Artists' Pencils

Artist’s pencils are made from an inner core of graphite (not lead) and they are of a superior quality to the average pencil used for schools, offices and home use. Expect to pay around $4. to $10. for a single high-quality artist’s pencil, (2019 Australian prices), if you wish to work with the best tools.
​

The Artist’s Way of Holding the Pencil.  Position A/ Gliding on the little finger.

Hold the pencil firmly but lightly to make sure your hand is 2 to 3 inches away from the point and you do not have a vice like grip on it, as that would restrict free movement and while it might allow you to write it prevents the flowing movement across the page required to draw well.

Position A shows the artist resting the little finger on the paper and holding the pencil loosely between thumb and the top two fingers then drawing by sliding the hand along the paper guided in the distance away from the paper by the little finger.  If you are covering a small area, you can just swing the hand, from the wrist, if covering a larger area, swing the arm and slide the pencil along using this little finger as a guide.

Practice makes perfect. It is a myth to believe that we are born talented. We may born, with the desire within us to apply ourselves to things we love, learn and practice harder at some things than others, less interested in them, might do  and so we become talented.  Every one of us has a strong creative urge, we are all, artistic. Some of us have just developed these skills, more than, others.  If you want to become an artist, you can. You do not need to be talented to start, you need to have the desire, to learn and practice. it is your teacher who needs to have the talent to show how, explain why, and constructively critique the students work, in order for you to advance.

​Position B/ This is good for Shading.

Hold the pencil firmly but lightly 2" to 3" above the point. Never grip the pencil tightly. In drawing your hand needs to be loose to move freely over the whole paper so you work with sweeps of your hand and arm.

Practice these hand positions; I will give you some pencil movement exercises next.  "Happy drawing."

Position C/ here you guide your hand with this finger.

​Position D/ Hand resting on the backs of the finger.

​Position E/ Hold pencil more loosely than for writing.