Pencils – which hardness is perfect for you? by Amylee Paris

Amylee Paris | Pencils – which hardness is perfect for you?

graphite pencil hardness H / F / HB / B

Want to draw a picture, but have no idea what hardness your pencil should be to achieve the specific result you have in mind? Amylee to the rescue! In this BLOG-post I will explain all about the hardness of pencils and which hardness is most useful. So grab your pencils and start testing – because that’s the only way to get the hang of it!

First of all…what exactly is a pencil?

A pencil is a thin lead consisting mainly of graphite and clay, usually encased in a wooden handle. The predecessor of the modern pencil, the lead pencil, did not use graphite but lead, which was melted in a pot – and so that’s where the name pencil comes from.

The hardness of a pencil is determined by the ratio of graphite to clay. The less graphite and more clay, the harder your pencil. The more graphite and less clay, the softer your pencil.

There are 3 degrees of hardness in graphite pencils:

    H = hard

    F / HB = medium

    B = soft

Within the H and B hardnesses there are gradations, indicated by a number from 1 to 10. For example, a 6H is harder than a 2H, while a 6B is softer than a 2B. Each hardness has its own characteristics and advantages and disadvantages, so there is something for everyone!

H stands for…

As you might expect, the H stands for Hard (English) or Heart (German).

The European Grading System is as follows: 10H – 9H – 8H – 7H – 6H – 5H – 4H – 3H – 2H – H. The    higher the number, the harder your pencil is.

The graphite lead is hard. It allows you to work smudge-proof and set up tighter lines.

The colours range from light grey to medium grey.

pencil sketching by Amylee Paris from a painting by Luciano Ventrone

H pencils are best used for light sketches, construction lines, setting up perspective, preparatory studies, bright details and technical drawings.

The disadvantage of H pencils is that you never get a really dark tone with them. And such a hard point can more easily damage your paper.

To erase, it is best to use a white eraser. By the way, if you have applied a lot of pressure while drawing, even when you have erased everything, an impression may remain on your paper.

These pencils are especially favoured by architects, designers and technical draftsmen.

Some recommended brands that have very good pencils of this type are KOH-I-NOOR and Faber-Castell.

F and HB stand for…

F stands for Firm / Fine point (English) or Feinschrift (German), HB for Hard Bold (English) or Hart Blei (German).

F pencils and HB pencils are in between H pencils and B pencils, with medium hardness. So the golden mean, where an F pencil is slightly harder than an HB pencil. With these hardnesses, there are no further grade-gradations.

The colour of these two variants is medium grey and the consistency is between dry and oily.

Both variants are mainly used for writing and quick sketches, where the F pencil is thought more for neater writing, while the HB pencil is a real all-rounder. These are also the pencils you use when working with rulers, drawing and geographic angles, stencils and jigs or compasses.

To erase, it’s best to use a white eraser.

These are the favourites of scholars, illustrators and designers.

– Some recommended brands that have very good pencils like these are Staedtler, Conté à Paris and Gerstaecker.

pencil sketching by Amylee Paris from a photograph by Andre de Dienes

B stands for…

• B stands for Bold / Blackness (English) or Blei (German).
• The European Grading System is as follows B – 2B – 3B – 4B – 5B – 6B – 7B – 8B – 9B – 10B. The higher the number, the softer your pencil is
• And also: the higher the number, the darker it gets. The lowest is dark gray and the highest is black.
• Graphite lead is soft, sometimes even crumbly and buttery oily.
• This hardness is a bit harder to erase, there is often some residue left on your paper and the eraser itself. It is best to use a kneading eraser.
• You use this hardness mainly for more artistic drawing and freehand sketching, setting up shadows, volumes, heavier lines and looser details.
• The disadvantage of this hardness is that it can be very spotty. But that is also an advantage: you can more or less erase and blur your work with your hand and thus apply all kinds of light/dark gradations.
• This hardness is perfect for all kinds of artistic and sketchy work and therefore loved by artists and designers.
• Some recommended brands with very good pencils are Gerstaecker, KOH-I-NOOR and Faber-Castell.

And what else I use…

Paper…

• Smooth paper – for detailed precision work and high-definition drawings.
• Textured paper – for beautiful sketches with richly textured gestures.
• I personally work on smoother 80 g/m² paper for preparatory work and on thicker paper with a bit more present grain for more advanced drawings and my final versions. I prefer to work on somewhat larger sizes, 65 cm x 50 cm or A3. A4 and smaller I really only use for simple drawings and scribbles. And I usually use white paper.
• But that’s all personal. Maybe you prefer to work in a small format, put your studies on rougher paper, work out your final versions on heavier paper and swear by toned paper – there are more roads that lead to Rome…
• My personal recommendations: Clairefontaine | Dessin à Grain, Canson | Bristol and Canson | 1557. TIP! By the way, I have to admit, that toned paper does come highly recommended – especially if you work a bit more classically, with light-dark effects and high lights.

And further…

• An eraser or kneadable eraser to make corrections
• A sharpener to keep my pencil sharp
• A feather duster for making blurred lines and soft transitions.
• A fixative to provide a protection to my drawing.
• A drawing board to make sure my drawing stays straight.
• Canson Cristal Paper to protect my drawings with.

Well, now that you know all about the best pencils for your project, it’s time to get started! And don’t forget: share your work on social media and tag our account greatart_uk

About Amylee

Amylee Paris works as an independent artist. She likes to share her enthusiasm with others – that’s why she writes books and articles with all kinds of tips & tricks.