[SilverSpy]

This may sound silly, but I was wondering what kind of pencils do you guys prefer to sketch with? Darkness? Thickness? All replies are welcome, I'd just thought it'd be interesting. I myself prefer to use a technical pencil.

[Jerry]

I like to use Derwent Drawing Penicls, find them special on the black colors and soft lead

[Derek]

Derwent HB for about 90% of drawing and sketchbook stuff. It can give you a great edge when completely sharpened, and lay in a good range of tones with very little pressure. Also use the Derwent color pencils for a lot, especially figure drawing sessions. No use for technical pencils, they have too much to say about your line quality, are a bit limiting.

[Ahcri]

I just bought a box of Derwent pencils. I usually use pencil butts other people threw away, but I usually use 2B and 4B.

[roundeye]

Derwent? never heard of them, ill have to check em out.
i just use a staedtler H. and then a mechanical HB. i cant imagine anything being better...

[gekitsu]

d'oh i usually sketch with a black parker pen in fine thickness.
dunno why, but this works just right for me, even if i can't erase anything. don't believe the people who say that you cannot have any feeling in a pen line. even pens can make thin and nearly invisible lines

[Monkey Majick]

Here is what usually works best for me.

Any brand.
HB - for the preliminary sketch. Even a 2H will do.
2b - for light sketching.
4b - for medium to coarse sketching.
6b - for dark tonal work.

[Monkey Majick]

Here is a page that might help.
http://polykarbon.com/tutorials/materials/pencils.htm

[Brain]

I'm now down to a 2B and a 6B. HB used to be it for me, but I found it too light, and I can achieve similar results with a 2B. 6B's there for something different and for heavy shading. Whatever brand.

And gekitsu, I agree. There's something about sketching in pen... it's fun with a feeling of constant completeness. Or something. @:-)

[Svanur]

I always sketch with a 2H technical pencil, even of thinking of going into 4H. After the initial sketch I use a darker pencil.

[nova]

I usually use a mechanical pencil with those thick leads .. they're kind of like wood pencils, but mechanical. You can get different hardnesses of leads. Those 4B pencils from [?] are really nice too.

[Blind]

Derwent HB's... love 'em... I think they're from England, no?

[Pigeon]

for sketching, a #2 yellow school pencil works for me, or a wax crayon if that's handy. Actually, I usually sketch with a uni-ball vision pen.

For finer drawings I'll use a range of pencils from 6H to 4B. Any brand is fine as long as they're from a decent art store and not the VERY cheapest brand. In any case it's nice to have a variety of lead thickness, so mechanical pencils, graphite sticks, drafting pencils, and carpenter pencils and pencil sharpeners all have their place.

A black colored pencil can be an interesting addition as well.

The only pencil I don't like is the Ebony pencil. Too shiny for my taste.

Dean

[The Brat]

Let's see what's in my pencilcase right now...

Various shades of Col-Erase (mostly blues), some Derwent drawing pencils in browns and white, uhmm... and some 2B woodless graphite, which I think is neat. I also have a case full of pens, mechanical pencils, clutch pencils and the like -- you can never have too much stuff.

I recently bought some Pitt drawing pens by Faber Castell (I think they're pretty new.. one or two off-campus stores didn't even know they existed when I asked) -- they're pretty cool. They come in black, sanguine and, uh... brown. Whatever they call "brown" in artsy-fartsy life drawing talk. :P I recommend them if you like drawing with pens, as they come in various sizes, too, including a brush tip that doesn't wear down into an ugly stub after three seconds. (Gasp!)