My Pencils

Pencil is an easy, forgiving, and reliable medium. It is erasable, though it smudges and sometimes needs sharpening.

What is good about drawing in pencil? Graphite can feel almost as rich as paint, especially when it smudges across white paper. The line variation and shading of pencil ,though different from those of liquid ink, give it a valued place in one’s complement of mark makers. Even a 70 gsm sheet is sufficient. The graphite will smudge on the page, but the shading and variation of line make the process fun and worthwhile. One even enjoys the small ritual of sharpening a wood‑cased pencil.

What are the drawbacks of pencil drawing? Soft graphite makes the image impermanent. Erasing gradually erodes the paper it is used on. You can choose a harder graphite to reduce smudging, but then you lose the deep contrast of darker grades.

What is my favorite pencil for drawing on 70 gsm paper? I really like the rectangular‑section Moleskine pencils; the 2B hardness is nice, and they feel good in the hand. I also like the Caran d’Ache 2 mm lead holder—clutch pencil—though it is slender, hard aluminum, and a bit difficult to control.

Pencil isn’t the only writing implement in my desk drawer and, lately, it freed up my expressions in drawings.