Runaway Pencils!
Use hex-shaped pencils instead of round pencils because round pencils roll and can get away from you.
Though one pencil may look just like any other, there are many different types of pencils to choose from. Each has different uses to achieve a wide range of results. One difference among pencils is the core, which may be made of graphite, carbon or charcoal. I especially like the graphite (commonly mislabeled lead) pencil because it can easily be erased, it comes in many degrees of firmness and it does not easily smear. Carbon and charcoal pencils provide rich, dark colors but they don’t erase as well, smear easily and have a very soft feel. Black colored pencils don’t smear, but they don’t erase well and have a firm but waxy feel.
Hardness is another important quality to consider when selecting pencils. Ratings, usually stamped on the pencils, range from H (hard) to B (soft), with F and HB in the middle. For the demos in this book, we will use 4H, HB and 4B graphite pencils. These will provide a range in hardness without requiring you to keep track of an overwhelming number of pencils. 8B pencils create nice darks, but they are so soft that they need to be continually sharpened.
Runaway Pencils!
Use hex-shaped pencils instead of round pencils because round pencils roll and can get away from you.
Woodless Pencils
Woodless pencils have only a thin coating over their thick cores. This is a novel idea, but woodless pencils are prone to breaking, especially when carried in a pocket! Use pencils with wood surrounding the core instead.
Pencil Extender
To get more miles out of your pencils, use a pencil extender on the end of a pencil that has been shortened by use.