What works for me

A lot of folk ask me about the art materials I use and what brands I prefer and such like. The following is an overview of the various materials I use and a few neat things I have discovered along the way.

Drawing Pencils
I do not have any particular brand favorite for drawing pencils. The majority of these pencils are of similar quality and are capable of producing satisfying results. These pencils are generally graded as follows:

H2 - H - F - HB - 2B - 3B - 4B

There are others, but you do not really need a full range of them, four grades will suffice.

2H - HB - 2B - 4B

The 2H is ideal for tracing or design transferring. They are very hard and retain their points.
The HB is a reliable all-rounder and is good for average drawing projects.
The 3B is excellent for precise work and it is good for medium weight shading.
The 4B is a good companion for the 3B. This pencil allows medium to dark shading.

It is important to use good quality paper to effect decent drawings. Try to use cartridge paper for drawing, other papers, such as photocopy paper are inferior and these do not allow for quality shading. They do not handle repeated erasing either, as this practise will deteriorate the surface very quickly.

Fact: "Lead" Pencils do not contain Lead... the "leads" are made from Graphite.

Erasers
I prefer to use the plastic erasers. The Staedtler Rasto-Plast eraser is great. The most important thing to remember when using these erasers. especially on the "3B - 4B" grade pencil work, is to wipe them off after each erasure. Otherwise you will transfer the graphite back to your work the next time you attempt to use it.

How to stop the work from smudging
One of the most annoying things about Graphite Pencils is the smudging that occurs when you rest the side of your hand on the work surface. This is easily remedied if you spray the completed areas with an art fixative. The great thing about these fixatives is the fact that you can rework the sprayed areas if needed. The spray dries to quickly to a matt finish. These fixatives are available at most art supply outlets and can be used on Pencil, Pastel, Chalk and Charcoal drawings.
Nifty trick to try with Graphite.
Use a craft knife to scrape off a fine powder from the 3B or 4B "lead", do this onto a piece of glass or an old mirror. Dip the end of your little finger into it and use the powder to blend shade your pictures. This takes a bit of practice, but it can result in some really good effects. Dont forget to use the fixative spray... er.. on the paper, not your finger!
If you find blending using your finger is a bit clumsy, then try using a Tortillon. These are made of compressed paper and are sharpened to a point. These are available at most art supply outlets. (NB: they are sometimes referred to as Paper Stumps or Blenders).