Drawing with Pencil is Good for the Brain
For school students growing up in the digital age, their attention is pulled quickly from one social post, TikTok or meme to another. Drawing with pencil offers an opportunity to exercise a child’s thinking (or cognitive) wheels, by engaging spatial, visual and motor skills to improve focus and concentration. It’s something that is particularly beneficial for developing young minds, but really the benefits extend way beyond this age group.
Most of us associate drawing with pencil and preschool age children, but as Robert Fulghum writes in “All I need to know I learned in Kindergarten” it also has a place in our lives as we grow “Live a balanced life – learn some and draw some and paint some and sing and dance and play and work everyday some…”.
Researchers at Ontario’s University of Waterloo recently tested the memories of 24 university undergraduates and adults aged 65 and older. All of the participants showed better memory retention for words that were drawn – remembering on average two drawn words for every written one.
Drawing with pencil can play an important role in school education but also the workplace, through popular business tools such as visual mapping.
The repetitive motions that come with “sketching” are also known to generate a soothing relaxation response, slowing down your heart rate and synchronising hand and eye coordination.
Before you start on your masterpiece, here are 3 things to consider when it comes to selecting utensils for drawing with pencils.
Drawing With Pencil
First used in the 1500s, pencils have evolved from raw sticks of graphite over the centuries. A common misconception is that the core of a pencil is made of lead – however, this was never the case, as the rudimentary forms of chemistry back in the day assumed the graphite deposits found were of lead origin. Even so, the core of modern-day pencils are still referred to as “lead” despite generally being made up primarily of graphite, which makes it lead-free and completely safe for everyday use.
Pencils are best for sketch artists, as they can be pressed and angled against the writing surface to allow for a wider array of line sizes and shades out of a single pencil. They are also generally erasable, and come in a wide variety of vibrant colours.
Mechanical or Traditional?
This really depends on the intended purpose, and your personal preference.
Traditional pencils have a thicker and stronger lead which is ideal for those who press hard while writing. They have the most diverse shades of lead to choose from, which is best for sketching. It’s also easier to shade with a traditional pencil because their thick lead can take up more space on a page with each stroke if angled properly. The shape of the pencil changes as its life goes on, which can also affect your writing or drawing.
A Mechanical pencil has thinner lead, and while it tends to break more often, the lead is more precise, to keep lines consistent and your handwriting neater. They also allow for a wide array of grips and adaptability to provide both flare and comfort when drawing with pencil.
Which Shade of Lead?
Different pigments of lead i.e. HB or 2B, are best for different parts of shading in a drawing. In general, the higher the number associated with a ‘B’, the darker the lead colour, whilst the higher the number associated with an ‘H’, the lighter the lead colour. The lighter you draw with pencil, the heavier shade you should go with, and the heavier you write, the lighter shade you should go with. “HB” and “F” are in the middle, and are great options to start on if you are unsure.
Whether you’re a student, teacher, white or blue collar worker, executive, or retiree, if you’re dreaming of living a more balanced life consider picking up a pencil and doodling or drawing, who knows, you may find you have a hidden talent!
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