How to Choose a Drawing Pencil

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Select a drawing pencil that's suitable for your sketching project. Step1 Take a trip to the local art store and try several pencils. The correct pencil is the one that you enjoy using the most. Step2 Select a pencil with soft lead if you want dark, fat lines that are easy to make and you don't mind smudges or frequent sharpening. Step3 Select a pencil with harder lead if you want smudgeproof, precise lines and a pencil that doesn't require sharpening as often. Step4 Ask the art store clerk about any pencils that don't have a grade indicating the softness or weight of the lead. Leads are graded, hardest to softest, 4H , 2H, H, HB, F, B, B2 and B4. Step5 Consider a lead holder and a selection of changeable leads if you want to be able to change the weight of the lead, keep a very sharp point and enjoy using a special gadget. Step6 Select a mechanical pencil with replaceable leads and erasers if you enjoy gadgets and don't want to carry a pencil sharpener or lead pointer and a separate eraser. Step7 Choose a pencil or leads that work well with the sketch paper that you select. You'll get rips using hard lead on fragile paper, and lots of dust and smudging using soft lead on rough paper. Step8 Select a soft lead if your sketch paper might become damp while you're sketching, since harder lead won't make marks on wet paper. Step9 Remember to pick up a separate eraser. Most drawing pencils don't have one on the end. Make sure it works with the lead you've chosen - very soft and very hard leads are both difficult to erase. Step10 Remember to pick up a pencil sharpener or lead pointer. Make sure it works with the pencil or lead holder you've chosen.