All types of simple pencils. What types of drawing pencils are there? Hatching and shading

A simple pencil is something so familiar that in childhood we drew on wallpaper, at school we made notes in textbooks and drew triangles on geometry. Most people know that this is just a “gray” pencil, those who had drawing in school know a little more about it, artists and representatives of several other professions who use pencils in their work know its real beauty.

A little about simple pencils.
In the usual sense, a simple pencil is graphite in a wooden shell. But it's not that simple. After all, a “gray pencil” can have different shades, depending on the degree of softness of the lead. The lead consists of graphite with clay: the more graphite, the softer the tone, the more clay, the harder.
The pencils themselves are also different: in a typical wooden shell, collet and solid graphite.

Let's start with wooden ones.
I will describe pencils and other materials that I have and use regularly. Not all of them look like from a shop window, but understand that it is quite real =)
So, a set of pencils "Koh-i-Noor", 12 pcs. The company is familiar to everyone; these pencils are available in any office supply store and you can buy them either in boxes or individually. Their price is quite affordable and affordable.
The pencils are good, but individually you can buy fake ones with bad wood and lead.
This set seems to be for artists from 8B to 2H, but there is also the same one for drawing, it is dominated by hard pencils.

Set of pencils "DERWENT", 24 pcs. Tones from 9B to 9H, some with 2 pieces of the same type (I’ll write below why this is convenient). In fact, I practically don’t use pencils that are softer than 4B and harder than 4H, since “DERWENT” pencils are already much softer than the same “Koh-i-Noor”, so I don’t even know what to draw, for example, with a 7B pencil, if it so soft that it leaves behind graphite crumbs.
The pencils are of high quality, sharpen well, and do not break, however, at first you need to get used to their, hmm, smell. However, after two weeks it disappears.

Set of pencils "DALER ROWNEY", 12 pcs. Very soft pencils from 2H to 9B (see below for comparison of markings) in a compact pencil case.

The pencils lie in two rows, so when drawing you need to remove the top row

And, of course, Faber Castell. There are no complaints about these pencils, but the increased softness is not inferior to "DERWENT".
We do not have boxed versions for sale, we only have two series of individual ones.
Cheaper series

And recently a slightly more expensive, but very stylish series appeared. The “pimples” are quite voluminous and thanks to them and the triangular shape of the pencil, it is very pleasant to hold and draw with them.

The softness of a pencil can be seen not only by the markings, but also by the color of the head, which matches the tone of the lead.

In addition to these manufacturers, there are many others (such as "Marco", "Constructor", others), which for some reason do not suit me personally, but this is not a reason to ignore them, so you can try everything.
In addition to the sets, I buy the most used pencils from the same brand and the same markings as in the box.
I always have two pencils 2B, B, HB, F, H and 2H. This is necessary because when drawing you don’t always need a sharpened pencil, so one pencil, for example, 2H, is sharp, and the second has a blunt, rounded tip. A “blunt tip” is needed when you need to dial in tone without leaving a clear trace of the stroke. This was not taught in art, but, as practice shows, it is very convenient and many artists, masters of a simple pencil, do this.

Collet pencils. They have already been written about a little earlier. I repeat again that they are good in all field conditions or on the road, but in the workplace it is better to draw with wooden ones.
An undeniable advantage of collet pencils is the thickness of the rod, or rather the variety of this thickness.
Crayons come in sizes from 0.5 mm (07, 1.5, etc.)

And up to a very impressive thickness of soft technique rods

Solid graphite pencils. They consist entirely of graphite in a thin shell, so as not to get your hands dirty.
Here I have “Koh-i-Noor” pencils, I don’t see any others on sale. In principle, I use them even less often than collet ones, because they are not very convenient to sharpen and in few places there is a need to draw with the entire thickness of the rod. Another significant disadvantage is that they fight...

