Graphite Art

Though I generally have worked in charcoal... I have begun to do more with graphite. What is graphite you ask?

Graphite is the 'gray lead in your drawing pencil. Graphite is not lead at all; the misnomer arose because it was mistaken for a form of lead when first discovered in England. Graphite is in fact a form of carbon, and is non-toxic. Pencils have never been made from lead, but it was not until the late 18th century that the true composition of the material was identified, and the original name stuck. Modern pencil cores contain an extruded blend of pulverised graphite and clay.

Pencils can vary widely in quality. Irregularities in substandard or poorly processed graphite can lead to unpredictable tonal range, and even worse, scratches in the paper. Uncentered cores tend to break on sharpening. High quality artist's pencils deliver reliable, even tone at carefully graded hardnesses, and are less prone to breakage. The familiar 'graylead' pencil has a graphite/clay core encased in cedar wood. These range in hardness from around 9b (very soft) up to 9H (very hard indeed) depending on the brand

Recently I was introduced to drawing with a mechanical pencil. Timber-cased pencils change their size, weight and balance as they are sharpened, which can be a problem for artists who draw a great deal.  To me, the mechanical/graphite pencil is cleaner and offers more control over the charcoal pencils.

Sample graphite work: