Grades of Graphite

Using only one grade of pencil in a drawing is akin to using only one color when painting. You can create a beautiful piece with one grade but it is easier to get results, and more fun besides, with a spectrum of grades. I stick to one grade for sketching, but for a botanical study…when I really want to explore my subject in all of its detailed glory…then I find that a variety of grades of graphite pencil is the way to go.

I’ve been adding to this page off and on and I am liking the idea of reserving a page for a theme.

Although it varies by brand, pencil grades generally go from about 6H to 8B, with H the hardest and B the softest. HB and F are right in the middle. I use HB or B for sketching, but for a study I use 4H all the way to 2B. I usually use a knead-able eraser for lifting and softening and an eraser in a holder, which I cut to a sharp edge with a scalpel, for details.

A selection of graphite pencils from 2B to 4H

The shading techniques I usually use, depending on the situation, are

• Cross-hatching–done in light layers and not at right angles
• Small ellipses, or ovals, in varying sizes to build up a smooth wash
• Soft parallel lines close together along the curve of a sphere or the direction of a leaf or stem to subtly emphasize the shape

During my SBA training, I learned the joys of layering different grades of graphite and blending them into one another.  Then a year ago, I had the privilege of taking a graphite workshop with a wonderful teacher and talented artist, Heeyoung Kim, at the ASBA conference. She had a lot of great tips and has given me permission to share some of the things I learned in her workshop here.

• She introduced me to Caran d’Ache Grafwood pencils, which are amazingly light, yet fatter than most pencils so they feel good in the hand.  Also they are ‘color coded’ to match the grade of the pencil so you can grab and go rather than squinting to see the little numbers and letters on the side.
• She has two sets of pencils, one for shading and one for detail work.  She carves away the wood to reveal a long lead for the shading pencils.  They taper down to rounded tips (see an example in the photo above).  She holds her shading pencil near the end, almost parallel to the paper, to lay down her washes.  This gives a really smooth, even wash.  Her other set of pencils is sharpened in the usual way, only they are kept very sharp indeed.  She holds these down near the tip, perpendicular to the paper to add the final crisp details.  Holding the pencil so upright causes the tip to go down into the grooves of the paper for a darker, finer line–no need to press down hard at all.
• She starts off with a soft layer of H or 2H graphite over everything except where the white of the paper will be preserved.  This serves as a guide as she continues shading and gives a common base for the other grades of graphite.
• She advises turning your paper so you can lay the washes at the appropriate angle.
• The tip of your pencil pointed away from you will always be the smoothest line, the back side of the lead is always raggedy. When you are doing edges, turn the drawing so the point is at the edge of what you are shading to keep your edges crisp.
• Once your shading looks fairly balanced, find the darkest dark area and go in with your B and/or 2B pencil, then go over it with a 2H or 3H wash.  This will not only blend but will reduce smearing by helping to seal in the softer lead.

This is just a smidgen of what she shared with us so if you ever get a chance to study with her, I highly recommend it!  She teaches in the Chicago area and at ASBA conferences.

I’ll end with a drawing that is dear to my heart for two reasons. First, it is of a Douglas fir, which is a variety of tree that has served as the backdrop of my entire life in the Pacific Northwest, and secondly because it was done at the beginning of my journey into botanical art.

I drew this Douglas fir twig for my first SBA assignment, using a spectrum of pencil grades.