# Halp!  Wanna buy some nice color sketching pencils (ie blue lead)



## slashersivi (Jul 14, 2008)

I always see "professional" artists sketch with pencils with colored lead (but not color pencils) and I want to get my hands on some cause they certainly seem nicer to work with if you're planning on inking/coloring over it. At AC08 I was referred to jetpens.com, trouble is there are like a million different brands and I was hoping someone could recommend one to me. I have a tendency to sketch messily so the most easily-erasable lead (if there is such a thing) would be great, and something that doesn't smudge.

Thanks :3

-Tory


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## Kyoo (Jul 14, 2008)

I don't know about mechanical pencil leads that are erasable, but there are several brands of regular colored pencils that are specifically made to be erasable. The color you are looking for is non-photo blue, a turquoise hue. It is traditionally used by animators and comic artists so that the pencil lines do not show up while being xeroxed or shot with a stat camera.

Prismacolor Col-erase is specifically made to be erasable, and they have it in non-photo blue. It does seem to erase better than normal colored pencils but still leaves a slight hint of color when erased. They are pretty easy to find, most art stores carry them.

Hope that helps.


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## Horrorshow (Jul 14, 2008)

I think Prismacolor also has some just straight up non-photo blue pencils, too, but I'm not too sure of their erasablility, having never used them myself.

http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000EFKBGY/104-0631787-7840704?SubscriptionId=0N1YGFKC9QHMHQ9QTDR2


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## Wontoon Kangaroo (Jul 15, 2008)

slashersivi said:


> I always see "professional" artists sketch with pencils with colored lead (but not color pencils) and I want to get my hands on some cause they certainly seem nicer to work with if you're planning on inking/coloring over it. At AC08 I was referred to jetpens.com, trouble is there are like a million different brands and I was hoping someone could recommend one to me. I have a tendency to sketch messily so the most easily-erasable lead (if there is such a thing) would be great, and something that doesn't smudge.
> 
> Thanks :3
> 
> -Tory



I'm by no means a "professional" so my advice probably won't be worth too much, but here's something I've learned. Here's the poor artist's method that's also very effective: Try to get your hands on some Pentel Blue leads; you can find them extremely cheap (Like $1.25/pack). Let me warn you that I only wound up finding 0.9m leads. Then, you insert those into a mechanical pencil that will fit it. The good part is that they do not smear. They don't erase as easily (lest you don't put too much pressure onto the paper), however.

It may seem like a cheap cop-out or something, but they are nice to have if you can't afford those fancy Prismacolor pencils. 

EDIT: https://www.pentelstore.com/catalog/index.php?grp=710&osCsid=7788eb7f3ff7fd221a5422ab2fd0cd46

There ya go, for the leads. Looks like they sell .5, .7, and .9mm blue leads!


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## slashersivi (Jul 15, 2008)

Thanks for all the tips


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## baroncoon (Jul 16, 2008)

Also I believe that Pentel makes blue lead, both non-repro and regular, in 0.5mm to.


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## Rabbyadam (Jul 16, 2008)

Col-_Erase_ penciles work best for me. Blue and Light Green Erase the easiest.

Although i'd hardly call myself a professional. ^.^'


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