Home › Forums › Explore Media › Drawing and Sketching › How do artists use different leads with lead holders?
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October 23, 2018 at 8:50 pm #463780
I see some artists recommend lead holders instead of regular pencils in a tin. How do artists using lead holders switch between HB, 4H, etc. to get different darkness in the pencil? Do they have to buy different lead holders for each kind?
October 24, 2018 at 3:17 am #716135Some lead holders have a dial that you set to show the lead you are using. Some have different colored tops to indicate the lead. You use a different holder for each lead type.
Quwatha Valentine
October 24, 2018 at 5:26 am #716136I see some artists recommend lead holders instead of regular pencils in a tin. How do artists using lead holders switch between HB, 4H, etc. to get different darkness in the pencil? Do they have to buy different lead holders for each kind?
Yes most use several holders.
That said I still prefer the light pencils for all but the initial move violent rough sketches.
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October 24, 2018 at 3:13 pm #716138I have a separate holder for each grade of lead I use. I printed out labels that are easier to read and tape them on the barrel. I’ve been collecting holders since 1979. Guess that makes me really old.
October 25, 2018 at 10:48 am #716134Everyone I know who uses clutch pencils has a different pencil holder for each grade of graphite they use. Trying to change the refill each time you wanted a different grade would take forever and probably break most of your refills with all the handling. Staedtler 12 packs come with a different colored plunger for each grade so you can quickly and easily find the grade you wish with your pencils in a pile.
October 25, 2018 at 11:38 am #716141If one likes the feel of wooden pencils, a good mechanical pencil option could be the Japanese Kitaboshi (or Kita-Boshi) 2mm lead holder. It is mostly made of wood and feels really nice and lightweight in hand.
October 27, 2018 at 5:20 pm #716143I’ve got 3 holders for 2 mm leads, not the same brand. So I can use 3 different leads with no change. For harder grades (3H, 4H and more) I use legacy wood pencils that don’t need to be sharpened often. Furthermore, I have a Cretacolor holder for 5.6 mm thick soft graphite leads, as well as thick graphite pencils (the ones with no wood at all, just the core covered by a special varnish to keep hands clean
On the other hand, I’ve got various holders for 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9mm leads, from various manufacturers (Pentel, Rotring etc). Pentel seems to be perhaps the best.
I have a separate holder for each grade of lead I use. I printed out labels that are easier to read and tape them on the barrel. I’ve been collecting holders since 1979. Guess that makes me really old.
Your collection is impressive.
Unfortunately it seems that I lost my oldest one, from 1974 or 1975.Emmanuel
C&C welcomeNovember 3, 2018 at 6:13 am #716142Thankfully, if you forget what 2mm lead was in the holder, the mfrs. typically mark the lead-rod itself in really, really faint tiny, tiny teensy letters….
Radical Fundemunsellist
November 27, 2018 at 2:47 pm #716144Thankfully, if you forget what 2mm lead was in the holder, the mfrs. typically mark the lead-rod itself in really, really faint tiny, tiny teensy letters….
Yes, this is true for “good” brands. Cheap or no-name leads aren’t marked at all most of the times and you need to guess the grade by drawing lines on a piece of paper :confused:
Emmanuel
C&C welcomeNovember 28, 2018 at 5:43 am #716137I use a different lead holder for each lead grade. That is the way to go and best option Hop-Frog. The lead holders I use usually have the lead grade printed on the barrel, any that don’t I generally stick a label on the barrel end showing the lead grade. Changing the lead grade continually in just one lead holder isn’t really a good option. Too much messing about.
John : Aldbrough graphite artist.
"The longest & hardest route to the end of your journey, is often the most rewarding."December 5, 2018 at 4:28 pm #716139I just put a sticker with the number of the lead ..
Federico Garcia
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December 13, 2018 at 1:01 pm #716140I use mostly my 7 different lead holders (clutch) with different grades of Staedtler graphite, 3h,2h,h,hb,b,2b & 4b. They are various colors so I know which is which but also have each marked with the grade. Depending on what subject,texture,etc I can also change out a 3h with a 4h as an example. I will add a couple more lead holders this year.
I also have a complete set (19) of Staedtler woods from 9h thru 9b.
The only advantage to my woods are using 5b thru 9b which Staedtler does not make in 2mm leads (too soft for 2mm diameter).
…in reality you can probably get by with about 5 or 6 grades, but I use mostly lead holders for consistent lengths, weights and the ability to sharpen to pin points. -
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