![]() Therefore, for HB pencils, 2B, 3B, 4B, or 2H shows how hard the pencil is. If you see the letter “F,” it says that such a pencil sharpens to an excellent point. The one marked “HH” means that the pencil is very hard, while “BBB” says a very dark pencil. A pencil with the inscription “HB” means that the pencil is hard and also black. The purpose of each pencil code depends on what you want to use it for. ![]() They are for darker drawings and can get as dark as using charcoal. Harder lead pencils can also be used for shading soft spots. If you are just interested in something to use in sketching or outlining your drawing, pencils with higher lead will give you rougher drawings.īut this is dependent on the number of H written on the body of the pencil. You may wonder why there are so many pencils when all you probably need is just a moderate pencil.Īs someone who doesn’t do much with pencils, you may not know the importance of these numbering.īut as an artist, you will most certainly understand and appreciate these various pencils.įor a layman, the harder the pencil, the rougher the drawings you will get. What is the purpose of the various pencil numbers? H, on the other hand, shows that the pencil has more clay than graphite. The lead in the pencil gets harder as you go further down from 9H to 9B.Īll these numbers may seem daunting and confusing, but basically, here’s all you need to know about the numbers and figures – H’s indicate how hard a pencil is, while B’s indicate how soft they are.Īlphabet B shows that the pencil core has lesser clay and more graphite. Pencils can be numbered from 2H to 9H and 2B to 9B, as can be seen in the image below. Various kinds of pencils and their codesĪlthough we have been mentioning the Number 2 pencil in this article, you should know that there are other pencils with different codes. ![]() It’s time to learn the different types of pencils there are and their codes. Like we have already mentioned earlier in this article, pencils are either ranked 1-4 for the American system or H-B for the European system depending on how soft or hard the pencil is. Pencils are ranked or coded according to their grading scale. You may not be able to tell which pencil is darker from a lighter one by just looking at it (except for trained eyes). And if the graphite is more, then the pencil will be softer and darker. If the ratio of clay is higher than the graphite, the result will be a lighter and harder pencil. The ratio or combination of these components is what determines how dark or light a pencil writes or draws. Most pencils are made with two major components – clay and graphite – and then some binders such as polymer or wax. We have used the word graphite severally in this article, and you may wonder what it is. What determines how light or dark a pencil draws?īefore we delve into the kinds of pencil codes there are, there are things you need to know first. Designers and architects often use such for their sketching. Meanwhile, pencils lower than Number 2 are made with harder graphite and leave lighter markings when used. Pencils that are lower than Number 2 contain softer graphite and therefore draw darker markings and are usually used by people in the publishing industry. Number 2 pencils are the most preferred pencils for everyday use. So, American’s Number 2 pencil is the same thing referred to as HB pencil in most parts of the world. They use numbers in scoring their pencils while other international pencil manufacturers (or European countries in this case) use letters or what is known as the HB scaling in scoring theirs. ![]() And that’s why the way it numbers its pencils is different from the rest of the world. The United States of America is known to do things differently. It is not so soft that the write-up will erase easily, and it’s also not too hard that you will have a hard time erasing what you wrote with it. What it means is that it is neither too light nor too dark. The Number 2 pencil is a mixture of hard and soft graphite if that makes sense. The HB number written on each pencil depends on how hard the graphite used in making it is. To start with, when you see HB, it usually refers to the level of graphite grading used in making the pencil’s core.ĭoes it sound a little confusing? Let me clarify what I mean. Well, that’s because these pencils are indeed different and are used for different things. Have you ever observed that the pencils you see at your local store when you go to buy a pencil have inscriptions like numbers like 2, 3, and 4, and alphabets like HB, H, B, and the rest? Why do many schools and testing centers insist on Number 2 pencils?.Is Number 2 pencil, the best pencil, among others?.Some pencils have different number 2, what does that mean?.What is the purpose of the various pencil numbers?.Various kinds of pencils and their codes.What determines how light or dark a pencil draws?. ![]()
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