Tools of the Trade

Two of the most basic tools in sketching are essential to the experience of drawing. These two tools are the pencil and sketchbook. Though we primarily use an #2 HB Pencil to doodle on homework or do office work.

We have a larger variety of sketching pencils available to everybody. These pencils run on a scale of hardness that is based on the hardness of the graphite within them. We are most familiar with the HB pencil that is because it is right in the middle of the scale and is the most common. The scale has three types of hardness, “H” for “Hardness”, “B” for “Blackness” and “F” for “Fine”. Only H and B go up in number by their hardness and softness while F is a one of a kind graphite.

Now for the sketchbook, there are a large variety of different types of papers, covers and sizes. Sketchbooks can vary in style and design but that may be up to personal preference what you may want. For example, a black hardbound sketchbook is more professional in appearance and can be used for more academic studies, or designs, but again it’s up to preference.

Although, I have been talking about the sketchbook and the sketching pencils there are other tools that are useful. Now it is common that we use an eraser to undo our mistakes and our pencils usually have them built in but most sketching pencils do not have erasers built in. There are two types of erasers that will aid you to undo your mistakes they are known as a drafting eraser and a kneaded eraser.

A drafting eraser is a like traditional eraser with less smudging while a kneaded eraser is meant for lightening dark pencil shading and like the name implies the eraser can be kneaded just like silly putty.

Finally, there are some the nice tools for those who love to smooth out their shading they are known as stumps and tortillons. I personally never liked their name so I call them “Paper Pencils” or “Smudge Sticks”

Overall, there plenty more tools that can aid you but these are just a few. So a pencil or paper can do for now.