You don’t need much to make art part of your lifestyle; drawing is one type of art activity that you can start with nothing more than just a pencil and a paper without having to splurge on additional supplies to create something of beauty. Of course, for more detail and different texture effects, it best to invest in a collection of pencils, but other than this you’re good.
Why Do Artists Use Different Pencils?
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From bold strokes to sketches with fine details, the range of art pencil tools can give you the versatility you require to make eye-catching and unique artworks. This explains why there are different options to begin with, and this includes the graphite range too.
When you first browse through the choices available at the art stores and retailers, you come across the pencil hardness scales going from H(hard) to B(black/soft) in terms of the core or lead. The H range is perfect for those technical drawings with detailed objects, whereas the B range is the go-to for tonal drawings with varying shades of light and dark to accentuate depth and form.
In terms of marks, the H is great for lighter marks, and the B range if great for darker marks. In other words, if you want to take your art to the next level, it’s best to consider buying art pencil of each scale to give you the chance to work with different techniques and create different effects. The scale starts with HB, balanced hardness and softness in the centre, ranging from 2H, 3H, 4H up to 6H on the left, and 2B, 3B, 4B up to 12B on the right.
The harder the lead or the higher the H number, the lighter the lines, and the softer the lead or the higher the B number, the darker the lines though they’re not as dark as those of charcoal pencils. Artists usually start with the H range for general sketching and outlines because it makes it easier to erase. This is especially true if afterwards you’d be working with coloured artists’ pencils like you would for colouring books. These are nothing other than pencils with pigments and binder for exceptional blending capabilities and adding vibrant colours.
The B range adds darker tones and helps define areas and details. Some find it easier to work with mechanical art pencils which also come in different hardness and softness scales because of the added control and precision, and the use of the lead to the fullest – not just what fits in the sharpener. The choice you end up making is entirely up to you – each option is equally fine and beneficial.
Popular Drawing Techniques
Now that you know the basics of the art pencil options available, let’s talk about some of the basic techniques you can experiment with.
Hatching and Cross-Hatching
When you add lines next to each other, whether it’s horizontally, vertically or diagonally, you create hatching. When you use lines that intersect, that’s when you use cross-hatching. Both options are techniques that are helpful with adding textures, more so when you add darker lines. This is essential for adding depth to your drawings.
Layering
Want to experiment with lighter and darker pencil lines? This is what’s known as the layering technique. Starting off with the H scale pencils then moving on to using the B scale ones helps add more dimension to the drawings.
Blending
When working on something more intricate like a portrait or a landscape, blending can be of immense help with adding smoothness between shades. While it’s nice to use a tool like a blending stump for the task, it’s okay if you also use your fingers as a beginner. Once you get more serious with the art, you can invest in cool tools like this one.
Feathering
When you use short and small pencil strokes to create smooth transitions and realistic textures, you can apply pencils of different softness levels with varying pressures then rub the area with a piece of paper for that soft and well-blended feather effect.
Stippling
If you don’t mind using some of your patience skills to come up with a beautiful piece of artwork, be sure to try out some stippling which is basically the application of small dots with varying pressures using pencils of different hardness and softness levels. Keep in mind the harder pencil leads create lighter and thinner dots, whereas the softer pencil leads create darker and bolder dots. Adding dots closer to each other creates a darker area.
Negative Space Drawing
Want to find a way to make your drawings’ subjects stand out without having to add in the extra work on them? Why not experiment with negative space drawing? This is a technique that lets you focus on the surroundings instead by trying out some shading and toning, which in turn helps make the subject pop.