<p>I'll share my experience and opinions. When I was a beginner, I didn't know much about paper types and pencil grades. I would use a normal pencil that I would use in school. It was probably or <strong><code>HB</code></strong>. And I used a thin paper. I didn't know about paper weight (GSM) thing.</p>
<p>But when I made a few drawings, I did better than I had imagined, but in a few days I started noticing problems.</p>
<p>First, the paper was getting distorted (you could notice by checking the back side of paper), because I used too much pressure to create darker shades. And then I had experience of getting irritated because drawing hairs in portraits seemed boring. It would look more time consuming to me, then it actually should take, because with a hard and lighter pencil, it's not easily possible to create the look and feel you want, especially the darker areas. You have to do some hard work. At that moment, I would often ask myself it it's really boring?</p>
<p>Further, I faced the problem of blending/blur. I couldn't easily do it because the pencil was hard and there wasn't enough graphite to smudge or get blur effect. Again, this would sometimes overwhelm me.</p>
<p>And if by mistake I would apply too much pressure to create darker lines, and later I would realize I need to erase it as it's gone wrong, I wasn't so easy to erase it with my non expensive eraser.</p>
<p>So if I have to give an advice to beginners now, I'd tell you following things:</p>
<ol>
<li>Go for a softer (darker) pencil. Anything between <strong><code>B</code></strong> and <strong><code>5B</code></strong> should be fine. You can easily create lighter and darker shades. Further you won't need that much pressure. When you're beginner, you don't want to apply too much pressure. If you feel you also need a separate pencil for outlines or rough lines, you can buy maybe <strong><code>H</code></strong> or <strong><code>HB</code></strong>.</li>
<li>A softer (dark) pencil is a bit easy to blend (especially when you apply the graphite gently and then smudge it)</li>
<li>Not always, but sometimes, when you start working with a less than suitable tool for something for which you have a little more expectations and capabilities, you might feel you're doing bad work. But that's not always true.  It's a really good thing to see and experience basic things on your own, but sometimes, a little guidance can help you stay positive.</li>
</ol>
<p>Note that <strong><code>HB</code></strong> isn't a bad pencil or less than any other pencil. Like every other, it has its own value. Once you're experienced, you can even create good sketches with <strong><code>HB</code></strong> too.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-30T09:16:17.627Z
2021-07-30T09:16:17.627Z
Vikas
<p>For a beginner, I would recommend a generic, cheap mechanical pencil, like a Bic brand mechanical pencil. They produce a reliable and mostly consistent line without need of sharpening. Because the line is usually the same, it is easier for the beginner to practice replicating a mark they like over and over again. The stability of the tool makes it easier to practice your mark, focusing on the skill, rather than the medium. Mechanical pencil leads are often quite soft, making it much easier to make and remove fine marks without careful and frequent sharpening. Mechanical pencils do not require sharpening, and so do not regularly interrupt the drawing process. Mechanical pencil leads are fragile, and helps to teach gentleness of hand, encouraging the beginner to learn how to position the pencil such to put force into a line without damaging the tool. With practice in a mechanical pencil, it is easy to adapt one's hand to all other varieties of more variable dry drawing media, such as standard pencils, wax pencils, watercolor pencils, bricks, sticks, lead holders, charcoal, chalk, and many others. Skill with a mechanical pencil remains useful long into experienced work, both as a tool for finished work, and more importantly as a tool for impromptu sketching and planning. Finally, mechanical pencils are cheap, widely available, easily maintained, portable, and a single one could last you a lifetime if you never lose it.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-04T22:39:01.393Z
2016-12-05T03:25:42.690Z
2016-12-05T03:25:42.690Z
JAMalcolmson
<p>There are numerous type of pencils , for the  lighter shadingn 2B, for little darker, 4B, at last 6B  when you want put black effect. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-05T13:49:02.460Z
Welcome to AC.SE. So you are suggesting the OP acquire multiple pencils to get started then?
Matt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-05T12:29:13.743Z
2016-09-05T12:29:13.743Z
Emma
<p>I use a flat carpenters pencil.  They are HB and are thin one way and thick the other way.  They are cheap, won't break in your pocket, and can be easily sharpened with a reasonably sharp pen knife.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-24T17:10:18.153Z
2017-04-24T17:10:18.153Z
dscapuano
<p>A must have in my toolbox is 2B, as you may tend for more "tech" way of drawing i would add an HB to that. In addition to that i'm carrying a one softer pencil 4B-5B. To summerize - my toolbox = HB, 2B, 4B/5B. To feel shadows i usually use 8B allthough i never carry them with me because the graphite inside easly "break" and they are very annoying to use afterwards ;-)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-31T10:27:24.057Z
2016-08-31T10:27:24.057Z
Hohlik Co
<p>I am not an expert but here is what I gathered from my experience.</p>

