Art has always been a popular hobby, with artists using many different mediums such as pencils, paint, and digital software to create beautiful pieces. In this article, we will be focusing on pencils for drawing, so whether you’re a beginner or a professional artist, you’re bound to find something here for you.
Many brands have started innovating and producing their own versions of pencils that are ideal for different people; there are drawing pencils for beginners, for shading, for drawing on canvas, and more. No need to feel overwhelmed, though, because we've prepared our top 10 picks of products you can buy online, as well as a buying guide to help you out!
Quick List - Top Pencils for Drawing
Staedtler
Comes With a Break-Resistant Tip and a Wide Range of Lead Degrees
Rotring Rapid Pro
Armed With Great Features That Make It a Perfect Pick for the Pros
CalCedar
Equipped With a Unique Built-In Flat Eraser for Easy Polishing
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
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Here are some key points to consider:
For more detailed information, read through our buying below.
The lead of a pencil isn't really made of lead but it is a form of carbon called graphite, which is then mixed with clay. Another commonly used material for drawing is charcoal and mechanical pencils are becoming a favorite among artists. It's important to know how each type works, and which is best suited for you and your work.
Graphite pencils are the most common ones used for drawing and writing. They're produced in various degrees or grades according to the hardness or softness of the material. As a result, different grades of graphite pencils produce different marks. You can usually find the grade of a graphite pencil on the side or end of it.
Because it is harder than charcoal, graphite produces less dust and stays on surfaces without much need for fixative. It also has a dull gray color that appears slightly shiny. This shine can sometimes appear off-putting, especially when you're aiming for really dark and deep values.
Known as the fastest drawing medium, charcoal pencils will help you achieve a rich and dark drawing. They're soft and easily blendable, too, which is ideal for creating strong images. You will definitely get quicker results using charcoal which is perfect for drawing scenery or still life shots.
Since charcoal is softer, it can be messy and difficult to work with, especially when you're sketching on the go. It is recommended to apply a fixative on your drawing once done to prevent the layers from smudging or coming off.
You don’t have to sharpen mechanical pencils, which makes them convenient. All you need to do is to insert the lead into your pencil, and, depending on the type of lead you have, you can use it to outline your drawing and add dimension to your artwork. This is typically used by architects and web designers to draft their plans.
Moreover, mechanical pencils are more durable and long-lasting, especially if their bodies are made of metal. This makes them portable and ideal to bring around if you're traveling and want to draw during the trip. It will ensure that you're able to get creative anytime inspiration strikes you.
Pencils vary based on the amount of material that their lead has, or the degree of hardness it sports. This will dictate how light or dark the marks that they produce are. When shopping for this art material, you can find that the degree of hardness is often printed on the pencil.
Pencils marked with an H, also known as H pencils, have a hard lead and leave behind light marks on the page. This is because it has more clay and less graphite, resulting in a hard lead that remains sharp over a long period of time.
Moreover, they tend to dig into the surface of the paper, making them difficult to erase. Even if you’re successfully able to remove the appearance of the mark from your paper, there would still be indentations on the page. H pencils are ideal for making clear and sharp details on your drawings.
Unlike H pencils, B pencils have more graphite and less clay, so they're softer, and they leave behind darker marks on the paper. You don’t need to press hard into the page since they will easily glide. This makes them perfect for sketching and adding shading to your different subjects.
It’s also easily erasable, so if you’re still practicing, you won’t leave much of a mess on your paper if you want to start over. This is why B pencils are considered the best type of pencils for drawing or sketching since you can add many details and finishing touches to your pieces using them.
HB pencils are the perfect balance between H and B pencils because they're neither too hard nor too soft. They're the average pencils used in the office or school. So if you like the feel of the everyday pencils that you’re accustomed to, this is a good type to buy, especially if you’re still experimenting with your art style.
You may notice that H pencils have a label on them such as 9H, 8H, and so on. This means that the higher the number an H pencil has, the harder it is and the lighter the mark it leaves is. For example, a 6H pencil is harder than a 4H pencil and will therefore leave a lighter mark.
On the other hand, if you see your B-pencil marked with numbers beside a B, such as 7B, 5B, and so on, it gives you an insight on how soft your pencil is. The higher the number, the softer and darker it is. Following this rule, a 7B pencil is thus softer and darker than a 5B pencil.
