The 10 Best Pencils For Artists And Writers In 2023
Pencils exist in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and no two people require the same features from their pencils.
A writer looking for the best mechanical pencil for writing and an artist looking for professional colored pencils have quite different requirements. The best pencils can make a huge difference in your work, and we've scoured the internet for the best.
With thousands of different alternatives to choose from, it might be difficult to decide which pencil is right for you.
We've compiled a list of the finest pencils for drawing, coloring, water, color, and pastels. We invite you to take a look around, consider our offerings, and choose your own favorites.
1. Staedtler Mars Lumograph Art Drawing Pencils
For good reason, the Staedtler Mars Lumograph is our top pick in our guide to the best wooden pencils. Its high-quality lead is smooth and provides just enough grip for writing or drawing control.
Its excellent point retention makes it ideal for use as an architect pencil. Because normal wooden pencils wear down too rapidly, resulting in thick and incorrect lines, many architects choose mechanical and drafting pencils.
The Staedtler Mars Lumograph is also a joy to work with. It sharpens and erases easily, ensuring that your work is always neat. If you want harder or softer alternatives, the Lumograph comes in a wide spectrum of lead grades, which is ideal for both architects and artists.
2. STABILO Carbothello Pastel Pencil
This lovely bundle of STABILO CarbOthello chalk-pastel coloring pencils comes in 60 different hues.
To achieve a range of creative effects, they can be dry-blended or smudged with fingertips or a blending brush. When applied to dark backgrounds and delicate papers, dramatic results can be achieved.
This high-quality chalk-pastel pencil set is great for art students, artists, and creative people of all ages.
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3. Pentel Arts GraphGear
For a very low price, the Pentel Graph Gear has all of the capabilities you need in a drafting pencil. Its robust aluminum structure is durable without being too hefty. It's also easy to hold thanks to its knurled grip area.
The Pentel Graph Gear comes with a lead grade indicator and a 4 mm lead sleeve that makes using it with a straightedge a breeze.
For architects, draftsmen, artists, and fans, the Pentel GraphGear 1000 mechanical pencil is a fantastic drafting pencil. It's designed with a 4mm tip, making it suitable for use with rulers and templates.
To prevent lead from breaking, a revolutionary dual-action retractor advances and retracts the pencil tip. It comes with Super Hi-Polymer HB lead, which never needs to be sharpened and provides a clear, dark line.
5. Faber-Castell Grip
The Faber-Castell Grip 2011 mechanical pencil has earned a slew of design honors, and it's well-deserved.
The pencil is available in a variety of colors (as well as silver and black), and it has a convenient extra-long twisting eraser and 0.7mm HB lead. Because of the perfectly proportioned triangular barrel, drawing with this pencil feels quite natural.
The raised rubber dots provide an extremely firm but comfortable grip, which is great for drawing with precision.
6. Uni Hi-Uni Wooden Pencil Art Set
Uni Mitsubishi Hi-Uni pencils are worthy of a spot in your art kit no matter how you use them. These professional drawing pencils have some of the creamiest and most expressive graphite cores we've ever seen, and they come in every lead grade.
Each grade is distinguished from the next, allowing artists to create realistic drawings using the entire range of graphite tones.
The extraordinary smoothness of the B grades makes them some of the best pencils for shading and drawing, although the H grades are also smooth. The wide range of grades is also a great treat. These are high-quality graphite pencils that are a pleasure to use.
7. Derwent Graphic Drawing Pencils
Since 1832, the Cumberland Pencil Company has been producing some of the greatest pencils available, and the quality of its Derwent brand reflects that experience.
Derwent Graphic Medium pencils provide smooth, effortless lines on paper, making them perfect for both bold line drawings and freestyle sketching. The pencils are available in singles and sets, and you can pick the set that best suits your artistic style.
This set contains 6B, 5B, 4B, 3B, 2B, B, HB, F, H, 2H, 3H, and 4H. These pencils can help you convey your vision, whether you're using them for blending, fine detailed illustrations, or shading and depth. The core sharpens to a fine, long-lasting point, perfect for drawing attention to even the tiniest details.
8. Caran D'ache Graphite Line
Both artists and writers have come to appreciate the superior quality of the Caran d'Ache Graphite Line pencil. The reliability and silkiness of the lead have earned it a reputation as a top-tier Swiss product. A hexagonal design on the pencil's body makes it easy to hold and stops it from rolling away.
The extensive variety of lead grades available is a highlight of the Caran d'Ache Graphite Line. From 4H (very hard) to 9B (very gentle), the line offers a total of 15 gradations. Artists and writers benefit from this selection since they may pick the pencil that best suits their needs, whether they require a fine point for precise work or a softer lead for shading and blending.
The Caran d'Ache Graphite Line stands up to its reputation in terms of performance. There is no scratching or breaking of the line produced by the lead. The dark grades, such as 6B and 9B, create a deep, velvety black that is great for rendering shadows and highlights.
The Caran d'Ache Graphite Line's hefty price tag is a major drawback. As a result of their higher price tag, some artists and writers consider them a luxury item.
The Caran d'Ache Graphite Line, as a whole, is an excellent pencil that serves painters and writers well. Because of its consistent quality and large selection of lead grades, this pencil set is a safe bet for anyone shopping for a good writing instrument.
9. Palomino Blackwing 602
For decades, artists and writers have relied on the Palomino Blackwing 602 as their go-to premium pencil. Its sleek design, deep black ink, and one-of-a-kind feel set it apart. The pencil is black and has a removable eraser and a unique square ferrule.
Lead quality is a standout aspect of the Palomino Blackwing 602. The line drawn from the lead is uniform and resistant to scratching and smudging. It's ideal for drawing and shading because it's somewhat softer than regular HB lead. The lead is easy to sharpen and keeps its edge for quite some time.
The fact that the eraser on the Palomino Blackwing 602 may be swapped out is a definite plus. When the eraser on your pencil wears out, just pop it off the end and swap it out for a new one. This is an unusual quality that is rarely seen in other writing implements.
Several customers believe the higher cost of the Palomino Blackwing 602 is justified by the superior quality of the product.
The Palomino Blackwing 602 is a high-quality pencil that has won the hearts of many artists and writers. It is a premium pencil that can be relied on due to its smooth lead, removable eraser, and innovative design.
10. Tombow Mono 100
Various artists and writers use Tombow Mono 100 due to its high-quality lead and pleasant writing experience. A sleek black finish with gold accents gives it an air of professionalism and class.
The high quality of the lead is a defining characteristic of the Tombow Mono 100. The line drawn from the lead is uniform and resistant to scratching and smudging. It's also quite dark, making it ideal for use as a shading medium in drawings. The lead is easy to sharpen and keeps its edge for quite some time.
Tombow Mono 100 also comes in a variety of lead grades, which is an added bonus. Artists and writers benefit from this selection since they can pick the pencil with the right point size and lead hardness for their specific tasks. The wood used to produce the pencil comes from responsibly managed forests, making it environmentally friendly as well.
In Conclusion
Each of the ten pencils we've covered above offers something special and can cater to a wide range of preferences and writing styles.
All of these pencils are top-notch in their respective categories, from the dependable and long-lasting Tombow Mono 100 to the high-performing Caran d'Ache Graphite Line.
The best pencil is the one that works best for the individual in terms of preference, the task at hand, and the available budget. Any artist or writer who is trying to better their pencils would do well, to begin with, these 10.
