Pencil Drawing: The Newbie Intro to Supplies and Techniques

Learn about affordable, higher-quality supplies and basic techniques for expressing yourself through beautiful pencil drawings that meet customer requirements.

Self-Expression through Pencil Drawing

As an artist, you have many paths and resources to help you express yourself in a finished product. However, some of the finest resources used to create artwork are often rather pricey and fall short of expectations, and others are just the wrong choices, leaving clients dissatisfied, even when that person is you. Learn about affordable, higher-quality supplies and basic techniques for expressing yourself through beautiful pencil drawings that meet customer requirements.

Choosing your Drawing Supplies

Producing pencil drawings needn’t be too costly, especially when you're just starting. A beginner pencil set and some newsprint paper are all you need to begin your artistic journey. As you gain experience and confidence, you can invest in higher-quality supplies. The key is experimentation to find your niche. It's a thrilling journey of discovery, working with different tools to find the ones that perfectly complement your unique drawing style.

Paper

Initially, consider purchasing some inexpensive newsprint paper for practice. You should be able to get it at any local art store or online.

Paper is available in various textures, from smooth to rough, often called its "tooth." There are rough surfaces with more texture and smooth surfaces with very little texture. Rougher textures are better when applying multiple layers, while smooth surfaces are ideal for blending. A smooth paper may not work well for some mediums as the surface lacks texture and will not grab certain drawing mediums. The medium may slide across the surface if the paper is too rough. Experiment with different papers to find the ones that are ideal for the project and most comfortable for you.

When you are ready to buy a higher-grade paper, choose something within your comfort level that will work well for the project. Strathmore, Stonehenge, and Mi-Teintes® by Canson are the paper brands most favored by artists.

Pencils

Mechanical pencils, lead holders, woodless graphite, and traditional wooden pencils are the primary ones used. The #2 pencil is considered in the middle when evaluating softness and is equivalent to an HB pencil. If you're starting out drawing, doodling, or sketching, you can achieve your darker tones by pressing down harder on an HB or #2 pencil, and that works just fine. However, contrasts between darks and lights create a much more interesting drawing, and a different pencil choice often offers a better way to accomplish those effects.

The B, 2B, 3B, etc., up to 9B follow the #2 pencil in softness. Many artists use something softer than a 6B, but it can produce very dark tones and won't be as soft and thus crumbly as a 9B. For the harder pencils, you’ll rarely use anything harder than a 2H, and that's usually just for the initial line drawing before any shading takes place. You will soon learn the degree of hardness that works best with your drawing style.

Avoid compromising on quality when choosing your pencils. Cheaper pencils often lack pigment and will not produce the desired color brilliance. PRISMACOLOR Pencils have a soft lead that goes on smoothly. When built in layers, they create an almost paint-like appearance, making them a worthwhile investment for your art. The DERWENT Brand offers 12 pencils ranging from 4H to 6B or H up to 9B.

Wooden Pencils

Okay, we all know what a wooden pencil is. It's the yellow one with a pink eraser on top and a #2 on it—the ones we used to fill in the little circles on our multiple-choice tests in school. Well, yes, those are pencils, but a set of good-quality drawing pencils comes with a lot more variety than that. All the pencil types mentioned above come in varying degrees of hardness and are labeled with a number and the letter H or B. The pencils labeled H are on the hard side, and the ones labeled with a B are the soft ones. Pencils range from 9H (the hardest) to 9B (the softest).

Pencils are also available individually, so you can pick and choose whichever number/letter combo you need.

Mechanical Pencils

You're probably familiar with pencils that hold the lead (graphite) inside, and more lead comes out when you push on the eraser. You may not know that, like traditional wooden pencils, the leads are available in various degrees of hardness, which can be used to achieve lighter or darker tones as needed.

Lead Holders

These pencils are similar to mechanical pencils because you can use various leads. But rather than pushing a button to release more lead, these pencils have a claw that grabs onto and holds the lead, hence the term "lead holder."

Graphite Pencils

Graphite pencils come in a range of hardness, from 9H to 9B. The H pencils, being the hardest, are ideal for creating detailed lines, while the softer B pencils are perfect for producing rich, dark lines that are great for bold, expressive drawings. Some graphite-shaped pencils are encased in a lacquer coating rather than wood.

Charcoal Pencils

Charcoal pencils also come in a range of hardness and are labeled either from H to B like graphite or simply as "soft," "medium," or "hard." They have a noticeably different feel and produce a rich dark line. Because of their softness, charcoal pencils wear pretty fast.

Eraser Pencil

These are wonderful for capturing small areas of your drawings. They can also be sharpened like ordinary pencils.

Other Supplies

Blending Tortillons

These pointed, tightly wound stumps of paper soften hardened edges or blend in your drawings.

