Pencil Grades Explained: From HB to 8B and What They Look Like

Many photo sketch effects imitate pencil drawing. Understanding pencil grades helps you appreciate what those effects are copying.

The scale

Pencil grades run from hard to soft:

Grade	Type	Look
9H to 4H	very hard	very light, fine lines; used for technical drawing
3H, 2H, H	hard	light, crisp lines
F	fine point	between hard and medium
HB	medium	a balanced everyday grey
B, 2B	soft	darker, smoother lines
3B to 6B	softer	rich, dark tones, smudge easily
7B to 9B	very soft	very dark, close to charcoal

H stands for "hard" and B for "black". HB sits in the middle, and is the grade of most ordinary pencils.

What the grade means

Pencil "lead" is a mixture of graphite and clay. More clay makes it harder and lighter; more graphite makes it softer and darker.

Which grade for what

Task	Suggested grades
Light guidelines	H or 2H
General sketching	HB or 2B
Shading	2B to 6B
Deep shadows	6B to 8B
Fine detail	H to HB, sharpened

Many artists use a small set, such as HB, 2B, 4B and 6B, to build up tone gradually.

How pencil marks create tone

• Pressure: pressing harder makes darker marks.
• Hatching: parallel lines close together look darker.
• Cross-hatching: layers of lines at angles look darker still.
• Smudging: blending softens the transition.
• Erasing: lifts graphite to create highlights.

Photo effects and pencil looks

A "pencil sketch" effect in a photo app usually simulates:

1. Light grey outlines like a sharp HB line.
2. Soft shading like a 2B to 4B.
3. Paper texture in the background.

Some effects go for a heavier, charcoal-like look, with darker blacks.

Try it by hand

If you have a pencil and paper, draw a strip of five boxes and shade each with a different pressure, then with different grades. You'll see how tone builds.

A little practice

Even ten minutes of shading practice makes you more aware of tone in photos, and helps you choose which results look most natural.

Try Color Photo Sketch →