As artists, we are always looking for the best tools to use to create our pieces. As a graphite artist, the most important tools are definitely our pencils.
I have used many different brands of pencils and in this post, I will give you all of my opinions, the pros and cons and which brand of pencil I like to use.
Of course, we all have budgets and some pencils are highly priced, especially if you are, or are planning to be, a beginner in the world of graphite drawing. However, there are some pencils out there that are cheap and affordable and arguably, do the job as good as the expensive brands!
Before we start with the different pencils out there, we just need to understand the basics.
As you start to learn and study more about graphite drawing, you’ll find that most artists tend to use more than one pencil and they use a range of different ones. We can determine this through pencil grades.
Pencil Grades:
So what are pencil grades? Have you ever looked at a pencil and seen a number or letter on it, like 2B, 4H, HB? Well this is what we use to determine the grade of the pencil.
H: The H means Hard which we use for finer and lighter lines and shades. The higher the number, the lighter the pencil will be.
B: The B means Black which we use for the darker, bolder lines and shades. Again, the higher the number, the darker the pencil will be. With the B pencils also, the higher the number, the softer the pencil lead is, which then leads to a darker, blacker mark.
F: The F means Fine. I usually think of this one as the middle point between H and B (other than HB). This is because you can use the Fine pencil to create both dark and light shades (but not too extreme) and you can draw accurately with it. Additionally, as found on the Faber-Castell website, they state that; “The advantage and most important benefit for the fine lead pencil is that they enable the user to draw or write with a constant line width, without the need to sharpen the lead. There is minimal waste, erasable lines and maximum convenience.”
HB: The HB pencil, as you’ve probably already guessed, means Hard Black. This pencil is the most commonly used writing pencil around the globe, and is the dead middle of H and B.
Which pencils should I get?
Pencil grades play an important part because in order to get the rich values and shades in our drawings, we need to use a variety. We can use 1 or 2 pencils, but our drawings will ‘pop’ out more if we have a range of different pencils to use.
Another factor in choosing pencils is of course, the price. If you’re doing this as a hobby, or as a beginner, then there are definitely some inexpensive selections out there, so that you don’t have to spend a lot.
However, if you have a higher budget, and/or would like to do this, maybe as a side hustle, or potentially a future business, then there are some incredible pencils out there, made with high quality that will definitely provide a better result.
Before we start, I would like to state that these are just my personal experiences and opinions with these pencils and I completely understand that everyone has different choices and reasons when choosing their drawing pencils! I would just like to give some advice and help as many people as I can.
So, without further ado, in no particular order, let’s get cracking:
*(All prices are from Amazon as of June 28th 2020)
**(Prices are all based on Amazon Prime prices; delivery is free unless stated)
1. Faber-Castell 9000 Art Set 12 x Pencils
£14.81
These are the pencils that I am currently using. Faber-Castell are one of the most reputable art brands out there. A German brand founded in 1761, apparently Vincent Van Gogh highly rated this company! Now that says a lot!
This set provides 12 pencils in a beautiful green tin case, ranging from 8B to 2H, so you can really get into those dark and light areas. If you are a beginner, then I would highly recommend purchasing this as your first set. The price is fairly reasonable and you’re getting a good range. These pencils work great for fine details, and from personal experience, they blend over each other brilliantly so you can add layer upon layer to your work. They work especially well with a blending stump and you don’t need to press hard when using the darker pencils. These are definitely a great purchase whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro!
You can purchase these pencils here:
https://amzn.to/3eJN64n
2. Derwent Graphic Medium Graphite 12 x pencils
£13.49
These Derwent pencils were the first set I have ever purchased back in the day during high school! As an art student, I was doing my coursework at home and needed a cheap set of pencils to help me through. I believe I actually got them for around £5!! Oh the good old days!
Nevertheless, they are still fairly cheap now and are definitely good value for money. This set offers pencil grades from 6B to 4H which means you have a good variety to choose from. I recommend beginners getting a 6B-4H set because it will allow them to practice with a good range of shades, rather than having a set too dark or too light. Although it’s missing a good darker black pencil like an 8B or 9B, a 6B is still very effective in getting great value from and creating a solid contrast.
Throughout my art life, I have never really used high pencils like a 4H as I feel like some of them can be quite scratchy when applied to paper, however, this is a great range for you to practice with and learn about the different grades.
As a beginner with a low budget, I would recommend this the most!
https://amzn.to/2VnRuyb
3. Staedtler Mars Lumograph 12 x Pencils
£13.30
Another well known brand and our second German brand on the list, is the Staedtler brand with their Mars Lumograph set of 12 pencils ranging from 6B to 4H.
Now, during my art years at school and college, these were the only pencils I ever found in my art classes! I was even also given these pencils in other subjects! For me, these were always the ‘writing’ pencil and never the ‘artistic’ pencil. That being said, they are pretty good to use for graphite drawings.
They are incredibly durable and strong. The darker pencils work very well and blend easily using erasers and other blending tools. They even look nice, with a blue thick finish with a black top clearly stating the pencil grade.