A little about labeling.
Let's start with the fact that each company has its own. That is, the marking seems to be standard from 9B to 9H, but, as can be seen in the figure below, the “DALER ROWNEY” NV and the “Koh-i-Noor” NV are two different NVs. That is why, if you need pencils of varying degrees of softness, they should all be taken from the same company, preferably in a set.
"Faber Castell No. 1" is the series that is cheaper.
“Faber Castell No. 2” - with “pimples” (in fact, I don’t have “F” ones, it would just be somewhere like that).

Actually, about the softness and hardness of pencils.
Hard pencils are N-9N. The higher the number, the harder/lighter the pencil.
Soft pencils - B-9B. The higher the number, the softer/darker the pencil.
Hard-soft pencils - HB and F. With HB everything is clear - it’s the average between H and B, but F is a very mysterious marking, it’s the middle tone between HB and N. Either because of its unusualness, or because of the tone, but I use this pencil most often (only “DERWENT” or “FC”, with “Koh-i-Noor” it is very light).
There are also Russian markings “T” - hard, “M” - soft, but I don’t have such pencils.
Well, just to compare

Bottom line - DALER ROWNEY, darkest pencils.
The penultimate line is Loki's "DERWENT-sketch" set, it's a little different from mine (top DW).
Third from the bottom are some Marco pencils. They have the most alternative markings because 6B is darker than 8B and 7B is lighter than HB. That's why I don't have them.

As an example of use - my drawing "Curious Fox"

The lightest tone is snow, it is drawn with an 8H pencil (DW)
Light fur - 4Н (Koh-i-Noor) and 2Н (FC№1)
Mid tones - F (DW and FC#1), H (DW and FC#1), HB (DW), B (FC#1 and FC#2)
Dark (paws, nose, contours of eyes and ears) - 2B (FC#1 and FC#2), 3B (FC#1), 4B (Koh-i-Noor)

Review of erasers -

What could be simpler than a pencil? This simple instrument, familiar to everyone since childhood, is not as primitive as it seems at first glance. It allows you not only to draw, write and draw, but also to create a variety of artistic effects, sketches, paintings! Any artist must be able to draw with a pencil. And, just as important, understand them.

Graphite (“simple”) pencils are quite different from each other. By the way, “pencil” comes from two Turkic words - “kara” and “dash” (black stone).

The writing core of a pencil is inserted into a frame made of wood or plastic and can be made of graphite, coal or other materials. The most common type - graphite pencils - vary in degree of hardness.

The human eye can distinguish about 150 shades of gray. An artist who draws with graphite pencils has three colors at his disposal. White (paper color), black and gray (color of graphite pencils of different hardness). This achromatic colors. Drawing only with a pencil, only in shades of gray, allows you to create images that convey the volume of objects, the play of shadows and glare of light.

Lead hardness

The hardness of the lead is indicated on the pencil with letters and numbers. From manufacturers from different countries(Europe, USA and Russia) marking of pencil hardness is different.

Hardness designation

In Russia, the hardness scale looks like this:

M - soft; T - hard; TM - hard-soft;

The European scale is somewhat wider (the F marking does not have Russian correspondence):

B - soft, from blackness (blackness); H - hard, from hardness (hardness); F - this is the middle tone between HB and H (from the English fine point - subtlety) HB - hard-soft (Hardness Blackness - hardness-blackness );

In the USA, a number scale is used to indicate the hardness of a pencil:

Corresponds to B - soft; - corresponds to HB - hard-soft; - corresponds to F - average between hard-soft and hard; - corresponds to H - hard; - corresponds to 2H - very hard.

Pencil is different from pencil. Depending on the manufacturer, the tone of the line drawn with a pencil of the same marking may differ.

In Russian and European pencil markings, the number before the letter indicates the degree of softness or hardness. For example, 2B is twice as soft as B, and 2H is twice as hard as H. You can find pencils on sale ranging from 9H (hardest) to 9B (softest).

