The hardness grades B, HB and F are the most relaxed. The soft B pencils are ideal for children who are just learning to write. With soft and especially thick graphite pencils beginners can write very easily. Anyone with more experience in writing and drawing will usually choose a pencil with the medium degree of hardness HB; some feel most comfortable with the degree of hardness F.
People who want to express themselves artistically use soft pencils of hardness grades 2B to 8B. You can make expressive drawings with them, which are very rich in contrast.
Hard pencils are good for technical drawing. They are excellent with hardness grades H, 2H to 6H. Because they do not lubricate, you can work with them very accurately. Their lines are more grey than black. Do not impress them on too much, otherwise the pen will dig pressure marks into the paper.
FAQs
NUMERICAL GRAPHITE SCALE
What are the levels of pencil hardness? ›
The 19 degrees of graphite pencil hardness are: 14B, 12B, 10B, 8B, 7B, 6B, 5B, 4B, 3B, 2B, B, HB, F, H, 2H, 3H, 4H, 5H, and 6H. Graphite pencils with hardness degrees of 3B to 8B are ideal for artistic, pictorial drawing with their very soft to extra soft, very black graphite.
What is an HB, 2B, 4B, and 6B pencil? ›
(The "H" stands for "hard".) "B" pencils feature softer graphite. (The "B" stands for "black".) The number found in front of the letter reveals just how soft or hard the pencil is. In other words, a "4H" pencil is harder than a "2H" pencil while a "4B" pencil is softer than a "2B" pencil.
Is HB or 2B better for writing? ›
2B pencils are better suited to students with faint handwriting that is difficult to read as the lead is thicker and darker. HB pencils are a better choice for students who apply too much pressure as the lead is harder and lighter, making it more difficult to smudge.
What is the difference between 2H and 4H pencils? ›
The higher the number next to the “B”, the softer the pencil is. Likewise, the higher the number next to the “H”, the harder the pencil is.
What is the best pencil hardness for beginners? ›
For a beginner, we recommend trying 3 or 4 different hardnesses, like maybe 2H, HB, 3B and 5B. Drafting and line work: This is where to harder pencils come in!
What is the best pencil lead hardness for writing? ›
HB are known as medium-dark pencils and are the best choice for writing as they produce medium hard lines, whilst also creating soft marks. 2B pencils are a dark lead as they contain less clay. These are a great choice for all types of drawing.
Is 2B or 4B better for drawing? ›
Well, 2B is lighter and 4B is MUCH darker, so I'd be depending on what kind of look your after. use them both . IMO 2B is best for starting, creating and shadowing in.
What is the softest pencil grade? ›
Softer lead gets a B grading, with a number to say how soft the lead is. B on its own is just a little softer than HB. 2B, 3B and 4B are increasingly soft. Further up the range, 9B is the very softest lead available, but so soft and crumbly that it's rarely used.
What does f stand for in pencil? ›
The degree of hardness of a pencil is printed on the pencil.
These pencils are soft. H stands for "hard". HB stands for "hard black", which means "medium hard". F stands for "firm".
All three of these pencil styles include special features that make Ticonderoga The World's Best Pencil®. They're constructed of premium wood from responsibly managed forests and engineered to sharpen easily with minimal breakage.
When to use a 2B pencil? ›
2B is much softer and won't stay sharp, but it is smoother. It can produce variation between light and dark with different levels of pressure. It's good for filling in dark areas, like shadows and facial contours. You can see the different ways we use graphite drawing pencils here.
Which is the number one pencil in the world? ›
Ticonderoga - The World's Best Pencil.
What is a 6B pencil used for? ›
6B is a softer charcoal pencil than say the 2B or the HB. The HB is hard and used last for shading or shading lightly. The 6B is used to shading dark large areas and used first, then a 2B can be added as well. The HB is reserved for the lighter areas.
What is a 5B pencil used for? ›
The 5B pencil is softer than a standard HB pencil, making it suitable for shading, creating mid-tone values, and adding depth to drawings. Artists commonly use 5B pencils for sketching, outlining, and adding details with darker lines.
What is an 8B pencil used for? ›
8B pencil is used to get thicker lines and textures..it is way darker than other pencil grades , This pencil can be used to draw dark parts of sketches .. specially shadowed areas, background , eye ball, hair etc..
Which pencil is softer HB or 2B? ›
Softer lead gets a B grading, with a number to say how soft the lead is. B on its own is just a little softer than HB. 2B, 3B and 4B are increasingly soft. Further up the range, 9B is the very softest lead available, but so soft and crumbly that it's rarely used.
Is there a 10H pencil? ›
If you're looking to expand your range of pencils Koh-I-Noor has 20 variations of these sought after famous yellow pencils. SET OF 12, 10H pencils for artists, budding artists and designers. Model 1500 10H.
What is a F grade pencil? ›
The F pencil grade means Fine. This pencil is hard which means that it maintains a fine point. What makes a pencil grade harder or softer? The core of a graphite pencil is a mix of graphite and clay filler.
