How to use sketch pencils for different purpose in your drawing! What is the best pencil for you to draw and sketch? When starting the preliminary drawings for any project it is best to keep the lines light and sketchy. A 2H pencil hardness is ideal for this. So how to use sketching pencils ? As for my high school friend his work did look great, however he did take big risks using ebony and 2B pencils for his planning.

1. How to use sketch pencils for different purpose in your drawing!
What is the best pencil for you to draw and sketch? When starting the preliminary drawings for
any project it is best to keep the lines light and sketchy. A 2H pencil hardness is ideal for this.
This is one thing I have definitely learned over the years that has greatly impacted my design and
the process of which I work. When I was in high school there was a fellow artist's work that I
admired for the skill and and overall style his pieces possessed.
While watching him work one day I noticed he only used two or maybe three different pencils on
his pieces: a 2B pencil and an Ebony pencil. These pencils are on the softer side of the spectrum
when it comes to pencil hardness.
Tip: Pencil hardness ranges from: 9H-9B with the H end of the spectrum being the harder and the
B obviously the softer. For a little reference your standard school pencil is HB.
HARDER.......Middle..........SOFTER
9H,8H,...,2H,H,F,HB,B,2B,...,8B,9B
He did his preliminary sketches using a mechanical pencil with 2B lead. I used this technique for
quite a while as I had always heard that " A 2B pencil is great for any job." While this is true at
some point in the process I have come to realize that the softer leads are best suited for cleaning
up and redefining the lighter sketchy lines that need to be bolded
The softer leads, like 2B, are darker and while they are soft they don't erase well if you put any
amount of pressure on the paper. At the same time the harder pencil leads can leave indents in
your paper which will spoil any other lines should you want to erase them later.
My "Rules" to get the most out of the different pencils
Do all preliminary and rough sketches with a 2H lead or lighter using light pressure(they go all the

2. way to 9H although you may not see too many around this hardness
After you have sketched everything out and settled on a final composition , Go over your sketch
redefining the really sketchy areas and give them an even bolder line using your softer leads.
Tip:Once I get all my proportions right and are happy with the composition using a 2H lead I go
over the lines with a 2B pencil. If after that I still want more contrast I'll go with an even softer
lead like a 7B.
That's really it. Its not rocket science! The pencil hardness directly effects how your picture will
look and can even add some depth should you choose to keep the lighter lines after outlining
with your softer lead. If nothing else it will help keep your composition and paper free from lines
that won't fully erase because of the soft lead that has been ingrained into the paper too early.
Always work from light to dark when planning your compositions and doing preliminary sketches.
Tip: If you plan to outline your sketches using pens, the softer leads will not allow the ink to flow
as freely as if you used a harder lead and may even gunk up the pen with graphite rendering it
useless!
Dont Risk It!
So how to use sketching pencils ?
As for my high school friend his work did look great, however he did take big risks using ebony
and 2B pencils for his planning. If you're not very skilled yet or even if you are its still more
sensible to use a lighter/harder lead for sketching.