Project #25 Pencils, Interpreting the Hardness to Softness and Why That is Important

Europeans and Americans had different systems for determining hardness and softness.  

Europeans were H = Hard, lighter and harder, more brittle, to B = Black or Soft, which creates a blacker mark but smudges easier. Originally Americans used numbers to signify the range.  Now, numbers and letters have been combined to create the scale from 9H (the hardest and lightest) to 9B (the softest and blackest).You may have noticed that graphite never gets as black as using a black colored pencil or charcoal.  Graphite only gets as dark as a charcoal grey and has a slight sheen on it.   

The scale can be quite confusing to remember because an F and an HB signify the medium of the range.  

Most high school and college design classes require students create a hardness to softness scale of some kind when they are freshman.  This procedure helps artists understand how to use the hardness scale and the pencils to their advantage.

If you only have a #2 pencil or an HB which is the same thing, you can create a dark to light scale using different pressures to go from the very lightest to the very darkest that your pencil can create.  

Above is a scale showing a light and dark mark from each of the different pencils from 6H to 8B.

Personally, I use a B pencil most of the time and use an Ebony pencil which is softer and blacker than 8B for my darkest darks.  I use mostly pressure and type of mark to create different shades in drawings.  I do sometimes use an F or harder pencil for sketching light lines.  The Ebony pencils is  soft and smears which is very good for shading and making dark darks.

I almost always use Tombow Japanese pencils.  I have tried different brands and have found these to work the best for myself.  I cannot explain exactly why I like them best.  Different brands do have slightly different feels and marks.  I assume it has to do with the recipe that they use to make their graphite.  Also, the shape of the wood container for the graphite is slighlty different in different brands.  Some are more comfortable for me than others.  

You do not need to go out and buy a box with all of the pencils from 6H to 8B.  If you have access to one, at school or elsewhere, then try using them all.  If you go to an art supply store that sells drawing pencils individually, you might be able to test them there.  If not I recommend starting in the middle - get an F, H, HB and B.  That might all you need.  If you feel the need to go harder or softer then add to your collection.  

I do recommend trying an Ebony pencil for your darkest darks.  

If you are interested in reading about the history of pencils, this is a great article.  

If you are looking for a blacker or matte surface to  your drawing then conte', charcoal or colored pencils will work better.  They are not as easy to create a range of shades with or to create small details as a pencil.  There are pros and cons.  More about conte, charcoal and colored pencils later.