A guide to graphite pencils

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, choosing the right pencil is essential for achieving precision, tonal depth, and expressive detail. This guide will help you understand pencil grades, care for your tools, and get the most out of your Winsor & Newton graphite pencils.

About Winsor & Newton Graphite Pencils

Our graphite and charcoal pencils are designed for sketching, life drawings, and expressive work. They blend smoothly for shading, hold fine detail, and are ideal for studio or on-the-go use.

Tip: Build your pencil collection

A variety if pencil grades enable you to explore tonal depth, texture, and colour, unlocking your full creative potential.

How graphite pencils are made

All wood-encased graphite pencils are made from graphite, clay, and a small amount of binder. In the 17th century, these ingredients were ground by hand, shaped in a cylindrical mold, and fired in a kiln. Today, Winsor & Newton pencils are crafted using sustainably grown, aromatic cedar wood that is easy to sharpen, providing both quality and eco-consciousness in every pencil.

Understanding graphite pencil grades

Pencils are graded to indicate the hardness or softness of the lead:

Graphite pencil scale:

8B 6B 5B 4B 3B 2B B HB F H 2H 3H 4H

B = Blackness (soft and dark)
H = Hardness (light and subtle)
F = Fine (special formulation for a sharp point)
HB = A balance of hard and soft

Choosing the right pencil grade:

B-range pencils: Soft, dark marks; ideal for shading and smooth coverage. Higher numbers are darker and softer.
H-range pencils: Hard, light marks; perfect for delicate, intricate drawings. Higher numbers are lighter.
HB: A versatile, all-rounder pencil suitable for both beginners and professionals.

A selection of grades allows artists to achieve a full tonal range, from light sketches to deep, rich shadows.

Using pencil grades for tonal depth

Start with a hard pencil to create light marks that are easy to adjust. As your artwork develops, use softer pencils for shading and dark details. Hard pencils alone cannot achieve true black, so softer leads are essential for contrast and depth.

Maintaining your pencils

Use a quality sharpener to maintain a fine point that won’t break
Refine the point with fine-grade sandpaper by gently running the lead across it—an old artists’ trick for precision