Which Graphite Pencil Is Best For Beginners?
When you first start drawing, choosing graphite pencils can be overwhelming. You are probably asking yourself, what brand should I get? Which one is the best? And how many pencils do I need? Online outlets like Amazon sell large sets of pencils which include grades anywhere from 10H to 10B but the truth is you really don’t need 20 different pencil grades!
Drawing pencils vary between brands and some brands will suit you more than others do. How do you know which are the best drawing pencils for you? Well, you try them out! In my opinion, it’s better to spend your money trying different pencil brands to see which ones you like, rather than buying a giant set of pencils from one brand.
While everyone has different preferences, this article discusses the pencil brands I prefer and the pencil brands I recommend for beginners. I’ve been teaching art classes for over 20 years and I specialise in learn to draw, portrait drawing and life drawing classes. While I haven’t tried every brand of pencil out there, I have tried a lot of them (as a self confessed art supplies addict!). More importantly, I have experience teaching drawing students using different brands of pencils, so I’ve seen first-hand how some brands can be easier to work with than others for beginners.
Understanding Pencil Grades
Before talking about brands, it’s important to understand pencil grades. Pencils range from hard (H) to soft (B), with HB in the middle. Harder pencils produce lighter lines, while softer pencils create darker, bolder marks. The greater the number, the lighter or darker the pencil is. For beginners, a range of 2H, HB, 2B, and 6B is often sufficient to start exploring various techniques. For more on pencil grades check out this article: Mastering Pencil Grades: A Beginner’s Guide.
Comparing Pencil Brands
The four pencils below are my reccomended choices for beginners. Take a read of the pros and cons of each pencil to see if they sound right for you.
1. Faber-Castell Goldfaber
The Goldfaber blue and gold is a student quality pencil and I use them as my general student supply sets for classes. These pencils do the job but there are definitely nicer pencils out there! Of course higher quality pencils come at a higher price.
If you are on a budget the Faber Castell Goldfaber series is a practical choice. The slightly lower quality shows in the graphite lead composition which can be a bit scratchy on the paper. However, this is only in comparison to high end pencils. Goldfaber pencils are a much better choice than standard school pencils or discount store pencils. They’re reliable for learning the fundamentals of drawing and they are affordable.
Key Qualities:
- PRO: Budget-friendly option
- PRO: Suitable for students and beginners
- CON: Lead can be slightly scratchy
- CON: Wood casing is of average quality
2. Faber Castell 9000 Series
The more expensive Faber Castell 9000 series is my recommendation for drawing students. The lead is smoother and the wood casing is better quality which means they’re easier to sharpen and less likely to break. The pencil grades in this series produce a nice range of values, from light to dark. Did you know that pencil grades can vary between brands? For example some brands are overall very dark, other brands are overall very light. I find that the Faber Castell 9000 is a nice average of the two extremes. You can get dark values by using a 6B and light values by using a 2H and overall there is a good range of values.
The main advantage of these pencils over the cheaper Goldfaber model is they just feel smoother and less scratchy to use.
Key Qualities:
- PRO: Good average range of values across the grades
- PRO: Lead feels smooth on the paper
- PRO: Good quality wood casing
- CON: More expensive than the Goldfaber model
3. Staedtler Mars Lumograph
If you like a smooth feel on the paper, these are the pencils for you! Staedtler Mars Lumograph pencils give a lovely crisp line as the lead feels harder than other brands. Even in the softer grades like 6B, the lead still feels quite hard but at the same time you can still use the soft grades to create good dark values.
Because the lead is harder I find the Staedtler Mars Lumograph is marginally less smudgy and stays sharper for longer. This makes it a great pencil for brainstorming and quick sketching of ideas.
If you prefer a matte pencil, also check out the Mars Lumograph Black series, a pencil with more carbon and less shine (it is definitely more of a black pencil than the traditional grey graphite).
Key Qualities:
- PRO: Very smooth feel on the paper
- PRO: Creates crisp, clean lines
- PRO: Excellent for detailed work and technical drawings
- PRO/CON: Lead feels harder
- CON: Price is higher than the Faber Castell options
4. Tombow Mono
Tombow Mono graphite pencils are significantly softer and darker than other brands. Personally, I enjoy this quality as it allows me to achieve more depth and contrast in a drawing. I don’t recommend these as a first choice for beginners because this quality can cause some problems. For example, if you haven’t mastered how to shade lightly by controlling the pressure of the pencil on the page, this brand will make shading lightly even more difficult for you. A softer pencil also smudges more easily and it tends to reveal more of the grain of the paper. This is a personal preference and some people may prefer to have a smoother finish to their drawing.
Once you have learnt to control the pressure of your pencil, the Tombow Mono is a good addition to your pencil case to give you more options. These options include extending the range of values past what you might be getting from other pencils, and creating different shading textures.
Key Qualities:
- PRO: Excellent for creating high contrast in drawings
- PRO/CON: Produces darker values than other pencils
- PRO/CON: Softer lead, even in harder grades
- CON: Can be challenging to control for beginners
Conclusion
Faber Castell Goldfaber is a good budget option.
Faber Castell 9000 series is an excellent choice for beginners because of the quality and range of values.
Staedtler Mars Lumograph offers precision for detailed work.
Tombow Mono provides rich, dark values and soft textures.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different brands and grades as you develop your skills to find the pencils that best suit you and your developing style.
To see these pencil brands in action check out my Youtube video: Best Graphite Pencils For Drawing? Recommended Brands For Beginners
If you are not sure exactly what pencil grades mean, have a read of this article Mastering Pencil Grades: A Beginner’s Guide.