Graphite pencil

“ While waiting for an answer, I busied myself writing, and as I had no stationery I wrote on the walls. Beginning as high as I could reach, I wrote in columns, each about three feet wide. Soon the pencil became dull. But dull pencils are easily sharpened on the whetstone of wit. Stifling acquired traits, I permitted myself to revert momentarily to a primitive expedient. I gnawed the wood quite from the pencil, leaving only the graphite core. With a bit of graphite a hand guided by the unerring insolence of elation may artistically damn all men and things. ”

“ No one who has ever tried to use a pencil of real lead could fail to appreciate graphite, and when a graphite mine was discovered in England, it was guarded by armed men as watchfully as if it had been a mine of diamonds. ”

“ It is difficult to see just why it is advisable to cover the thumb with powdered graphite, and expose that useful member to possible amputation by a knife directed uncompromisingly [Pg 7] toward it, when the pencil might be pointed the other way, the risk of amputation avoided, and the shavings and pulverised graphite left safely to the action of gravitation and centrifugal force. Yet the entire race of men refuse to see the true value of the feminine method, and, indeed, any man would rather sharpen any woman's pencil than see her do it herself. ”

“ In attempting to reproduce a signature a forger will probably make a preliminary outline with a blacklead pencil and then go over this with ink.
The imperfect removal of the pencil marks may then betray the fraud, as in the Whalley will case described on another page. In some instances the particles of the graphite may be seen with the aid of the microscope to project beyond the upper layer of ink.
Additions and alterations made to the letters in writing are clearly visible when magnified, and may be demonstrated in court by means of a photographic enlargement. ”

“ Frequently it will be found when drawing fine lines that the pen ceases to mark before the end of the line is reached, and as we have already said, it is very difficult to join a line without leaving visible traces of the operation. To remedy this defect, the pen must be reset as described in Section I. If a very hard pencil has been used, or if the pencil has been pressed heavily upon the paper, the pencil line will lie in a groove in the paper, and as the nib of the pen will not touch the bottom of this groove, the line drawn will be ragged. ”

“ In the very first drawing, for example, and all others, insist on having lightly penciled blocking out lines of indefinite length—lines that are just visible, that is all. Do not allow the pupil to form the habit of drawing a heavy line between two points previously located. It is needless to say that the pencil must be of good lead, properly sharpened, and kept sharp. It is an excellent plan to insist that all construction or blocking out lines be left just as originally drawn, no eraser being used at all. If lightly made, as they should be, they will be inconspicuous in the finished drawing. ”

“ In place of the ordinary wood-covered lead pencils there may be obtained at the drawing material stores pencil holders for holding the fine, round sticks of lead, and these are by far the best for a learner. They are easier to sharpen, and will slip in the holder, giving warning when the draftsman is pressing them too hard on the paper, as he is apt to do. ”

“ The "Fabers," who date back to the year 1761, are known all over the world as lead pencil makers. They also manufacture many inks and have done so since 1881, when they built now factories at Noisy-le-Sac, near Paris. Blue-black and violet-black writing and copying inks of the class made by the "Antoines" are the principal kinds. They do not offer for sale, tanno-gallate of iron ink without "added" color. ”

“ It is a good thing to accustom yourself to hew and shape your drawing out of a dirty piece of paper. When you have got it as right as you can, take a quill pen, not very fine at the point; rest your hand on a book about an inch and a half thick, so as to hold the pen long; and go over your pencil outline with ink, raising your pen point as seldom as possible, and never leaning more heavily on one part of the line than on another. In most outline drawings of the present day, parts of the curves are thickened to give an effect of shade ”

“ Fig. 168 differs in the point of the pencil shown, as may be observed in the illustration.
A pencil that is hard is best for mechanical drawing; one that will retain a good point for some [119] considerable time. Pencil lines should be made as light as possible; the presence of lead on the surface of the paper tends to prevent the ink passing to the paper, and in rubbing out pencil lines the ink is reduced in blackness, and the surface of paper is roughened, which is a disadvantage. As little erasing or rubbing out as possible should be done. ”

“ The fixed pivot, pointer, and pencil must be rigid, and, with pivot c, be of such a length that the pantograph as a whole moves parallel to the paper. A little sliding weight to place on the rod near the pencil will be found useful for keeping the pencil point in constant contact with the paper.
If the apparatus works stiffly, ease the holes a trifle and lead-pencil the wood at all points where two surfaces rub. It is absolutely impossible to make a good reproduction with a stiff, jerky pantograph. ”

“ The pencil or crayon point, in passing over a rough or broken surface, forms a series of dots instead of a continuous line. The same thing occurs when pencil is used on a rough surface drawing paper. Such pencillings, being examined, are found to be lead marks, interspersed with minute interstices of white paper, the whole giving a sort of grey tint of greater or less intensity.
For broad sketchy effects such a drawing method is exceedingly valuable; some very delightful things may be done without the least appearance of the mechanical. ”

“ Fancy and fanciful penholders are undesirable and useless. The plainer and simpler the holder is the better. We have yet to see steel-tipped holders, a contrivance which by preventing nibbling and gnawing of the tops so widely practised in our schools would be as beneficial to the pupils as economical for the management. As to length the penholders should not exceed six inches nor fall below five and a half and they should not be thinner than an ordinary lead pencil, the thickness varying with the size of the hand or writer. ”

“ These are required of various degrees of hardness, but for lines that are to be ruled an H H is the best. The most suitable qualities of lead are those which are the most easily rubbed out; these qualities are sometimes gritty, but this defect is more than compensated by the facility with which a line may be removed from the paper. There is some art in cutting a pencil properly. If the point is intended for sketching, it should be cut equally from all sides, so as to produce a perfectly acute cone. But for line-drawing a flat or chisel point should always be used. ”