Soft pencils

Start from B to 9B.

The most commonly used pencil when creating a drawing is HB. However, this is the most common pencil. Use this pencil to draw the base and shape of the drawing. HB is comfortable for drawing, creating tonal spots, it is not too hard, not too soft. A soft 2B pencil will help you draw dark areas, highlight them and place accents, and make a clear line in the drawing.

Hard pencils

Start from H to 9H.

H is a hard pencil, hence the thin, light, “dry” lines. Use a hard pencil to draw solid objects with clear outline(stone, metal). So hard pencil Based on the finished drawing, thin lines are drawn on top of the shaded or shaded fragments, for example, strands of hair are drawn.

Hatching and drawing

Strokes on paper are drawn with a pencil inclined at an angle of about 45° to the plane of the sheet. To make the line thicker, you can rotate the pencil around its axis.

Light areas are shaded with a hard pencil. Dark areas are correspondingly soft.

When drawing, gradually move from light areas to dark ones, since it is much easier to darken part of the drawing with a pencil than to make a dark place lighter.

Graphite pencil lead is a fragile material. Despite the protection of the wooden shell, the pencil requires careful handling. When dropped, the lead inside the pencil breaks into pieces and then crumbles when sharpened, making the pencil unusable.

And a little about pencils, whose companies you may have known for a long time.

"Constructor"

Well-proven inexpensive pencils, made of high-quality wood, the lead does not break and is easy to sharpen. Environmentally friendly, easy to hold in the hand, the marking of the hardness of the lead always corresponds to the letters indicated on the pencil (the last two parameters are very obvious, but users of various forums for artists often note them in their descriptions).

Quite good, high-quality pencils; they are a favorite model for many artists. Sold in sets of 24 pieces. They have a strong body and sharpen well. The features of these pencils are their persistent and rather specific smell, as well as, pardon the tautology, the softness of soft pencils. They are really much softer than similar model numbers from other companies; the softest ones even crumble and smear a little. But overall this is great option Even for a pro, these are very comfortable and high-quality pencils.

“Koh-i-noor”

High-quality, excellent sharpening, these pencils are easy to erase and do not break at all, even after repeated falls on the floor.

They are sold both individually and in stylish metal boxes - in general, they are a pleasure to use. The only drawback is the price; they are often one of the most expensive in the assortment of a single store. By the way, they got their name in honor of the large Kohinoor diamond, one of the most famous precious stones in the world.

If you have your own favorite brand of pencils, then you can tell us about it in the comments.

Thank you for your attention!

Pencil is a very simple drawing material with which artists begin their creative path. Even any child makes his first lines with a pencil before moving on to more complex material. But the pencil is not so primitive if you study it 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 his work so that the illustration has a presentable appearance. So let's figure it out how to choose a pencil for drawing?

How a pencil works

When a person presses down on a pencil, the lead slides across the paper, and the graphite particles are broken into small particles and become trapped in the fiber of the paper. This creates a line. During the drawing process, the graphite rod wears off, so it is sharpened. The most common method is a special sharpener; you can also use a regular blade. It is important to understand that this method requires special care and preparation 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 graphite rod, framed in wood or plastic. A simple graphite pencil can be various types. They differ in their degree of rigidity.
Human eyes can distinguish a large number of shades gray, and to be precise -150 tones. Despite this, the artist must have at least three types of simple pencil in his arsenal - hard, medium-soft and soft. With their help it will be possible to create three-dimensional drawing. Different degrees of rigidity can convey 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 have differences. We will look at 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– the middle tone, which is defined between H and HB.

