“Pencils are simple. They are not complicated. They accept your errors and allow you to make corrections. Pencils wear down. They show use. They show life. They show expressions and realise dreams.”
Pencilly Australia
There are thousands of pencil varieties throughout the world, and not all pencils are created equally. A good quality pencil is a joy to write with. It is a beautifully designed object that people will look at, ask you about, and ultimately try and ‘borrow’. A good quality pencil is very different from the 10-for-$2 you’ll get at the local supermarket or variety store.
What makes a good pencil is extremely variable and subjective. It depends on what you’re using it for. Are you just jotting down some notes, or are you going to be writing for long periods? Are you drawing or sketching? Are you writing in a cheap notebook, on high-quality journal paper, or are you sketching on art paper? Do you need to erase often and cleanly? Do you need amazing point retention, so you don’t have to sharpen frequently? Does it matter how dark a line it draws? Do you care how it looks or what colour the lacquer is?
It’s worth trying out a variety of pencils to see what suits you. Different pencils are good for different things and different people. While some pencils are ‘designed’ for writing, sketching, or drafting—some people enjoy using these pencils for something other than their ‘intended’ purpose. Ask some of the world’s great pencil fans what their Top 10 pencils are, and although there will be some similarities, the lists will be different.
So where to begin? The best way to explore the assortment of pencils available is to try one of our pencil bundles. These are carefully curated sets that showcase a variety of pencils within a particular theme, or just try and introduce you to some of the differences between brands and countries of manufacture. We also highly recommend purchasing a ‘long-point’ sharpener if you intend to write with a sharp point – it’s amazing the difference a long point makes compared to regular sharpeners.
This bundle is a great place to start to delve into the world of pencils. We’ve put together 2 European, 2 Japanese and 2 American branded pencils, all of which are very high quality (and some personal favourites). This set will introduce you to the differences in darkness and quality of graphite across regions and brands. Which one will be your favourite?
The ultimate gift set features the finest of pencils for the ultimate connoisseur. These are some of the most interesting pencils on offer, with a selection of hard and soft pencils from Europe, Japan & America. The perfect gift for someone who can be a little tricky to buy for.
This carefully curated set is perfect for those who love to sketch. With a great range of tonal variety and hardness, these pencils will take your drawings to the next level. On the darker end, the Blackwing Pearl and Tombow KM-KKS 4B will give you some buttery smooth dark lines. In the mid-range, the Grafwood 2B is a premium drawing pencil and Faber-Castell Pitt Matte Graphite HB will allow you to sketch without the typical graphite sheen. At the harder end, the Mitsubishi Hi-Uni 2H will explore the lighter strokes and finer lines. The Faber-Castell 7057 Perfection Eraser will allow for some precision erasing, with 2 different eraser options.
Crosswords, sudoku, find-a-word…whatever your puzzle pleasure these pencils will do the job. The Viking Mikro is tiny enough to travel with you anywhere, the Koh-i-Noor ‘Sudoku’ pencil is half pencil-half eraser and the General Test Scoring pencil has been long-time favourites for crossword puzzles. The set also includes the Camel HB, a high quality Japanese delight, the Caran d’Ache Genius pencil which has a stylus instead of eraser for your favourite puzzle apps, and the dark and smooth Blackwing Pearl.
If you’re a lefty like me, you’ll know how difficult it can be to write without smudging pencil or ink all over your hand. These pencils lean on the harder side to make it easier to write without making a mess. You can also use a wet highlighter over these pencils with little to no smearing of your text.
Want to try a variety of similar pencils to experience the nuances of Japanese graphite quality? This set offers 2 HB pencils from Mitsubishi, 2 HB pencils from Tombow, 1 HB from Kitaboshi and an HB from Camel. We’ve included a vintage Mitsubishi 9800, available exclusively in this set. These brands represent some of the finest pencil makers in the world!
Try a selection of our softest pencils with this set of high-quality pencils. While these may not be the ideal pencils for everyday writing, if you’re more artistically inclined these pencils will allow you to explore some soft dark lines. We’ve included 2 Japanese ‘penmanship’ pencils (4B, 6B) used to practice calligraphy, and are described as ‘brush like’.
