Learn to Draw Easy
Sketching is form of art that cannot be accomplished without a pencil. And since there are hundreds of pencils in the market, you are wondering what number pencil to use for sketching. Well, there is really no definite answer to that question. Though there are pencil grades that are more suitable than others for genera sketching, the number pencil you should use greatly depends on your needs.
You need to figure out your personal artistic preference, and how you sketch with your own style. You need to know that artists usually have different number pencils in their studios or at home. That is because different pencil grades are useful in varying situations.
Pencil grades
Pencils have different grades that ranges from soft to hard. Depending on your needs and preference, you can select which grades to purchase. But of course, you can always buy all of the pencil grades in order to accomplish great sketches with varying lightness and darkness. It is good to learn about the different pencil grades to help you determine which pencils to use. The pencil grades are as follows (hard to soft):
9H, 8H, 7H, 6H, 4H, 3H, 2H, H, F, HB, B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B, 7B, 8B, 9B
H stands for hardness, B is for blackness, and F is for fine point, which is something in between. The 9H grade means that the pencil is very hard and it creates light lines or marks. And at the other end of the scale, the 9B is the softest pencil with dark and bold marks.
What you need to remember is a B pencil grade entails that the lead contains more graphite, which allows you to create darker and bolder marks and lines. But you need to be very careful in using this pencil grade because it can cause smudges on your sketch paper.
When it comes to an H pencil grade, the lead has graphite but the clay is more dominant. That is the reason why this pencil grade produces finer and lighter marks or lines. And in using this pencil grade, you reduce the risk of creating smudges on your sketches.
And so if you want to get the best out of the extremes of pencil grades, you can opt for a 2H, H, F, HB, B, and 2B. The ratio between the graphite and clay in these pencil grades are well-balanced, so you can enjoy sketching more. With these pencil grades, you can achieve dark lines with pointed tip that does not create smudges from the darkest grades, or the scratchiness of the lightest pencil grade.
Hard pencils
The harder pencils from the pencil grade range of 2H to 6H are perfect for extremely light sketching. It is great for creating an outline before you draw bolder marks or lines. The hard pencils are definitely great for light sketching prior to painting colors or darker drawing on your paper.
Bold pencils
The bolder pencils are 2B to 6B, and they are typically used for loose shading or sketching. You have to take note that bold pencils have soft leads, so they can dull fast. They can create smudges on your paper, which is also a good thing when it comes to shading an area darkly and largely.
The number 2 pencil
Growing up, we are always told that the number 2 pencil is the best. Which is actually true, but in the case of sketching, we refer to the scale of pencils in grades. And in following the number 2 pencil tradition, you get the HB pencil grade. The number 1 pencil corresponds to the B pencil grade, and the number 3 is the F pencil grade. Also, the number pencil is the H pencil grade in drawing pencils.
It is crucial to understand your needs in your sketching to choose what pencil grade is right for you. Many pencil manufacturers are creating a set of pencils with different grades in order to give artists the option to use some or all of them. It is ideal that you purchase different pencil grades because in sketching, there will be marks that you need to be light or dark, and anything in between. And to achieve the level of darkness or lightness in your sketch, you need different pencils.
Rule of thumb
Pencil grading is not universal. What could be “very dark” from one manufacturer may only be “dark” from another company. You cannot expect that the lightness of a certain pencil grade is the same as the lightness in a pencil made from its competitor. However, if you like to collect different pencils from different brands, there is a rule of thumb that you can count on.
Czech and German pencils are a little hard, the Japanese pencils are a bit soft, and the U.S. and Swiss pencils are medium.
So when you purchase pencils for sketching or drawing, check the brand and origin first. And keep in mind the rule of thumb when it comes to pencil grades.
To get a better idea of the difference of the brands, you can try to purchase pencils from top brands and compare their darkness and lightness. And from there, you can decide which brand you prefer most.
Conclusion
In order to have the pencils you need for sketching, it is advisable that you purchase all pencil grades. You do not have to buy every single grade at once. You can simply buy what you need, and gradually add more pencil grades to your collection in a later date. Remember to make a storage for your pencils, and label them according to their grades. It is always better to spot the pencil you need immediately, rather than browse through your unorganized pencils. And in buying the pencils, try to stick to one brand so you get consistency in the darkness and lightness. But if you want to use different brands, make sure to separate them accordingly.