<p>Pencil have different hardness rated as follow:</p>

<p>Harder (very light strokes) 7H -> ... -> 2H -> HB -> 2B -> ... -> 7B Softer (dark strokes)</p>

<ul>
<li>Start with a 2B or HB to "draw" (contour, shape, ...) </li>
<li>Then add a 4B or 6B for your first shadings (I would go with 6B to widen the range of shade you can achieve). Do the lighter tones with your "first" pencil and the darker with this new one.</li>
<li>If you want "real black" instead of the grey provided by graphite pencil you can add a charcoal pencil.</li>
<li>completed with 3B, 4B, 5B etc. depending where you think there is a value (grey level) you can't achieve with what you have.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-12T13:05:14.607Z
I like this multi-step answer. I am also partial to the 2B. It is probably the pencil type I have purchased and used the most. All of mine are little stumps right now. I also fine that the softer pencils (in the B range) are easier to erase than harder ones if you make a mistake, so they are great for getting started!
EmRoBeau
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-30T20:18:26.200Z
2016-08-30T20:18:26.200Z
Oneira
<p>I am curious what people would consider a basic / standard pencil type to have in their toolbox for pencil sketching.</p>

<p>There are a ton of variants I see with different hardness/softness etc and I don't plan to do anything advanced just want to sketch things out but I feel like while a regular pencil is just fine maybe there is a common type that may be more appropriate to learn with.</p>

<p>If your answer is 'use a regular pencil until you feel it's holding you back' that's fine too, just looking for a little guidance.</p>

<p>Trying to understand how to see things differently (mainly perspective) as coming from a technical and CAD background everything I try to sketch comes out reflecting that.</p>

<p>Edit:
If it makes a difference I am used to drawing lines firmly on paper.  So based on my understanding a harder pencil may be more appropriate? Or maybe a softer one to teach myself to not try and stab the paper?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-30T13:47:35.067Z
There are people with better drawing experience that should answer but you are just looking for something to start with? A standard HB2 should give you an idea of what you need to be doing to start. When you start doing things like blending and shading you might _consider_ adding more pencils to the repertoire.
Matt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-30T16:51:26.173Z
Yea just to start with.  I'm more interested in outlining then blending/shading so maybe I'll be good with regular old pencils.
Kozbot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-02T00:59:03.350Z
You may prefer outlining (contour drawing) but as an exercise take a soft pencil  (2B or softer) and a kneaded eraser (the stretchy grey rubber ones) and try drawing *only* using tones, no lines. Don't worry about details or edges, just try to capture the shapes of light and dark. It may help to expand your technique.
rebusB
<drawing><pencils>
Which kind of pencils should be used by a beginner for drawing?
Kozbot
# Which kind of pencils should be used by a beginner for drawing?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-08-30)

I am curious what people would consider a basic / standard pencil type to have in their toolbox for pencil sketching.

There are a ton of variants I see with different hardness/softness etc and I don't plan to do anything advanced just want to sketch things out but I feel like while a regular pencil is just fine maybe there is a common type that may be more appropriate to learn with.

If your answer is 'use a regular pencil until you feel it's holding you back' that's fine too, just looking for a little guidance.

Trying to understand how to see things differently (mainly perspective) as coming from a technical and CAD background everything I try to sketch comes out reflecting that.

Edit:
If it makes a difference I am used to drawing lines firmly on paper. So based on my understanding a harder pencil may be more appropriate? Or maybe a softer one to teach myself to not try and stab the paper?

**Tags:** drawing, pencils

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: There are people with better drawing experience that should answer but you are just looking for something to start with? A standard HB2 should give you an idea of what you need to be doing to start. When you start doing things like blending and shading you might _consider_ adding more pencils to the repertoire.  
> **username_0**: Yea just to start with.  I'm more interested in outlining then blending/shading so maybe I'll be good with regular old pencils.  
> **username_2**: You may prefer outlining (contour drawing) but as an exercise take a soft pencil  (2B or softer) and a kneaded eraser (the stretchy grey rubber ones) and try drawing *only* using tones, no lines. Don't worry about details or edges, just try to capture the shapes of light and dark. It may help to expand your technique.  

---

## 6 answers

### Answer by username_8 on 2016-08-30. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

I am not an expert but here is what I gathered from my experience.

