In this lesson, we'll take a look at the different grades of graphite, why they are designated as they are, and which pencils you may need (and the ones you don't) to find success with graphite drawing. Graphite Grades

Drawing fur from memory can be very frustrating. You've seen it, you know what it is, but when you try fur drawing, you end up with a bunch of straw. The HB scale ranges from 9H, a hard pencil that leaves fine, light marks, to 9B, a soft pencil which a high ratio of graphite that leaves bold, dark marks. While every manufacturer gives each pencil a designation on the scale, it's all relative to a given brand, so remember that a 6H pencil from one manufacturer might give a slightly different stroke than a 6H pencil from another. Let's draw the base of a lion's tail as an example. Again, imagine it bends on top. Draw it with the HB pencil. Step 2 You can then work in the same way for the lid of the cylinder, with strokes going from left to right, as the light will hit the top differently than the curvature on the main surface.Once you know what type of artwork you need the pencil for, you need to understand the different grades of graphite pencils. Even though we often refer to lead in pencils, there is actually no component of lead used in them. Whereas colored pencils are made with wax and pigment, graphite pencils are a mixture of graphite and clay. The combination of these two components allows for smooth strokes, but graphite pencils will give different lines depending on how much clay is present. Generally, the more clay in the pencil, the harder the pencil—and lighter the stroke—will be.

If this is your problem, in this tutorial I will show you how to draw fur. First hint? You need to draw what you see, not what you know! What You Will Need to Draw Fur No, buying every pencil grade from 9H-9B is not at all necessary. If you are starting out and unsure, you may want to buy an entire set and see what works best for you. Most likely you will find that a few grades will constantly need to be replaced, while others will hardly ever get used. If you are on a budget, I recommend starting with an HB, 4H, and 4B and go from there.DUX is the oldest pencil sharpener factory in Germany, so you know you can't go wrong with their utensils. Their pencil sharpener includes openings for slim and oversized pencils and comes in a variety of cute colors to complement your drawing set.

Or, maybe I’m creating a sketch that I’m uncertain about and want to experiment with a little more before making darker, more permanent lines on my paper. If you’re like me and tend to find H pencils to be a bit too hard, the 2B pencil is a great pencil to settle on. The lines are dark enough to be easily seen without pushing too hard on your paper. Yet, the lead is hard enough that lines are crisp, clean, and precise. If you have the self-control that I don’t have though, an H pencil can be a great choice for really light sketches that are easier to erase and cover up than B pencils. Practice and Choose the Pencil That’s Right for You Take some time to experiment with all different types of drawing pencils. As you do so, take note of which pencils you feel the most comfortable with for various purposes. Grades of drawing pencils are organized in a scale based on softness or hardness. An "HB" pencil is found directly in the center of the scale.Use it to add some darker shadows to the middle part as well, but do it very subtly. This part doesn't need a lot of shadows, and the clearer they are, the wetter the tail will look. Step 13 Faber-Castell's Grip 2011 Mechanical Pencil has won design awards for a reason. Rubber dots along the triangular barrel make it extremely comfortable and easy to grip. It also comes with a twist-out eraser and is pre-loaded with lead.

From here, we will work down in sectioned panels so in the next panel use a 2B pencil in the same way. The pencil lines will seemingly get smaller as you’re working from right to left. There’s no need to worry about making each section exactly a centimetre in length, as light doesn’t work in measured panels! Did you enjoy this tutorial? Want to continue on your journey of pencil drawing animals? You may like these too: categorized and usually only feature a number. For example, a #2 pencil is a standard writing pencil - which happens to beof the same softness as an "HB" drawing pencil.I'm a Polish artist with a great passion for creating new things—whether by drawing, digital painting, or photo manipulation. Continue where your 6B lines finished and, using a 5B pencil, continue the contour lines across the middle of the sphere. Bending the lines slightly will add definition to the sphere. Below we go into further detail on each group and how to best use them. The Range of Drawing Pencils and What They Look Like 6H