Pencil

DEFINITION

An implement for drawing or writing (lettering), consisting of a thin rod of graphite, colored wax, chalk, charcoal, or another such substance which can be sharpened to a fine point, either encased in wood or held in a mechanical holder. Given the importance of the human brain, eye, and hand, there may be nothing as fundamental for the production of art than the pencil.Most common today are pencils which contain "leads" which are actually made of graphite, because actual lead is such a poisonous substance.Until this form was manufactured in the nineteenth century, the term pencil referred to small, pointed brushes, and penciling referred to a painter's draftsmanship.High quality graphite drawing pencils are available from numerous manufacturers in nineteen or more degrees of hardness. Most commonly, from softest to hardness, these are: 8B, 7B, 6B, 5B, 4B, 3B, 2B, B, HB, F, H, 2H, 3H, 4H, 5H, 6H, 7H, 8H, 9H. a photo of a pencil