# Tool discussions: which do you prefer?



## MaxTheHusky (Sep 20, 2009)

Ok, so as I was practicing my heads/muzzles and such, I was using a pacer. And then I thought "which is better...pacer or pencil?" then I started thinking about colouring... So, I was wondering what you guys think on these:

Pencil or pacer?

Coloured pencil, twisting crayons or textas?

If you guys have others to add, feel free to tell me...

*Max


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## Ilayas (Sep 20, 2009)

Pardon my ignorance but what is a "pacer"? I suspect that it is Australian slang that this damn yanky just doesn't understand.


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## Arshes Nei (Sep 20, 2009)

Ilayas said:


> Pardon my ignorance but what is a "pacer"? I suspect that it is Australian slang that this damn yanky just doesn't understand.



http://www.mission.net/australia/adelaide/page.php?lang=eng&pg_id=4445

A pacer is a mechanical pencil.

I use drafting pencils like the Mars Technio Staedlter, mechanical pencils, and regular ones. 

Although I haven't picked them up in a long time I am rather good with colored pencils too. I have done a lot of traditional media before going digital.


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## MaxTheHusky (Sep 20, 2009)

Ilayas said:


> Pardon my ignorance but what is a "pacer"? I suspect that it is Australian slang that this damn yanky just doesn't understand.






It's like a clicky pen, except that you can take the clicker bit off and put little sticks of graphite (the ones I use are 0.5mm). They don't need sharpening but break easily. They're nice to use in a hurry but they're annoying when you need to do a bit of shading...yeah...xD


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## MaxTheHusky (Sep 20, 2009)

Arshes Nei said:


> http://www.mission.net/australia/adelaide/page.php?lang=eng&pg_id=4445
> 
> A pacer is a mechanical pencil.
> 
> ...




Yeah, I was gonna put tablet or traditional but I knew tab would win 

What's a drafting pencil?


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## Azerane (Sep 20, 2009)

I use a pacer pencil.. I just find it more convienient, it never really gets blunt... though I do use a standard pencil from time to time.

And because I've been using them for many, many years, I guess I prefer colour pencils to textas/markers. Though I've just become the proud owner of some prismacolour markers recently and I've loved using them so far. I think it's good using them as mixed media too.

But real media is the best =)


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## krisCrash (Sep 20, 2009)

.5 mm mechanical pencil plz
I keep different hardnesses too

I've tried coloured leads for them but they generally suck bad; very little pigment, and extremely brittle


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## Arshes Nei (Sep 20, 2009)

MaxTheHusky said:


> Yeah, I was gonna put tablet or traditional but I knew tab would win
> 
> What's a drafting pencil?



http://www.leadholder.com/index-lh-draft.html

In a way they're like the in between of a mechanical pencil and regular pencil

They're also known as leadholders. My Staedtler Mars pen holds a 2mm lead. I currently have blue lead in it. The other end of the pencil, the cap is the sharpener for the lead.

I like it because I can extend the lead and use it sideways like a regular pencil or "click for more lead like a mechanical one.


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## Ilayas (Sep 20, 2009)

I've used both. As of late though I've been using a lot more traditional pencil.  I can get a much sharper point and since I own a very nice electric pencil sharpener it's hardly any more effort to keep my pencil sharp then it is to click the mechanical (or pacer) pencil.  But I buy cheep mechanical (and traditional) pencils so that might have something to do with it.  

I can say that if I was to do a traditional graphite drawing that a conventional pencil is the way to go.  

I don't think I've used colored pencils or any sort of traditional coloring method in well over a year.  But back in the day I used prisma color colored Pencils but that had more to do with availability and limitations of my work space making colored pencils the most practical means.


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## Faux23 (Sep 21, 2009)

well i use .5 mechanical. it depends though, if you press to hard it can leave an impression in the paper making it very hard to erase, other wise I'd use a softer type like a 2b/3b.

although if your planing on coloring it then the pencil is just a preliminary tool.
becaues for what ever media you using there may be a better tool.
colored pencils: out line it with the black or dark grey colored pencil 
markers: you want to reline it with ink.

and as Azerane said combining markers with colored pencils can make for a great piece of work


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## MaxTheHusky (Sep 21, 2009)

thanks guys, you've given me some really useful tips 

Yesterday I bought 2 new shiny mechanical pencils n_n hopefully I can use them within the next 10years  damn tests...


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## Elephanther (Sep 24, 2009)

I prefer mechanical pencils. You get a much more even, precise line that way.


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