Three pencils will suit your drawing needs - hard (4H) , medium (HB or #2), and soft (6B, 7B)
✔ ✔ ✔
Hard (lighter) Soft (darker)
H means hard, B means black. The higher thenumber, the greater the degree. For example,
A 6B is softer than a 2B, a 4H is harder than a 2H.
4H, hard, good for light, precise lines and light layout
#2, the same as HB, good for half tones
6B (or 7B) are soft for dark, velvety values.Ebony pencils are also soft for dark values.
They wear down fast, so get a few.
X-acto knife with safety cap
Much betterthan a pencil sharpener!
Kneadederaser
A new eraser, left. Afull eraser, right,
should be discardedwhen it starts to
leaves marks.
Vine or willow charcoal sticksand soft chamois (shammy) aregreat for loose drawings that
are easy to lift or change.
It’s best to buy soft chamois atan auto parts store (Pep Boys).
Black and whitecharcoal pencilswork wonders on toned paper.
Only one 4B soft and one white are necessary, but setsare available, too.
This set include 2B, 4B, 6B, white, anda kneaded eraser
Get any one of these WORKABLE FIXATIVE cans for keeping drawings from smudging.
It should be MATTE (non-glossy). I prefer Blick.
Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens are filled with permanent India ink that does not smudge.
Look for the “S” that means “Superfine”