Drawing Supplies: the complete guide

What actually counts as drawing supplies

Strip away the packaging and drawing supplies fall into five groups: something that makes a mark (pencils, charcoal, graphite sticks), something that removes a mark (erasers), something that sharpens, something to draw on (paper), and a handful of blending tools. Everything else — blending stumps in twelve sizes, electric erasers, mahogany pencil extenders — is optional refinement.

The mistake most beginners make is buying breadth before depth. A single excellent HB pencil and a good sketchbook will teach you more than a 72-piece tin of mediocre tools. Buy the core five categories first, learn what your hand prefers, then expand with intent.

Graphite pencils: understanding grades

Pencil grades run from 9H (hardest, lightest) to 9B (softest, darkest), with HB in the middle. H pencils hold a fine point and suit technical work; B pencils lay down rich darks and smudge expressively. The grade is baked into the graphite-clay mix, so no amount of pressure makes an H pencil truly dark — it just embosses your paper.

For general drawing you need three grades: a 2H for light construction lines, an HB for general work, and a 4B or 6B for darks. Sets of twelve are convenient and usually cheaper per pencil, but check that the set spans at least 2H to 6B. Consistency between pencils matters more than brand prestige — this is where the established manufacturers (Faber-Castell, Staedtler, Derwent, Tombow) genuinely earn their premium over no-name sets.

Charcoal and graphite sticks

Charcoal is drawing with the volume turned up: darker darks, faster coverage, and far more forgiving gesture work. Willow charcoal is soft and erasable — ideal for blocking in. Compressed charcoal is denser and darker for committed marks. Vine charcoal sits between them. A small mixed pack covers all three for a few dollars.

Graphite sticks and woodless pencils are the same material as pencil cores without the wood casing. They cover large areas quickly and sharpen to a point when needed. They are not essential on day one, but they are the first upgrade we suggest once you start working bigger than a sketchbook page.

Erasers: the three you need

A kneaded eraser lifts graphite by pressing and pulling rather than rubbing, so it never damages paper tooth and never runs out — you knead it clean. It is the single most-used tool in most artists' kits. A white vinyl (plastic) eraser handles complete removal of stubborn marks. A precision eraser — a pen-style holder with a 2.3 mm refill — lets you erase highlights back into hair, fur, and foliage.

Avoid the pink rubber erasers of school memory; they smear graphite and abrade paper. The three types above cost under fifteen dollars combined and cover every erasing situation from whisper-light lifting to full removal.

Sharpeners: a blade beats a buzz

A two-hole metal handheld sharpener with replaceable blades produces a better point than most electric sharpeners and cannot eat your pencil. The long-point sharpeners — two-stage designs that expose more graphite — are worth the small premium for soft B grades, which snap in aggressive sharpeners.

Many professionals skip sharpeners entirely for charcoal and soft graphite, using a craft knife and sandpaper block instead. It is slower but wastes far less material and gives you a custom point shape. Try both; your hand will tell you which it prefers.

Paper: tooth, weight, and sizing

Paper specs look arcane but only three matter for drawing. Weight (lb or gsm) tells you thickness — 60–80 lb (90–130 gsm) is fine for dry media sketching. Tooth is the surface texture: more tooth grabs more graphite and charcoal, less tooth suits fine pen lines. Sizing is an internal treatment that keeps media on the surface rather than soaking in.

A medium-tooth, 70 lb sketchbook from a known paper mill (Strathmore, Canson, Fabriano) is the right default. Newsprint is excellent for timed gesture practice because it is cheap enough to use fearlessly — but know that it yellows within years, so keep anything you care about on better stock.

How much should a beginner spend?

Our tested beginner drawing kit — a 12-grade graphite set, kneaded and vinyl erasers, a metal sharpener, a small charcoal pack, and a 100-sheet sketchbook — totals roughly $35–45. That is not a compromise kit; it contains the same pencil lines many professionals use daily.

Where money genuinely changes results: paper quality and pencil consistency. Where it does not (yet): presentation tins, imported eraser sleeves, and anything described as "deluxe." Spend the difference on a second sketchbook. Mileage beats materials at every stage of learning to draw.

Care and storage

Graphite and charcoal are nearly indestructible, but points are not. A simple wrap or hard case prevents the heartbreak of a tin full of snapped tips. Keep charcoal in its own bag or box — it dusts everything it touches.

Store sketchbooks flat and out of direct sun. If you draw with charcoal regularly, a can of workable fixative lets you layer without smearing, but use it outdoors or with ventilation, and know that it slightly darkens paper.

Drawing Supplies compared

The short version, side by side. Every row links to a fuller discussion in the guide above — and every product here earned its place in hands-on testing.

Graphite and charcoal sets we recommend, compared

Set	Contents	Best for	Typical price
Staedtler Mars Lumograph 100 G12	12 pencils, 6B–4H	The default beginner choice	$20–28
Faber-Castell 9000 Art Set	12 pencils, 8B–2H	Softer range for tonal drawing	$18–25
Derwent Graphic 12	12 pencils, 9B–9H	Widest grade range	$15–22
Tombow Mono 100 (dozen)	Single grade, premium	Professionals restocking	$25–30
General's Charcoal Drawing Set	Willow + compressed + tools	Adding charcoal to a kit	$12–18

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