Pencil: The Medium

Pencil is special. Pencil is versatile. There is not a single drawing

medium that can perform so many tasks as a pencil. Because it

can produce lines of different widths, the same pencil can be

used for shading, texture making, and emulating a wide range of

tonal differences.

To some, a pencil is no different from a pen or a marker because

they can all be used for sketching. This kind of thinking ignores

the fact that the look of pencil is unique and cannot be duplicated.

The ability to visually understand and appreciate the differences

is essential. The intention of this book is to clarify the differences

between pencil and other sketching media. Many publications on

pencil sketching and drawing never venture to the heart of things

and discuss in detail the unique characteristic of pencil. They all

speak rather briefly about the medium and move quickly into tech-

niques and demonstrations. Very few spend time talking about the

“art of pencil sketching.”

To me, the real understanding of pencil sketching goes beyond

knowing the “state-of-the-art” pencils and accessories. It is about

creative seeing, such as how to isolate things from a complex visual

field. It is about emotions and feelings and the communication

between artist and object. I believe that the in-depth discussion

of the fundamentals is what will set this book apart from other

similar publications.

#2 pencil

INTRODUCTION

1