of pencil is more suitable for drawing schemes or building perspectives for landscapes, because it is almost invisible in the image. It is impossible not to take into account that the high hardness of the pencil allows you to make a smooth transition on the hair or add a barely noticeable tone without fear of darkening.

At the beginning of work, it is worth using a hard pencil, especially if you are not sure about the result of the illustration. A soft pencil is designed to work out the shadows and highlight the desired lines.

Hatching and shading

Regardless of the softness, one must always remember that the pencil must be sharpened sharply. Strokes and lines are best obtained with a hard pencil due to the fact that the lead does not dull quickly, but remains in its pointed shape. for a long time. Shading is preferred for a soft pencil, but it is better to draw with the side of the stylus so that the material is applied evenly.

Features of working with a pencil

Do not forget that the pencil lead is a rather fragile thing. Every time a pencil falls to the floor or is hit, its core is damaged or even broken. As a result, it will be inconvenient to draw, because the stylus will crumble or fall out of its wooden frame.

Outcome. The information worth knowing is quite voluminous for a novice artist. But it is very useful, because it will help in creating future masterpieces. Over time, knowledge will automatically suggest which simple pencil is needed in a given situation. Most importantly, don't be afraid to experiment.

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, lard, stearin, paraffin and different types wax. 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. 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 look.

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. On 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 with 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 wood shell coating color 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 schoolwork in writing and drawing; 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: available only soft, different degrees of 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.

graphite pencils , which exist to this day, was invented by a French scientist Nicola Conti in 1794. Usually graphite pencil is called a "simple" pencil, as opposed to colored pencils. Graphite pencils can be divided into two main types: soft And solid. The type is determined by the softness or hardness of the lead inside the body of the pencil. You can tell the type of pencil by looking at the letters and numbers written on it. The letter “M” means that the pencil is soft, and “T” means hard. There is also a type of TM - hard-soft. The degree of hardness or softness of a pencil can be recognized by the numbers written in front of the letter. For example, 2M is twice as soft as M. and 3T is three times harder than T. In many countries of the world abroad, for example, in England, in the USA, the letter H or B is written. H means hard, B - respectively soft, and HB - hard-soft.

A vivid example for comparing pencils can be seen in the figure:

The choice of pencil depends on the type of paper, on the work being done, and also on the personal preferences of the artist. For example, I prefer HB pencils from Faber Castell. It is more convenient to sharpen pencils with stationery knives. Historically, knives for sharpening office supplies (feathers) were called “penknives”. It is very important to keep pencils from falling. On impact, the lead may break into small pieces. It is also important to protect pencils from excessive moisture. During dampening and subsequent drying, the pencil back can be deformed, which will lead to a violation of the integrity of the stylus. There is also another type of graphite pencil called "Mechanical Pencil". They are convenient because they do not need to be sharpened. These pencils have a movable lead. Its length can be adjusted with a button. Mechanical pencils come with very thin leads (from 0.1 mm). There are also mechanical pencils with an intermediate lead thickness. The thickest mechanical pencil lead I've come across is 5mm. Professional artists often like to draw with such pencils.

Marking pencils by hardness

Pencils are distinguished by the hardness of the lead, which is usually indicated on the pencil.

In Russia, graphite drawing pencils are produced in several degrees of hardness, which is indicated by letters, as well as numbers in front of the letters.

In the USA, pencils are marked with numbers, and in Europe and Russia, a mnemonic combination of letters or just one letter.

The letter M stands for soft pencil. In Europe, they use the letter B for this, which is actually short for blackness (something like blackness, so to speak). In the USA they use the number 1.

To designate hard pencil in Russia they use the letter T. In Europe, respectively, H, which can be deciphered as hardness (hardness).

A hard-soft pencil is designated as TM. For Europe it will be HB.

A standard hard-soft pencil, in addition to combinations, in Europe can be denoted by the letter F.

For orientation in these international issues, it is convenient to use the table of correspondence of the hardness of the scales, which is given below.

History of pencils

Beginning in the 13th century, artists used thin silver wire for drawing, which they soldered to a pen or kept in a case. This type of pencil was called a "silver pencil". This tool required high level skill, since it is impossible to erase what he has drawn. Another his characteristic feature was that over time, the gray strokes applied with a silver pencil turned brown.

There was also a "lead pencil", which left a discreet but clear mark and was often used for preparatory sketches of portraits. The drawings made with a silver and lead pencil are characterized by a thin line style. For example, Dürer used similar pencils.

