Pencil sharpeners and erasers are supplies that you need to have easily accessible. As you draw, sharpen your pencil to keep a nice point on the tip.
You may be in the habit of using the eraser at the end of your pencil while sketching. Though this built-in eraser may be convenient, it may do more harm than good. When erasing is necessary, use only good erasers.
You can sharpen pencils with electric sharpeners, manual sharpeners or with a craft knife and sandpaper pad. Sharpening with a craft knife works well if you want to expose more of the lead or to sharpen more fragile soft lead pencils that don’t always withstand regular sharpening. Sharpening the lead of a lead holder is done with a rotary sharpener.
Erasing can damage the surface texture of the paper and affect the lay of the line work. For this reason it’s best to limit the amount of erasing when drawing. One approach to sketching and drawing is to start with light pencil strokes and gradually make them darker the more confident you are of their placement. With this method, there is less need to erase.
However, when erasing is necessary, try to be gentle and careful not to wrinkle the paper in the process. Be as stingy as possible when using an eraser.
Two types of erasers are kneaded and plastic or vinyl. Kneaded erasers have a puttylike consistency and don’t leave crumbs. They are best for lifting light pencil lines by pressing the eraser against the paper surface or gently rubbing back and forth over the area to be erased.
Plastic or vinyl erasers are useful on areas that are harder to erase. These erasers leave residual strings rather than crumbs behind, making it easier to clean up after erasing.
Pencil sharpeners come in different shapes, sizes and colors. Some are small and portable, making them good for outdoor use, while large and electric sharpeners are for studio use.
The rotary sharpener, shown on the right, is specifically designed to sharpen a lead holder. Just insert the lead holder in the top and spin to sharpen the lead.
Kneaded erasers can remove lighter pencil lines, while plastic erasers can remove darker, more difficult pencil lines.
To sharpen a pencil by hand, hold the pencil firmly in one hand and the craft knife in the other, with the blade facing away from your thumb and toward the end of the pencil. Always use caution when handling a craft knife. Push the thumb holding the pencil against the thumb holding the knife to create leverage, trimming a section of the wood around the lead. Roll the pencil in your hand to reposition the pencil for another cut. Continue trimming the wood until the lead is evenly exposed. Shape the lead into a point using the sandpaper pad.