Pen or pencil

@cbjones (1147)
United States
April 21, 2010 6:00pm CST
Do you prefer to draw/sketch using a pen or a pencil? I like to use a pencil whenever possible. I'm free to just scribble lightly on the page before deciding what i really want to draw. Then I may go back over the sketch with a pen to prepare it for scanning.
3 people like this
10 responses
• Australia
22 Apr 10
I prefer to sketch using a pencil. It allows me to err without too much concern but also provides me with a greater ability to use differing shades and textures to compliment the artwork.
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
21 Apr 10
i have to say that i am not a very good drawer so i usually sketch in pencil so i can erase my mistakes.
1 person likes this
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
19 Aug 10
Hi, cbjones. When I am just doodling, I will use a pen. When I am actually drawing a sketch or drawing of some kind, I will use, a pencil. Then I will trace over it with a crayon or a marker. I know that I used to do this when I was a child.
• Philippines
21 Apr 10
I prefer pencil over pen. I make a lot of mistakes when i'm sketching and sometimes i just wanna do an abstract and it's more comfortable for me to do it with a pencil. I use pen too but only when i'm drawing cartoon-like characters.
1 person likes this
@unique16 (1531)
• United States
16 Aug 10
Hello cbjones, I like pencil because you rub it better to get they right color gray or make the tones better or sharper etc... and the contrasts between white and black. The pen can smear more it reminds to much like ink pens and they can drip. The black and white seam more romantic to me. Now if I am doing a nature scene I like chalks in color and or those pastel crayons the smear really well. Thanks and have a great day Sincerely Unique16
@mareeh (266)
• Philippines
30 May 10
I like to draw with a pencil because like you said, I can just scribble lightly at first and I can also erase it. I think it would be more practical using a pencil than using a pen cause you have to use a lot of paper until you get the desired outcome.
@annett (39)
• United States
7 Jun 10
Naturally an Artist will choose pencil. You can creates shadow, and blur with the finger over the drawing. Easily areas unwanted lines. When drawing portraits its have to be with pencil, gently drawing.
@lkbooi (16070)
• Malaysia
4 Jul 10
Hi cbjones, it's really interesting to do some sketch randomly to have fun. I prefer to sketch with pencil and I have been doing this since young. I'm good in sketching, yeah, just like to pass time for amusing especially to kill the boring time while waiting someone or something at certain places, it might be in a long traffic queue, in front of a service counter, etc. The penpoint of pencil would break easily so I bring a pen with me only whenever I go out. The 4B or 6B type of pencil wouldn't break that easy but the dark and soft color of the penpoint would dirty the stuffs near to it. Therefore I would do the sketching mostly using ball pen Happy posting
@blummus (451)
• United States
8 Jun 10
While I use both, I generally lay down a light pencil sketch -- forms, etc -- even if I am using pen and ink. For general use, I definitely prefer pencil.
@cleewlkr (160)
• Indonesia
14 May 10
I prefer pencil over Pen.. but it has to be a wooden pencil. not mechanical pencil. because i need to make some shadows or motive that has lower opacity than other..
• United States
30 Jul 10
I love using both pen and pencil. Pencil is very easy to use because it has an eraser, and Pen is very easy but challenging because you can't erase. When you use pen and scan it on the computer, I do admit it looks nice...but really it doesn't matter to me because I mastered both of them.