The other types of pencils are graded as well. Charcoal pencils are graded as soft (B), medium (HB), and hard (H). Meanwhile, mechanical pencils are graded by the size of their lead, such as 0.2mm, 0.3mm, and so on.
Before buying any products, think about what you usually draw. Do you like drawing portraits of people or scenic landscapes that will require shading or smudging? Or do you usually draw plans of houses or buildings and want something that can help you produce straight and strong lines?
If you’re not sure what you will need or you simply like drawing a variety of subjects, it would be good for you to get a set of pencils or buy multiple ones. This is so that you’ll have the right type of pencil for whatever ideas you get when inspiration and creativity strike, as well as more options to choose from.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Staedtler Mars Lumograph Pencil 100 | ![]() | Comes With a Break-Resistant Tip and a Wide Range of Lead Degrees | |
2 | Rotring Rapid Pro Mechanical Pencil|1904258 | ![]() | Armed With Great Features That Make It a Perfect Pick for the Pros | |
3 | Derwent Charcoal Pencil|Medium | ![]() | Allows You to Draft Rich and Dramatic Drawings | |
4 | CalCedar Palomino Blackwing Graphite Pencil | ![]() | Equipped With a Unique Built-In Flat Eraser for Easy Polishing | |
5 | Prismacolor Ebony Graphite Drawing Pencils | ![]() | Extra Smooth Pencil Ideal for Creating Dark Shadows | |
6 | Faber-Castell Graphite Pencil|9000 | ![]() | One You’ll Swear by When It Comes to Blending | |
7 | Tombow MONO Pencil | ![]() | Designed for Professional Drafting and Drawing | |
8 | Pentel Graph Gear 1000 for Pro Drafting Pencil | ![]() | An All-Brass Pencil Ideal for Drafting and Creating Plates | |
9 | Mont Marte Graphite Pencils | ![]() | A Complete Set for All Kinds of Drawings | |
10 | UNI Kuru Toga Slide Mechanical Pencil 0.5mm|M54521P | ![]() | Features a Rotating Lead to Ensure You Always Have a Sharp Tip When You Draw |
If you're looking for a product that works great for both beginners and professionals, this pencil is the one for you. Made with a special lead formulation, it is ideal for writing, drawing, sketching, and hatching.
This high-quality drawing pencil gives your artistic applications a metallic luster, with a wide variety of grey tones that you can build on. It has high break resistance and is sure to last you for quite some time.
This product is available in 24 finely graded consistent degrees and at such an affordable price. The best thing about it is that it also comes from sustainably managed forests and wood that is PEFC-certified.
This product also comes with a built-in sharpener, so you're sure that your tip remains pointed and ready to use. It has a unique push mechanism that allows for controlled lead transportation.
It is built with an ideal weight balance and a comfortable non-slip knurled metal grip which helps keep your hands steady and drawings clean. This product is great for long-lasting, smooth, and precise lines and can be used as a professional tool for your artistic endeavors.
Charcoal is often used for life studies, leaving behind a rich finish that will make your drawings come to life. It won't leave much of a mess on your paper, yet it is still easy to smudge and blend because of its soft texture. This charcoal pencil from Derwent is deemed one of the best since they have over 150 years of experience in the industry!
Coming in a medium shade, this pencil will help you draw many subjects with just the right tone, neither being too dark nor too light. It's a great pencil for beginners and pros alike since its versatility allows it to deliver a variety of shades. We especially recommend it for adding depth and dimension to your works. This is a great find considering its high-quality material at such an affordable price.
Blackwing's Palomino range is well-loved by many artists, and it's easy to see why. It is characterized by a rich cedarwood casing, multiple coats of lacquer, premium Japanese graphite leads, and an easy-to-grip semi-hexagonal body.
These sleek and elegant pencils come in three levels of hardness: extra-firm, firm, and balanced for different users with various drawing needs. It also comes with a unique flat eraser which can help you remove tiny unnecessary details from your illustrations.
For everyday use, the firm variation is recommended. With all those great features, the Palomino has gained many loyal users because their product is wonderful to draw with and has a really good build.
Specifically designed for sketching, and portrait and figure drawing, this pencil is extra smooth for fast and mess-free blending and precise shading. Made of the finest quality graphite, it will make your illustrations stand out, whatever your subject may be. You can create a wide variety of values, textures, and line weights with this pencil.
Aside from that, the product also features a large core diameter that is responsible for delivering velvety jet black lines. This makes it perfect for drawing hair and creating deep and dark shadows. All in all, this is a pencil that every artist should have in their arsenal, whether you are just starting out and exploring your art style or are already a pro at using graphite as a medium.