1. #1 (B)- soft.
2. #2 (HB)– medium softness.
3. #2½ (F)- average 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

Please note that the softness of pencils can vary significantly. In other words, softness and hardness are divided among themselves by tonality. The designation H is considered the hardest, and B is the softest. It is not surprising if in the store there are entire sets from 9H (the hardest) to 9B (the softest).
The most common and in demand is the pencil marked HB. It has moderate softness and hardness, making it easy to sketch. It can be used to enhance dark areas due to its subtle softness.
To enhance the contrast of the pattern, 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 diagrams or building perspectives for landscapes, because it is almost invisible in the image. It is impossible not to take into account that the greater hardness of the pencil allows you to make a smooth transition on the hair or add a barely noticeable tone without fear of darkening it.

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

Hatching and shading

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

Features of working with a pencil

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

Bottom line. The information worth knowing is quite extensive for a beginning 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. The main thing is not to be afraid to experiment

A pencil is a graphite rod in a wooden frame made of soft wood, such as cedar, approximately 18 cm long. Graphite pencils made from naturally occurring unprocessed graphite were first used in early XVII V. Before 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.

Typically, a pencil “works” if you guide it or press the lead onto paper, the surface of which serves as a kind of grater that splits the lead into tiny particles. By applying pressure to the pencil, the lead particles penetrate the fiber of the paper, leaving a line, or mark.

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

Once the lead in a pencil wears off, you can continue to use it by sharpening it with a special sharpener or razor. Sharpening a pencil - important process, which determines the type of lines drawn with a pencil. There are many ways to sharpen pencils, and each of them gives its own result. An artist should try to sharpen pencils in different ways in order to know which lines can be drawn with a particular pencil. in different ways sharpening.

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

The examples given give an idea of ​​the strokes and lines made different pencils. While looking at them, take your pencils one by one and see what strokes you can get with one pencil or another. Not only will you want to try each pencil and discover new drawing possibilities, but you will suddenly find that your “pencil sense” has increased. As artists, we feel the material we use, and this influences the work.

Materials and examples of strokes and lines.

HARD PENCIL

With a hard pencil you can apply strokes that are almost the same 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 gradation of hardness: HB, N, 2H, ZN, 4H, 5H, 6H, 7H, 8H and 9H (the hardest).

Hard pencils are commonly used by designers, architects, and professionals who create precise drawings where fine, neat lines are important, such 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. The tone, like a soft one, can be created with a hard pencil by shading with cross lines, although the result will be a thinner and more formal drawing.

PROJECTION SYSTEMS FOR HARD PENCIL

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

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

SOFT PENCIL

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

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

OTHER TYPES OF PENCIL

In addition to the pencils described above, there are other pencils that represent much more more possibilities for experiments and discoveries in the field of drawing. You will find these pencils at any store that sells artist supplies.

- Pencil placed in a frame of rolled paper - graphite in a frame of curled paper, which is unscrewed to release the lead.
- Rotary pencil - available in many types, with a variety of mechanisms that open the graphite tip.
- Pencil with clamped lead - a pencil for sketching with a very soft, thick or thick lead.
- Standard thick black pencil, known for many years as "Black Beauty".
- Carpenter's pencil - used by carpenters and builders to take measurements, make notes and sketch out new ideas.
- Graphite pencil or stick. This pencil is a hard graphite about the same thickness as a regular pencil. The thin film covering the tip from the outside turns away, revealing the graphite. A graphite stick is a thicker piece of graphite, like pastel, wrapped in paper that is removed as needed. This is a universal pencil.
- A watercolor sketch pencil is a regular pencil, but if you dip it in water, it can be used as a watercolor brush.

What is graphite.

Graphite is the substance from which pencil leads are made, but naturally occurring graphite is not placed in a wooden frame. Graphite mined from different deposits varies in thickness and varying degrees of hardness/softness. As you can see from the pictures, graphite is not intended for creating detailed drawings. It is more suitable for expressive sketches; graphite is convenient to work with a vinyl eraser.

