Tips on Drawing
Sharpening HB
Getting your graphite
tip thin is a very important part of darkening your image. If the tip is dull, the lines
will be lighter and bolder. Many of you probably would argue with me about .5 size
graphite being bold, but trust me; you'll fine the detailing much easier with a smaller
point. I prefer to use a flat piece of flint because it is much quicker than a blade.
"Where can I get flint?" You ask, well I got mine from a dart set. It was meant
to keep the dart tips sharper but I found it to be more useful for keeping graphite sharp.
Basically, you just rub the tip back and forth with a slight bit of pressure around a
15-30 degree angle occasionally rotating the pencil. Slightly tap the graphite with your
finger to see if it is almost as sharp as a pin. If so, it's ready. 
For those of you that
don't have flint, a regular pencil sharpener works too. Don't bother using the cheap kind
you find in the school supplies section at a store, they don't help much. Stainless steel
sharpeners work best. Don't worry, they don't cost a bundle, this is a sharpener we are
talking about. Of course, a pocketknife would work too, but you get a better grip with the
sharpener and you won't risk cutting yourself. All you do is put the tip in and gently
pull back so the blade shaves the graphite, then lift the tip back up and repeat. Don't
try to shave it going in both directions that will only result in a weak, dull tip. Only
shave it when it's being pulled back. This method is slower than using flint, but it works
fine once you get use to it.
Back to the last