The most commonly used graphite pencils for drawing are HB, 2B, 4B, and 6B. However, some artists prefer to use harder or softer pencils depending on their style and technique.

We asked 12 professional artists about the pencils they use for sketching, doodling, laying out, and putting the finishing touches on their artwork. Their picks include Staedtler, BIC Mechanical ...

Pose your hand, or ask your model to hold a position, and start your drawing off with a loose, light, intuitive sketch in HB pencil. Simply look and draw what you see in less than a minute ...

For simplicity, I tend to use a #2 graphite pencil for most of my deep-sky drawings. After all, ... and HB-grade pencils fit the bill. But what do those grades mean?

In all likelihood, if you rummaged through any given school desk in the U.S., the first pencil you'd encounter would be a number two pencil. Here's why. The United States tends to do its own thing ...