Pencil have different hardness rated as follow:

Harder (very light strokes) 7H -> ... -> 2H -> HB -> 2B -> ... -> 7B Softer (dark strokes)

* Start with a 2B or HB to "draw" (contour, shape, ...)
* Then add a 4B or 6B for your first shadings (I would go with 6B to widen the range of shade you can achieve). Do the lighter tones with your "first" pencil and the darker with this new one.
* If you want "real black" instead of the grey provided by graphite pencil you can add a charcoal pencil.
* completed with 3B, 4B, 5B etc. depending where you think there is a value (grey level) you can't achieve with what you have.

> **Comments:**
> **username_9**: I like this multi-step answer. I am also partial to the 2B. It is probably the pencil type I have purchased and used the most. All of mine are little stumps right now. I also fine that the softer pencils (in the B range) are easier to erase than harder ones if you make a mistake, so they are great for getting started!  

---

### Answer by username_7 on 2016-08-31. Score: 4

A must have in my toolbox is 2B, as you may tend for more "tech" way of drawing i would add an HB to that. In addition to that i'm carrying a one softer pencil 4B-5B. To summerize - my toolbox = HB, 2B, 4B/5B. To feel shadows i usually use 8B allthough i never carry them with me because the graphite inside easly "break" and they are very annoying to use afterwards ;-)


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2021-07-30. Score: 2

I'll share my experience and opinions. When I was a beginner, I didn't know much about paper types and pencil grades. I would use a normal pencil that I would use in school. It was probably or **`HB`**. And I used a thin paper. I didn't know about paper weight (GSM) thing.

But when I made a few drawings, I did better than I had imagined, but in a few days I started noticing problems.

First, the paper was getting distorted (you could notice by checking the back side of paper), because I used too much pressure to create darker shades. And then I had experience of getting irritated because drawing hairs in portraits seemed boring. It would look more time consuming to me, then it actually should take, because with a hard and lighter pencil, it's not easily possible to create the look and feel you want, especially the darker areas. You have to do some hard work. At that moment, I would often ask myself it it's really boring?

Further, I faced the problem of blending/blur. I couldn't easily do it because the pencil was hard and there wasn't enough graphite to smudge or get blur effect. Again, this would sometimes overwhelm me.

And if by mistake I would apply too much pressure to create darker lines, and later I would realize I need to erase it as it's gone wrong, I wasn't so easy to erase it with my non expensive eraser.

So if I have to give an advice to beginners now, I'd tell you following things:

1. Go for a softer (darker) pencil. Anything between **`B`** and **`5B`** should be fine. You can easily create lighter and darker shades. Further you won't need that much pressure. When you're beginner, you don't want to apply too much pressure. If you feel you also need a separate pencil for outlines or rough lines, you can buy maybe **`H`** or **`HB`**.
2. A softer (dark) pencil is a bit easy to blend (especially when you apply the graphite gently and then smudge it)
3. Not always, but sometimes, when you start working with a less than suitable tool for something for which you have a little more expectations and capabilities, you might feel you're doing bad work. But that's not always true. It's a really good thing to see and experience basic things on your own, but sometimes, a little guidance can help you stay positive.

Note that **`HB`** isn't a bad pencil or less than any other pencil. Like every other, it has its own value. Once you're experienced, you can even create good sketches with **`HB`** too.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-12-04. Score: 2

For a beginner, I would recommend a generic, cheap mechanical pencil, like a Bic brand mechanical pencil. They produce a reliable and mostly consistent line without need of sharpening. Because the line is usually the same, it is easier for the beginner to practice replicating a mark they like over and over again. The stability of the tool makes it easier to practice your mark, focusing on the skill, rather than the medium. Mechanical pencil leads are often quite soft, making it much easier to make and remove fine marks without careful and frequent sharpening. Mechanical pencils do not require sharpening, and so do not regularly interrupt the drawing process. Mechanical pencil leads are fragile, and helps to teach gentleness of hand, encouraging the beginner to learn how to position the pencil such to put force into a line without damaging the tool. With practice in a mechanical pencil, it is easy to adapt one's hand to all other varieties of more variable dry drawing media, such as standard pencils, wax pencils, watercolor pencils, bricks, sticks, lead holders, charcoal, chalk, and many others. Skill with a mechanical pencil remains useful long into experienced work, both as a tool for finished work, and more importantly as a tool for impromptu sketching and planning. Finally, mechanical pencils are cheap, widely available, easily maintained, portable, and a single one could last you a lifetime if you never lose it.


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2016-09-05. Score: 1

There are numerous type of pencils , for the lighter shadingn 2B, for little darker, 4B, at last 6B when you want put black effect.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Welcome to AC.SE. So you are suggesting the OP acquire multiple pencils to get started then?  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2017-04-24. Score: 1

I use a flat carpenters pencil. They are HB and are thin one way and thick the other way. They are cheap, won't break in your pocket, and can be easily sharpened with a reasonably sharp pen knife.


---

