Graded Sketching Pencils | 8B to 2H | Pack of 12 in Tin - Drawing Set

Work a drawing from the palest guideline to the deepest shadow with one set instead of reaching for a second pencil you do not own. This set holds 12 graphite pencils running 8B at the softest through to 2H at the hardest, packed in a metal tin that keeps them in order and protects the points.

Specifications

Ideal For

• Beginners learning tonal shading and value
• Students working through art coursework and portfolios
• Hobby sketchers who draw from life or reference
• Anyone doing technical or architectural line drawing

Perfect for

• Tonal studies and shading exercises across the full grade range
• Portrait and figure sketching, blocking in with H and finishing with B
• Landscape and architectural drawing where fine lines matter
• Under drawing beneath ink, watercolour or coloured pencil
• Everyday sketchbook work and travel drawing

Compatibility

Works with: sketch paper, cartridge paper, drawing pads and toothed drawing papers.

Pairs well with: kneadable and precision erasers, a sharpener, and blending stumps.

Not suitable for: coloured work, and not water soluble, so a wet brush will not blend these into a wash the way a watercolour pencil does.

How to Use

1. Start with a harder grade such as 2H or H to block in light guidelines.
2. Build the mid tones with HB, B and 2B before going darker.
3. Reserve 6B and 8B for the deepest shadows and final accents.
4. Sharpen to a long point for shading and a short point for detail.
5. Rest a spare sheet under your drawing hand so the soft grades do not smudge.

Before You Buy

• Grades run 8B at the softest to 2H at the hardest. If you mainly sketch, the B grades do most of the work.
• The softer B grades smudge easily and need a fixative or a barrier sheet if you are working over them.
• Graphite is not water soluble and will not lift into a wash.
• Grade markings sit on the barrel, so keep the pencils in the tin to tell them apart once sharpened.

You will Need

• sketchbooks and drawing pads
• pencil sharpeners

You may also like

• sketching erasers
• charcoal pencils and sticks
• graphite pencils and sticks

Frequently Asked Questions

How many pencils are in the set and what grades do I get?
12 pencils, one of each grade: 8B, 7B, 6B, 5B, 4B, 3B, 2B, B, HB, F, H and 2H.

What do B, H and HB actually mean?
B stands for black and means a softer, darker core, so a higher number in front of B is softer and darker. H stands for hard and gives a lighter, crisper line. HB sits in the middle and F is a fine point grade just to the hard side of HB.

Which grades should a beginner start with?
HB, 2B and 4B cover most sketching. Add 6B for deep shadow and 2H for light guidelines once you are comfortable.

How are graphite pencils different from charcoal pencils?
Graphite gives a smooth grey with a slight sheen and erases cleanly. Charcoal is matte, much darker and dustier, and it smudges far more readily. This is a graphite set.

Can I use these on watercolour paper?
Yes. The texture holds graphite well, though the grain will show through the shading, which many artists want.