Graphite pencil You can do quick, heavy, dramatic sketches that use energetic lines, large areas of dark tones, or interesting textural touches. This method of drawing conveys the mood well, but is completely unsuitable for drawing. It is better to draw large drawings with graphite: the reasons for this are clear to everyone. Graphite is a universal medium, and before you start working with it, learn more about its properties and features. Since it does not have an outer frame, its sides can be fully used. We don't have this option when we draw with a pencil. You will be pleasantly surprised when you see what you can achieve when painting with graphite. Personally, if I draw in a free and dynamic manner, I always use graphite. If you also draw with graphite in this manner, you will undoubtedly 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 range of tones - from deep black to white. A soft pencil and graphite allow you to do this quickly and efficiently. With a soft, sharp enough pencil you can convey the outline of an object, as well as its volume.

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

The eraser enhances the effect of a soft pencil. A soft pencil and eraser allow you to achieve greater expressiveness in your drawing. The eraser, used in conjunction 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. Pressing allows you to transform the image, either changing the tone or making the strokes more significant. Look at examples of tone gradations and try to experiment in this direction yourself. By 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 mistakes, we have a rather negative view of it and its functions. An eraser seems to be a necessary evil, and the more it wears down from constant use, the more we feel it doesn't meet our needs. It's time to reconsider the role of the eraser in our work. If you use an 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.

While sketching, many artists think about the drawing process or decide what the drawing will look like. Sketches may be incorrect and need to be corrected as work progresses. This happened to every artist - even to such great masters as Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt. Revision of ideas is almost always part of 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 beginning artists. As a result, they make more mistakes or repeat the same ones, which causes a feeling of dissatisfaction, leading to a feeling of failure. When you make corrections, do not erase the original lines until you are happy with the new drawing and feel that the lines are unnecessary. My advice: keep traces of the correction, do not destroy them completely, as they reflect the process of your thinking and refinement of the idea.

Another positive function of the eraser is to reproduce areas of light in a tonal drawing done in graphite, charcoal or ink. The eraser can be used to add expressiveness to strokes that highlight texture - a shining example Frank Auerbach's drawings serve this approach. In these, the "tonking" technique is an example of the use of an eraser to create a sense of atmosphere.

There are many types of erasers on the market that can be used to remove traces of all the substances an artist uses. Listed below are the types of erasers and their functions.

Soft eraser (“klyagka”). Typically used for charcoal and pastel drawings, it can also be used in pencil drawings. This eraser can be given any shape - this is its main advantage. It helps develop a positive approach to drawing because it is designed to bring new things into the drawing, and not destroy what has been done.

- Vinyl eraser. Usually they are used to erase strokes with charcoal, pastel and pencil. It can also be used to create some types of strokes.
- Indian eraser. Used to remove light pencil marks.
- Ink eraser. It is very difficult to completely remove ink marks. Erasers for removing ink and typewritten text are available in pencil or round shapes. You can use a combination eraser, one end of which removes pencil, the other removes ink.
- Surface cleaners, namely scalpels, razor blades, pumice, fine steel wire and sandpaper, are used to remove stubborn ink marks from drawings. Obviously, before using these products, you need to make sure that your paper is thick enough so that you can remove its top layer without rubbing it into holes.
- Products applied to paper, such as correction fluid, titanium or Chinese white. Wrong strokes are covered with an opaque layer of white. After they have dried, you can work on the surface again.

Artist's safety measures.

When working with materials, do not forget about safety measures. Handle scalpels and razor blades with care. Do not leave them open when not in use. Find out if the fluids you use are toxic or flammable. Thus, applying whitewash is a very convenient and cheap way to remove water-based ink, but whitewash is poisonous and must be used with caution.

Pumice is used to remove marks that are difficult to erase. However, pumice should be used carefully as it can damage the paper. A razor blade (or scalpel) can scrape off marks that cannot be removed by other means. They can be used in case of emergency, because by removing unnecessary strokes, you can

This soft material is great for drawing voluminous and large works. Charcoal adds tenderness and softness to the picture, so these pencils display well the translucency of shades and the brightness of tones. They are easy to use, but in the future they need to be coated with a fixing aerosol.