For those who like featuring different subjects in their artworks, this product is a practical option for you, coming in 16 different degrees of hardness, from 6H pencils to 8B pencils. No matter what you need, there's bound to be an option for you.
Aside from its impressive range of hardness, this product also has special graphite SV created for superior break resistance and point strength, so you can work on your drawings and sketches for hours without losing inspiration and creativity.
These pencils are crafted beautifully, finished with an environmentally friendly water-based varnish. We're sure that this is definitely one of the finest quality on the market for sketching, drawing, and writing!
A high standard pencil for drawing and writing, this pencil is the first of Tombow's MONO series. Being made of the highest quality materials and craftsmanship, it has a high-density graphite lead that lets you draw smooth and dark lines on your paper.
It comes in 14 grades of hardness from 6H to 6B for all your needs. With all those features and a break-resistant lead, this pencil is designed for professional drafting and drawing, ensuring that you will have a fuss-free time using it.
Even if it's designed for professionals, those who are new to the art scene will definitely still enjoy this product, especially since it offers superior extra-refined graphite for smear-proof and crisp lines.
Pentel's Graph Gear 1000 is loved by many users because of its sleek matte black finish, making it such a beautiful drawing tool. It's made of brass with a three-claw clutch mechanism that gives amazing support to the pencil lead.
Aside from that, some additional features that make it more special are a detachable pocket clip, shielded eraser, and adjustable lead grade indicator that is sure to upgrade your drawing experience.
Its center of gravity is also close to the writing tip, which gives you more control. All of these components make it a well-designed and ergonomic pencil, perfect for drafting and creating plates.
With 12 pencils of different shades from 2H to H, HB, and 8B to B, this set ensures that you have a wide range to execute whatever illustrations you want to do. Aside from sketching, they're also made for technical drawing and writing, so if you're an engineering or architecture student, this is a good buy.
Users like them, since unlike other sets, they come with varying degrees of hardness and softness. They also have smooth and scratch-resistant leads that are easy to sharpen and erase.
This set comes at such an affordable price and has more value for your money than other sets on the market. It's a great find to have top-notch quality materials that every artist will appreciate without having to break the bank.
For those who want something convenient to draw and write with, this UNI Kuru Toga mechanical pencil is a good option for you. Unlike traditional pencils, mechanical pencils are encased with a strong material like plastic and don't need to be sharpened.
Typically used by students and professionals in the design field, this product features a core rotation mechanism that rotates the lead continuously as you write or draw, allowing a uniform wearing of the lead so it always remains pointed.
It is a product great for drawing fine lines and leaving behind precise marks, so if you're looking for a pencil to use for plates or sharp and clean illustrations, this is a great find to consider.
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by the mybest team.
In terms of effectively erasing markings from paper, you can use a pencil eraser. The best way to remove graphite is with a soft eraser, while with charcoal you'll need a kneaded eraser. If you find pencil marks on other surfaces besides paper, you can use a liquid detergent, all-purpose cleaner, or baby wipes to effectively remove them.
It is best to sharpen your pencils as soon as you get them, and keeping them like that all the time helps reduce breakage since it lessens the force to bring them to a sharp point while drawing or sketching. Make sure to keep your pencils straight instead of sideways while sharpening in order to avoid breakage.
If you're a beginner at drawing, it is best to have a range of options available to you so you can work out which one best suits your creativity and style. Many brands sell sets that contain a selection of different grades of pencil and would be ideal for someone who's just starting out.
Aside from a good drawing pencil, you may need to pick up some more art materials in order to make your artworks pop. Having said that, check out our other articles below for more creative tools that will help you continue creating beautiful pieces.
Author: Bianca Angela Dela Cruz
Editor & Re-editor: R. Umlas, Andi Sanchez
Our buying guide was carefully researched and crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors, in collaboration with the expert featured in this article. We used the buying guide as a basis for choosing and ranking the product recommendations, and we looked at reviews and ratings from different E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and more.
No. 1: Staedtler |Mars Lumograph Pencil 100
No. 2: Rotring Rapid Pro|Mechanical Pencil|1904258
No. 3: Derwent|Charcoal Pencil|Medium
No. 4: CalCedar|Palomino Blackwing Graphite Pencil
No. 5: Prismacolor|Ebony Graphite Drawing Pencils
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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