A pencil is an artists tool used for drawing or writing.Traditionally pencils are a hollow wooden object with lead, carbon, graphite or other hard pigment contained within.

Pencils now come in many varieties. Graphite Pencils, Sketching Pencils, Colored Pencils, Pastel Pencils, Charcoal Pencils and Watercolor Pencils.
 

Choosing Sketching Pencils:
When drawing in lead pencil most artists tend to favor a small number of shades available. If you want to begin sketching you may like to start of with 4 pencils; 3B, B, HB & H which will give you good variable of shade without purchasing a full set of sketching pencils.  Looking at the illustration above 6B is the softest/darkest lead, HB is in the middle and 4H is the hardest/lightest lead.

Artist quality pencils can be purchased from any Art Supply Store or for specific pencil brand information see: Artists Pencils

Another artists drawing tool, simialr to a pencil is a Silverpoint used for Silverpoint Drawings.