“ Always draw on the right side of the sheet, which can be found by holding the sheet up to the light and looking across its surface with the eye nearly in the same plane as the paper; note which side is the smoothest and has the least number of blemishes on it; this is the right side to draw on.
As to sharpening pencils, it is always best to cut a chisel point on the pencil used for drawing, and put a circular point on the pencils in the bow pencil and pencil leg. The chisel point makes a finer line and lasts much longer than a round point. ”

“ With the aid of the delineating machine, the operator, besides being able to produce an accurately enlarged outline pencil tracing of a design, is also enabled, by various adjustments, to change the form of the pencil tracing in such a manner that it becomes proportionately more condensed or extended, and even italicized or back-sloped. That (p. 033) is, from a single design, say Gothic, pencil tracings can be made condensed, extended, italicized, and back-sloped, as well as an enlarged facsimile. ”

“ It will be understood that now each piece is composed of two strips of wood, firmly glued together, inside which, three grooves, filled with plumbago composition, run from one end to the other—about thirty inches, or sufficient to make{584} four pencils to each groove—that is, twelve pencils in all. The length of a finished pencil is seven inches. These pieces are then taken to a very curious machine and passed twice through. The first time, the top surface is ploughed from end to end into what resembles three distinct semicircular ridges ”

“ Drawing with a Lead Pencil A PENCIL has many excellent qualities. It is a clean tool and easy to handle. It can be carried in the pocket and pressed into the service whenever required. Beyond sharpening, it requires no attention.
To sharpen a pencil you should pare the wood in small shavings with a sharp knife. When a small portion of the lead is exposed place the lead on a piece of paper and whittle down to a firm and not very thin point. A very sharp point is a mistake. ”

“ If the spot to be retouched is very small, or if there is a scratch on the film, take a soft pencil sharpened according to directions given in the first paper on retouching, and with very minute strokes go over the places until the required density is obtained. Sometimes it is necessary to go over the places several times before the spots appear like the film.
If a negative has sharp, harsh contrasts, they can be softened by going over them carefully with the pencil, using the softest one for this purpose, and then blending the pencil strokes with a crayon stump. ”

“ The renown of his manufactures has penetrated to all parts of the world and it is not merely their widely extended use, that attests their excellence, but more especially the voice of those men, who make the greatest demands upon the manufactory. There are few Architects and Engineers who use any other article but Faber’s pencils, and the whole profession of artists has long since proclaimed A. W. Faber’s pencil to be the very best for drawing purposes. ”

“ With regard to drawings in wash, charcoal or pencil, in which there are half-tones; these are better drawn on an enlarged scale, especially if the author is not a skilled draughtsman, for improper gradations in shading and other imperfections will not appear so noticeable in the reduced reproduction. Originals should all be made in one colour; in the case of wash drawings, diluted Indian ink (really Chinese ink) will give excellent results.
In making pencil drawings, a fairly stout hand-made paper with not too much grain should be used. ”

“ To perform good work in painting monograms due attention must be given the tools. These should consist of mahl stick, palette, palette cups, a small palette knife, pounce bags, small bottles containing japan, turpentine, etc., and a complete assortment of pencils. The pencils should be red sable hair, set in metal, and outfitted with cedar handles. The hair had best not exceed 1/4 inch in length, and in size the pencils may run from knitting-needle bulk to what pencil makers call No. ”

“ Beyond the directions as to holding the burin or graver, there is little that the experimenter will not find out for himself. A design is drawn on the block with pencil, pen or brush. When tones are to be indicated, it is advisable for the printer to use a pen or brush. To lighten the yellow color of the wood, the block may first be rubbed with Chinese white or with moistened whiting. The design may then be sketched in pencil, and afterward drawn in ink. As the design must be in reverse, a good way is to draw it with a pen on thin, smooth paper. ”

“ Besides the earth and the color, there is a gummy liquid required to combine them together; gum arabic, gum tragacanth, and in some cases oil, wax, or suet, are used as the third ingredient. The crayons here alluded to are employed rather for drawing than for writing, but they obviously belong to the class of pencils in their mode of action.
The ancients drew lines and letters with wooden styles, and afterward an alloy of lead and tin was used. Pliny refers to the use of lead for ruling lines on papyrus. La Moine cites a document of 1387 ruled with graphite. ”

“ Indian and Chinese ink rubbed up in water and a fine camel hair brush are used for drawing, or a pencil may be used. The best is one of medium hardness. Too soft a pencil rubs out easily and soon gives a dirty appearance to the drawing; one too hard is liable to bruise the wood.
All drawing on the wood must be reversed. Even in cases where this is not necessary it is well to remember that the print from the [pg 33] engraving will be a reverse of the drawing. ”

“ Still lead pencils were not in common use even in city schools till this century. The manuscript [79] arithmetics or "sum-books" which I have seen were always done in ink. Many a country boy grew to manhood without ever seeing a lead pencil.
Samuel Pemberton, Twelve Years Old, 1736
In country schools even till the middle of this century copy-books were made of foolscap paper carefully sewed into book shape, and were ruled by hand. ”

“ It is safest and best to have the two legs of the bow-pen and pencil made from one piece of metal, and not of two separate pieces screwed together at the top, as the screw will rarely hold them firmly together. The points should be long and fine, and as round as possible. In very small instruments separate points that are fastened with a screw are objectionable, because, in very small circles, they hide the point and make it difficult to apply the instrument to the exact proper point or spot on the drawing. ”