Also known is the so-called "Italian pencil", which appeared in the XIV century. It was a core of clay black shale. Then they began to make it from burnt bone powder, fastened with vegetable glue. This tool allowed you to create an intense and rich line. Interestingly, artists still sometimes use silver, lead and Italian pencils when they need to achieve a certain effect.

Graphite pencils have been known since the 16th century. The first description of a graphite pencil was found in the 1564 writings on minerals by the Swiss naturalist Konrad Geisler. By the same time, the discovery of a graphite deposit in England, in Cumberland, where graphite was sawn into pencil rods, dates back. English shepherds from the Cumberland area found a dark mass in the ground, which they used to mark their sheep. Due to the color similar to the color of lead, the deposit was mistaken for deposits of this metal. But, having determined the unsuitability of the new material for making bullets, they began to produce thin sticks pointed at the end from it and used them for drawing. These sticks were soft, dirty hands, and only good for drawing, not writing.

In the 17th century, graphite was usually sold on the streets. Artists, to make it more comfortable and the stick not so soft, clamped these graphite "pencils" between pieces of wood or twigs, wrapped them in paper or tied them with twine.

The first document that mentions a wooden pencil is dated 1683. In Germany, the production of graphite pencils began in Nuremberg. The Germans, mixing graphite with sulfur and glue, got a rod that was not High Quality but at a lower price. To hide this, pencil manufacturers resorted to various tricks. Pieces of pure graphite were inserted into the wooden case of the pencil at the beginning and at the end, while in the middle there was a low-quality artificial core. Sometimes the inside of the pencil was completely empty. The so-called "Nuremberg Goods" did not enjoy a good reputation.

It was only in 1761 that Caspar Faber developed a way to strengthen graphite by mixing crushed graphite powder with resin and antimony, resulting in a thick mass suitable for casting stronger and more uniform graphite rods.

At the end of the 18th century, the Czech I. Hartmut began to make pencil leads from a mixture of graphite and clay, followed by firing. Graphite rods appeared, reminiscent of modern ones. By changing the amount of added clay, it was possible to obtain rods of various hardness. The modern pencil was invented in 1794 by the talented French scientist and inventor Nicolas Jacques Conte. At the end of the 18th century, the English Parliament imposed a strict ban on the export of precious graphite from Cumberland. For violation of this prohibition, the punishment was very severe, up to the death penalty. But despite this, graphite continued to be smuggled into continental Europe, which led to sharp increase its prices.

On the instructions of the French convention, Conte developed a recipe for mixing graphite with clay and producing high-quality rods from these materials. With the help of high temperature treatment, high strength was achieved, but even more important was the fact that changing the proportion of the mixture made it possible to make rods of different hardness, which served as the basis modern classification hardness pencils. It has been calculated that with an 18 cm long pencil one can draw a line of 55 km or write 45,000 words! Polymers are used in modern leads, which allow achieving the desired combination of strength and elasticity, making it possible to produce very thin leads for mechanical pencils (up to 0.3 mm).

The hexagonal shape of the pencil body was proposed in late XIX century Count Lothar von Fabercastle, noting that round pencils often roll off inclined writing surfaces. Almost 2/3 of the material that makes up a simple pencil goes to waste when it is sharpened. This prompted the American Alonso Townsend Cross to create a metal pencil in 1869. The graphite rod was placed in a metal tube and could, if necessary, be extended to the appropriate length. This invention influenced the development of a whole group of products that are used everywhere today. The simplest design is a mechanical pencil with a 2 mm lead, where the rod is held by metal clamps (collets) - a collet pencil. The collets open when a button on the end of the pencil is pressed, resulting in extension to a user-adjustable length of the pencil.

Modern mechanical pencils are more advanced. Each time the button is pressed, a small section of the lead is automatically fed. Such pencils do not need to be sharpened, they are equipped with a built-in (usually under the lead feed button) eraser and have various fixed line thicknesses (0.3 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.9 mm, 1 mm).

Drawings graphite pencil have a grayish tone with a slight sheen, they do not have intense blackness. The famous French cartoonist Emmanuel Poiret (1858-1909), born in Russia, came up with an aristocratic French-sounding pseudonym Caran d’Ache, which he began to sign his works with. Later, this version of the French transcription of the Russian word "pencil" was chosen as the name and trademark of the Swiss brand CARAN d'ACHE, founded in Geneva in 1924, producing exclusive writing instruments and accessories.