Cool Material: More often than not you’ll find us taking notes, jotting down ideas and scribbling with a pen or a marker, but there’s something to be said for going truly old school. While the most significant difference between the pencil and other writing implements is it’s easily erased, it’s also better suited for shading sketches, construction projects and light markings. Unlike the pencils you grew up using to fill in test bubbles, pass notes and doodle during lunch, these pencils are anything but average.
7 comments:
I recognize that many people in this industry have impressively strong feelings about pencils. Just last year I encountered a props master who swore by the Mitsubishi Pencils mentioned in the article. And yes, it was a beautiful pencil. And yes, it felt great to write with. However, at the end of the day, it was still just a pencil. The “secret power” of a pencil is your ability to not care about it. You can shove it in your pocket or in your hair. It can be twisted or snapped in half or used as a drumstick against a table. When it’s lost at the end of the day I don’t have to care. Therefore, I will never willingly pay three dollars a pencil. I will spend that money on a really nice pen (which feels and sounds better against paper) instead. I will continue to use the trusted #2 yellow pencils and the mechanical pencils I find on the floor and the carpenter pencils the Paul Lumber guy pawns on you when he makes a delivery. Also, I will only use them when absolutely no other tool will work.
I love pencils. They are the best in writing implements because of the ease of erasing mistakes and the grey color of the lead meaning they will never write as obnoxiously dark as pens. Every stroke with a pen is starkly contrasted with the paper making every bit of messy writing even more messy. Additionally, you can easily make doodles into magnificent sketches because of the versatility of the shading available intrinsically within a pencil. However, with many of these pencils in the article the eraser is shockingly missing. What is the point of a erasable writing implement without an attached eraser? The perks of these pencils - from rulers to scents to writing for 6 miles - pales in comparison to a pencil with unlimitedly replaceable lead; a one inch long retractable, replaceable eraser; speed side lead advance; ergonomic grip; and clear casing for ease of checking the available lead. I am referencing, of course, the PaperMate #2 mechanical pencil with .07mm lead. A pack of 3 includes two replacement erasers and an extra pack of lead for only $4.39.
I am always a fan of a good sample article showing me the latest and greatest tools and comparisons between them. Pencils are probably some of the more interesting things to read about only because they are so average, I use pencils everyday, and even though I have a go to brand and style and lead diameter and pens for when I don’t want to use pencils, I’m always ready to try new ones. Last year I purchased a pencil from the “best pencil ever” article, and while I found the lead-rotating technology a little superfluous, it’s still a brilliantly crafted pencil. I really enjoy the lightweight mechanism and skinny design. That being said, these pencils all have a certain special functionality to them, but this time around they seem more focused on the overall goals and quirkiness of their usage. For example the six mile pencil and the ruler pencil are fun ideas and have you think about things you normally don’t when using pencils, but the overall look and functionality seem to be about the same as an average Ticonderoga.
I am very old school when it comes to writing utensils. I also have my favorite brands that, time and time again have proven themselves to be some of the best. I am always price conscience when it comes to my writing tools. I use pencils to do one thing, write. I am not a person who draws, or sketches. I write or I draw lines on wood or other materials to be cut. For me, the pencil does not need to fancy. It just needs to function. It needs to be comfortable. I don’t see the joy of spending lots of money on a pencil because it is scented. It would almost make the owner not want to use them. Mechanical pencils are ok. My issue with those is that I may run out of led through use or breakage and discover that I have no more led supply available. It also leads to the mystery of the pencil in that, with a mechanical pencil, you never really know how much led is left. With my Dixon-Ticonderoga Number 2, I know how much is left. I also know that a supply of these pencils won’t break the bank, or my heart when they are used up.
I think it is interesting to juxtapose the luxury and cost of some of the writing implements here with the most basic of pencils that you learn to use as a child. When you are first beginning and you have little writing skill is when you use the cheapest "worst pencil", but when you advance in your skills is when you then begin to use a more expensive pencil.
As a self-proclaimed planner and writing instrument addict and critic, this article brings me a serious amount of joy. Personally, I tend to take school notes and write in my journals and planners with pilot pens; however, I have recently started to embrace pencils once again. I love that this article celebrates the somewhat “lost” value of a pencil as more than a one-dimensional writing instrument, but as a conduit for creativity that can be used in countless ways. The abilities one has with a pencil over a pen is quite staggering in terms of precision and tonal depth. I also appreciate that this article gives so many options to its reader; it changes the assumption that many have of the plain qualities of a pencil. It shows that there are hundred of kinds of incredible pencils with different aesthetic qualities that appeal to any user, and encourage them to fall back to a method that is much more than meets the eye.
While for the most part I agree with the comments above that stating that pencils are just pencils, there is one pencil on this list that I am absolutely in love with. The Blacking Palomino is above and beyond the best pencil I've ever used. And yes I realize that is rather absurd. It's just a pencil right? Except it gives off the slightest smell of cedar that is inherently comforting, the grip is silky smooth, and the graphite is like butter across the page. Do i use it in everyday work? Definitly not for that price point. But when I am hand drafting or drawing, it is above and beyond better than your average joe pencil. A luxury? Absolutely. But as a self proclaimed writing utensil fanatic, I truly think that what pencil you use matters. If you're doing a job that matters, shouldn't your pencil as well?
Post a Comment