Well, it is clear that these are the most popular pencils in the world, and they are incomparable. But for such art you will need medium-textured paper, since on very soft paper the pencil will crumble, and on rough paper it will be difficult to draw.

Pastels, both in crayons and pencil forms, are very popular as they are an excellent medium for creating fine details and outlines in a drawing. In addition, they make excellent backgrounds (with crayons). Very easy to use.

These pencils are still used to create incredible masterpieces. Many beginning artists start drawing with watercolor pencils (soluble), although there is also a dry type. Exactly dry watercolor pencils You can achieve expressive clarity and impressiveness of the drawing. To achieve maximum brightness, it is enough to draw with this pencil in thick layers.
Tip: A sharp pencil and wet paper are incompatible things. It is not recommended to do this - you will ruin everything!

This material is almost similar to coal. Its most important difference is its stability on rough paper, cardboard and canvas. The color of sanguine has red-brown tones, making each design colorful and warm.

The most ordinary and at the same time one of the most popular pencils, with the help of which great works are created, although this is not an easy task. They vary in hardness, soft ones perfectly depict dark and clear lines, and hard ones depict thin lines. But the master of his craft has long known that a soft pencil - best pencil, because when it is well sharpened, it can perform the tasks of a hard pencil without much difficulty.
With this pencil you can depict as clearly as possible small parts and give volume to the subject. And some natural artists can even depict the structure and material itself.

Graphite pencils, in turn, vary in degree of hardness.

Lead hardness

The hardness of the lead is indicated on the pencil with letters and numbers. Manufacturers from different countries (Europe, USA and Russia) mark the hardness of pencils differently.

In Russia The hardness scale looks like this:

• M - soft;
• T - hard;
• TM - hard-soft;

European the scale is slightly wider (marking F does not have Russian correspondence):

• B - soft, from blackness (blackness);
• H - hard, from hardness (hardness);
• F is the middle tone between HB and H (from the English fine point - subtlety)
• HB - hard-soft (Hardness Blackness - hardness-blackness);

IN THE USA A number scale is used to indicate the hardness of a pencil:

• #1 - corresponds to B - soft;
• #2 - corresponds to HB - hard-soft;
• #2½ - corresponds to F - average between hard-soft and hard;
• #3 - corresponds to H - hard;
• #4 - corresponds to 2H - very hard.

Pencil is different from pencil. Depending on the manufacturer, the tone of the line drawn with a pencil of the same marking may differ.

In Russian and European pencil markings, the number before the letter indicates the degree of softness or hardness. For example, 2B is twice as soft as B, and 2H is twice as hard as H. You can find pencils on sale ranging from 9H (hardest) to 9B (softest).

Soft pencils

Start from B to 9B.

The most commonly used pencil when creating a drawing is HB. However, this is the most common pencil. Use this pencil to draw the base and shape of the drawing. HB is comfortable for drawing, creating tonal spots, it is not too hard, not too soft. A soft 2B pencil will help you draw dark areas, highlight them and place accents, and make a clear line in the drawing.

Hard pencils

Start from H to 9H.
H is a hard pencil, hence the thin, light, “dry” lines. Use a hard pencil to draw solid objects with a clear outline (stone, metal). With such a hard pencil, thin lines are drawn over the finished drawing, on top of the shaded or shaded fragments, for example, strands in the hair.
The line drawn with a soft pencil has a slightly loose outline. A soft stylus will allow you to reliably draw representatives of the fauna - birds, hares, cats, dogs.
If you need to choose between a hard or soft pencil, artists take a pencil with a soft lead. An image drawn with such a pencil can be easily shaded with a piece of thin paper, a finger or an eraser. If necessary, you can finely sharpen the graphite lead of a soft pencil and draw a thin line similar to the line from a hard pencil.