Some tool-questions.

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What exactly is a mechanical pencil? I've always wondered.. The reason I'm asking is because I'm a rookie when it comes to drawing and not very knowledged in art-terms...

And why are there kneaded erasers? Is there any particular reason why it has this chewinggum-like quality?

Didn't know where to post this so I took a longshot and posted it here on the 'Help' board. :)

[I.was.ink]

its called a mechanical pencil because there is a mechanism inside the pencil that helps push a small piece of lead out through the front of the pencils tip when you press on the back with your finger. I'm pretty sure you have seen one before, right?

A kneaded eraser is typically used when drawing with charcoal you can erase with it once, and knead it so that it cleans itself off. Then you erase with a cleaner side and keep reusing the eraser until it gets really black. Some people still use it when it is really dark and black because instead of being an eraser, it is now a drawing tool of sorts. It is primarily used with charcoal.

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Great, thanks alot! :)

I've seen em before. Guess the mechanical pencil wasn't really an art thing after all... Just me lacking enough skills in the english language :D
Thought it was some kind of high-tech superpen, hehe.

And I'll give my kneaded eraser a chance then... seems pretty handy.

[I.was.ink]

It is very handy, both the pencil is used by a lot of artists in fact, because you can buy different sizes. 3.0,5.0,7.0, and different colored leads for sketching. I currently use a 5.0 with blue lead( well its actually graphite) and I know of a lot of others that use them. You should give them a try. pretty cheap, handy, and useful.

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Are those available with different hardness as well, these mechanical ones?

BTW, what is a Bristol board?

[-W.-]

since you can change the leads as you like it's up to you. i know you can get leads from 4B to 6H (for 0,5 pens) maybe more and there are strange colours too,i.e. pink ,silver ,gold ,metalic green

some mechanical pencil have changebel signs to show the hardness (can be very usefull ^-^ )

...Bristol board?
i think we talk about very strong paper to draw on

http://www.strathmoreartist.com/

http://www.strathmoreartist.com/products/drawboard.html

one more thing about the kneaded eraser .some use these cause you can form them pointy and erase very small parts (i prefer woodcoated eraserpens for that )