For me, the lead of the pencils aren’t quite as smooth as the Faber-Castell 9000’s and the Derwent Graphite pencils, but nevertheless, they are a fantastic set of drawing pencils for a good price, and who knows, you could use them for some writing too!
https://amzn.to/31lOjuZ
4. Arteza Professional Drawing 12 x Pencils
£15.99
So Arteza is a brand that I had never really heard of until I was searching for new pencils. I saw it on several websites (including Amazon) and didn’t consider them because of the price and that i’d never heard of them before.
Fortunately, one of my art college friends had around half a tin left from his set and he let me try them out!
First things first is that the pencils look slick in black in their black tin. The pencils glide lovely across the paper and they blended in well when I tried using a blending stump and eraser.
However, my only complaint is that I feel the pencils were too shiny when I layered some darker areas. Now, this could have been me pressing harder, they were definitely more shinier than the previously mentioned pencils. This may cause a problem if you’re planning to take pictures in high lit areas or with a flash.
This set comes in a nice slick looking tin case ranging from 6B to 4H. Again a good array of pencils for you to choose from. They come up a few pounds more than the others, so if you’re willing to pay that extra, then you will definitely get a great set here!
https://amzn.to/3g4UEPj
5. Caran d’Ache Grafwood Graphite 15 x Pencils
£27.49
Now, we are starting to get to the pricey ones!
The saying goes ‘You get what you pay for’ and there is definitely a difference with the price jump – £12 more than the Arteza’s! These Caran d’Ache pencils
Just to make it clear to you guys, I have never tried these pencils and am writing this based on what I have heard and researched through other blogs and YouTube, but I will be honest and say that eventually I would like to purchase these as I have heard good things about them and I am a big believer of getting what you pay for.
This set comes from Amazon for £27.49 in a nice cylinder tin, rather than the usual flat tin. The first thing you’ll notice is the different shades indicating the different pencil grades starting from white (which is the 4H) going to the black (9B). Now you can see you get 4H to 9B pencils which is good for getting all different shades and values in your drawings; in the other sets you are only getting 4H – 6B!
So according to the sources I have looked through, these pencils are smooth and smoother than the rest! What I have heard is that even the H pencils are smooth to use; which I touched up on earlier saying that I find them quite scratchy. The pencil leads are soft and allow you to really get into the marks to blend with your blending tool of choice.
To conclude on this set, if you have the money, then go for it, they ‘sound’ the best and ‘look’ the best from what I have researched. However, if you are a beginner or just getting started, or just don’t have the budget, then I would recommend one of the other sets I have written about!
https://amzn.to/38aSGKQ
6. Caran d’Ache Graphite Line 28 piece Box Set
£159.65
I just had to include this, just to show you guys what sort of price ranges we can see in the graphite world! The ‘Daddy’ of all the sets. Just look at the price. £159.65.
You are getting all the pencils I mentioned in Caran d’Ache Grafwood Graphite Line tin, a blending stump, sandpaper (to sharpen the stump), an eraser, a sharpener and 6 sticks of charcoal. All of this in a beautiful titanium case.
I will probably never buy this but it makes out for a beautiful set and just felt I had to show it to you all!
https://amzn.to/388UMdR
7. Mechanical Pencil
It’s not a set but I feel that every single artist in the world should have one of these – a mechanical pencil. If you’re not sure what a mechanical pencil is, it’s basically a pencil with a button! You can control the length of the lead that you use, which is perfect for getting in those extremely fine details.
The beauty about these pencils is that if you run out of lead, you don’t have to throw it away, you can simply purchase some extra lead and put it back into the pen and it’s as good as new!
These pencils come in a range of sizes from 0.3mm to 2.0mm, which as I said, is perfect in getting to those tiny details, especially with the 0.3mm.
As for my recommendation, I would suggest using the Faber-Castell mechanical pencils as they are comfortable to use and come up quite cheap everywhere. At the moment, they are ranging from £3-£5 and the one I purchased came with a small box of spare leads which was a bonus! But you can always pick up some lead for a couple of pounds anyway.
https://amzn.to/3eGnxBp
To Conclude…
So there we have it guys, a small list of pencils I have created to try and help you in deciding what pencils you want to buy, whether you’re a beginner or just wanting a change!
I am planning to do more extensive posts on each brand of pencil, complete with pictures and videos to give you an idea of how the pencils are so definitely look out for that!
In conclusion, the best set I would recommend is the Faber-Castell 9000 set. Smooth pencils that great value for money. I would definitely recommend though however, a beginner to purchase a set with 6B – 4H pencils, so they can practice with a good range of shades.
But don’t forget guys, it’s not about what I prefer, it’s about what YOU prefer. The best thing would be to try them out for yourselves and see which ones you are comfortable with.
So if you guys have any of these pencils, or if there are any other brands of pencils you would recommend, let me know!
Until next time everyone,
Peace
Jamie Bray Art 