I am often asked how to achieve beautiful pencil shading, and it all starts with a correctly sharpened pencil! Here are several excellent examples of some recent students’ sharpened pencils:
Pencils sharpened by students Stella Arbelaez and Lindsay Simmons
Pencils sharpened by students Maggie Thompson, Antonio Mateos Pomar, and Leonard King
A common question I get from new students is: Can I use a mechanical pencil instead?
This is why I require my students to sharpen wooden pencils:
Lead
The lead in a mechanical pencil has a waxy binder which makes the graphite less sensitive to draw with.
Dexterity
Those who struggle to sharpen a pencil also struggle to draw with one. The ability to draw and the ability to sharpen the pencil increase at the same rate.
Patience
Learning to sharpen a pencil to atelier standards is a great way to develop the patience you’ll need to complete a classical drawing program.