Erasers

Artists use a variety of tools to remove pigment or fix mistakes. You should have a few different types of erasers on hand to fit every occasion. Experiment with various types of erasers to see what type you are most comfortable with. Kneaded erasers like the SANFORD Kneaded Rubber Erasers are soft and pliable. They can be kneaded into any shape to pick up and remove pencil and charcoal, but they may not be the best for erasing more minor details. Other options that may work well include plastic erasers, electric erasers, and even tape. Experiment with various types of erasers to identify the type that best meets your needs.

Fixatives

Fixatives protect your drawings from wax bloom (a dulling white, hazy build-up of surface wax), being smudged, or otherwise ruined. There are two types of fixatives: permanent and workable. Permanent fixatives protect a finished drawing, whereas a workable fixative is used during the drawing process while you are working. Use great care while working with fixatives by only using them in a well-ventilated area. When spraying the fixative, ensure you only spray each section briefly and only spray a light mist about three feet away from the drawing. You should experiment on a few practice drawings to determine if a fixative suits you. There are differences of opinion among artists regarding fixatives. While some love to work with and swear by them, others feel they may alter the colors and quality of a drawing. Again, you must experiment to see if fixatives are a good choice.

Large Brush

Keep a large soft brush handy to remove unwanted scraps from your drawings. Artists use many things, from horsehair drafting brushes to 2" household paint brushes.

Basic Drawing Techniques:

There are two basic approaches to drawing: linear and tonal. The linear approach focuses on lines and outlines of shapes. In tonal drawing, gradations indicate the various planes and changes of light and shade rather than strong edges and lines.

Holding the pencil

Hold your pencil in a way that is most comfortable for you. Some hold the pencil just like a pen or pencil while writing. Others have a pencil between the thumb and index finger, with the rest resting under the palm. Whichever method you use, ensure you hold it evenly.

Contour Drawing

This fundamental technique outlines your subject without shading to indicate form. Blind contour drawing is similar to contour drawing, except you do not look at the paper. The point of this exercise is to force you to observe what you are drawing better. You should have no concern over the outcome of your drawing, so it is important not to peek.

Hatching

This drawing technique uses a series of closely spaced parallel lines drawn close together in the same direction, which gives the appearance of value. The angles and lengths can be varied to produce different effects. Crosshatching is similar to hatching, but you draw multiple layers of hatch lines at various overlapping angles. First, lay down strokes in a horizontal direction and then overlap in a vertical direction, followed by a diagonal stroke.

Upside-Down Drawing

Drawing upside down awakens the right side of your brain. When you turn an image upside down, you make it somewhat abstract and unrecognizable. This forces you to draw what you see rather than relying on your memory to draw something.

Negative Drawing Technique

This technique teaches you how to correctly see the "white" or "negative" space in your picture. This is the area that surrounds your subject or "positive" space. Instead of drawing out the positive part of the drawing with a line, you draw in the shapes that surround the positive part of your drawing.

Dry Wash Technique

This technique works exceptionally well to cover large areas of your drawing. It creates a nice, soft tone. You begin by adding marks with a pencil or applying some graphite powder to the desired area on your paper. Then, pick up some of the graphite using a tissue or soft cloth and gently rub it across the paper, almost as if you were painting.

Scumbling

Using a sharp pencil, move in a circular motion with light pressure, overlapping the circles as you go. This technique requires much time and patience, but the result is rewarding.

Burnishing

Burnishing works best when using paper with a good texture or "tooth." It places many layers of color over another using pressure until the paper's "tooth" can no longer hold pigment, resulting in a smooth surface. Do not apply too much pressure; you can break your pencil point or damage your paper.

Shading

Use the side of your pencil, sweeping back and forth to cover the desired area. Vary the amount of pressure to create different effects.

Five More Pencil Drawing Techniques

• Draw the initial line very lightly to erase any mistakes you might have made. Once your line is accurately drawn, remove the softer pencils and start shading.
• In the beginning, avoid smudging and blending so that you force yourself to use your pencil more to achieve value in your drawings.
• Limit how often you look at your drawing. Only glance at it and remain focused on the subject. By doing so, you won't constantly judge your drawing or think something needs to be corrected or put in the right place. Focus on the subject and draw what you see.
• Never throw out any of your drawings. Keep a neat portfolio of everything you draw to see your progress over time.
• Many artists avoid electric pencil sharpeners because they tend to eat away too much of the pencil. Instead, they keep sandpaper handy to sharpen the pencil points.

Wrapping Up this Newbies Intro to Pencil Drawing Supplies and Techniques

Now that you understand the essential drawing supplies and techniques used in pencil drawing, it’s time to implement them. Avoid procrastination and the fear of trying new paper and pencils. Build upon these concepts immediately by joining social media groups, watching videos online, and attending local pencil art workshops in your area. The information you gain from the participants, teachers, and others will be amazing and allow you to build your portfolio and business.
Get some good paper, pencils, and inspiration, and start your pencil drawing journey today.