T&T Thursday!

Ode to the Pencil

What's the point?  

Pencils have a long and successful history beginning over 5000 years ago in the hands of the Egyptians. Today, they are still in use by school children, carpenters, artists, craftsmen. Pencils can be found in almost any home or office. 

Why?

They are convenient, inexpensive, and come in a wide variety of types and designs. For sketchers who draw whenever they get the chance it's a perfect tool! Rain or shine, hot or freezing temperatures, they get the work done. If you're sitting down, standing up, or leaning against a wall they work!

What's Your Preference?

There are many kinds of pencils:

• Charcoal

• Carbon

• Colored

• Grease

• Watercolor

• Graphite 

Graphite pencils Are the most common. They come in degrees of hardness. The harder the lead the lighter the line.

• H 9-2 = hard

• HB = medium

• B-3 = soft

• 4B - 9B = very soft

When it comes to sketching the artist's hand still has a great deal of control of the line weight.

Graphite pencils are my favorite. I love the feel of the pencil on the paper as I draw. I even enjoy the quiet sound as it moves across the page.

A piece of paper, a pencil, and a little plastic sharpener (if you're using a mechanical pencil you don't even need that) and you're good to sketch anywhere.

 Nice and simple, that works for me!

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