Pencils

We learned a lot about the different types of pencils that artists use. It would be helpful for children to understand the components that make up different types of pencils to use for different styles, and incorporate them in their own work.

 HB is in the middle of the spectrum, where the higher the B pencils, the harder the lead is and the higher the H is, the softer the lead in the pencil is.

Materials:
- Various H and B pencils
- Paper
- Erasers

Procedure:
1. Give each child a few different pencils (B, HB, and H) to help them see the different effects of each type of pencil. Allow them to take some time to explore the different kinds, and try different styles so they can become comfortable with all different types.

2. With older children, try to teach them how to shade in order to make 2-dimensional objects look like their 3-dimensional. Use principles of shading for a sphere in order to guide your lesson. It works best when you demonstrate on the board up front so each student can see exactly what you mean and exactly what technique you are using.