After finding that all important pencil set that suits all of your needs, the next step is to make sure you have all those little extras to complete your tool kit! Erasers are one of the most important tools you need along with the pencil. It is best to have several types in your drawing box for all drawing functions.
Next up, the humble pencil sharpener! We have listed a few of our sharpeners that will save time and energy, especially when you choose the electric ones! For all your graphic needs we have listed rulers and stencils that will really help to create the perfect curve, circle or ellipse.
Which art eraser should you use?
An eraser has to do the job required, and there are many different erasers with very different functions; pencil erasers, kneadable putty erasers, block erasers, electric erasers, dust free erasers, and erasers that come in a plastic pen holder! We have listed some handy erasers and their functions to help you choose the right one for your project needs.
Art erasers are made from either synthetic rubber, synthetic soy-based gum or flexible vinyl, plastic or gum-like materials. Whichever eraser you choose, and you definitely need more than one kind, aim to test your erasers on a number of materials like, graphite (various grades), charcoal (various grades), pencil sketches under watercolour or pastel pencils. This will help you to understand their potential or limitations. Sometimes a putty rubber will lift graphite or charcoal but then a plastic eraser will finish off the job if you want the bright white of the paper to shine through. Or, you might want to carve through your charcoal or graphite dust on your paper to create some gestural figures in movement, for this you would need a good sized block eraser with some harder edges or try a larger pen holder eraser for some more direct line making. Don’t be tempted to wipe off the debri that is left on the paper after erasing, with your hand. Aim to keep a dedicated clean brush to swipe away the residue or a soft clean cloth used lightly. This will eliminate smudging the eraser's residue with carbon on into the paper, or smudging the existing graphite work and stop the oils from your hand polluting or marking the paper.
Pencil and pen grip erasers
These erasers have a focused point like a pencil, which allows you to remove thin and precise areas of your work. Good for charcoal and graphite work, these pencils sharpen like a normal pencil so you can achieve that important point like precision needed for fine strands of hair or fur details, or for taking out the graphite on the iris to create highlights on portraits. The Faber Castell eraser comes with a brush on the end for brushing away the small bits of debri that break off. Very useful and helps prevent smudging your work.
Kneadable erasers
Kneadable erasers are an invaluable addition to your tool kit, but you need to prepare them correctly. Simply warming them up in your hand will allow you to re-shape them so they are fit for their intended function. They can be used for reductive drawing, where you would like to reduce your graphite or charcoal marks but not obliterate them completely! Great for working with soft mediums like 7B, 8B, or 9B graphite pencils or with compressed or willow charcoal. They can also be used with soft chalk pastels.
Rechargeable and battery operated erasers
These erasers will take the effort and stress from repetitive wrist movement. They make light work of erasing.
Block erasers
Block erasers come in many shapes and sizes and are great for cleaning up messy edges and erasing large areas of work. These erasers are usually harder than the putty erasers, which is perfect for creating hard erased edges in a drawing or for erasing out that HB or H pencil mark under a graphic sketch. Some can even be dust-free similar to the Faber-Castell Art eraser. Usually block erasers are hard enough to erase pencils, graphite and charcoal but soft enough not to damage the paper underneath.
Erasing shield
An Eraser Shield is a fantastic tool for your art box. Simply lay the shield over your drawing and position the required hole or shape over the area you wish to erase.
What is the best pencil sharpener for graphite or softer pencils?
Jakar Electric Pencil Sharpener
The Jakar Electric Pencil Sharpener is heavy duty and ideal for use in the home or office. It is suitable for graphite and good quality colour pencils of up to 8mm. The Auto stop prevents over sharpening and sensors prevent the motor from overheating. Ideal for use in the home or office.
View productJakar Desktop Sharpener
Pencil Sharpener, crank type desk-top pencil sharpener for 7.8 – 11.5mm diameter pencils, silver grey metal body, metal cutter, desk clamp. Individually packed in a transparent PVC box with instruction leaflet.
View productJakar Three Hole Electric Pencil Sharpener
this hardworking sharpener is ideas for the classroom, use for graphite and good quality colour pencils. Accepts 6.5 to 11mm diameter pencils. It has 3 settings. Auto Stop, prevents over sharpening. Long lasting cutter (replaceable). Extra large shaving tray, rubber feet for desktop stability. Overheat protection device. Two year manufacturers warranty.
View productDerwent Super Point Manual Sharpener
This manual desk sharpener with helical blade can sharpen different sized pencils and has a clamp to secure to your desk. Hard wearing metal casing. Stands 13cm/5¼ inch. Suitable for pencils 7mm and 9mm
View productStaedtler Double Hole Tub Sharpener
For standard sized pencils up to 8.2mm with a sharpening angle of 23°. For thick pencils up to 10.2mm with a sharpening angle of 38°. Hinged cover prevents shaving from spilling. Lid with safety lock to avoid accidental opening. Colour of sharpener may vary
View productProfessional Solid Brass Sharpener
M+R Professional solid brass circular double hole sharpener. Favoured by industry professionals for it's hard wearing design and robust design. Knurled edge provides a comfortable and firm grip surface. The hardened steel blades hold a keen cutting edge for longer and provide a smoother sharper point and can be replaced once they lose their edge. It has two holes for sharpening the most common widths of pencil.
View productDerwent Pastel Pencil Sharpener
A sharpener designed to sharpen more fragile pencils like charcoal and pastels.
View productDrawing templates for that perfect ellipse, silhouette or small detail.
We have a great selection of templates that will speed up the design process. Whether you are an architect, interior designer, garden landscape designer, illustrator or artist these templates are a great way of drafting out ideas and design without thinking too much about proportion or scale as it is already worked out for you!
ARTdiscount Ellipse Drawing Template - 266 x 146mm
Excellent template to use for drafting, drawing illustrating with 38 different sized ellipse shapes clearly labelled in millimetres for accurate drawing. Marked at right angles for precise positioning, semi transparent acrylic material is compact and lightweight. Varying sizes up to 60° Ovals.
View productARTdiscount Student Circle Template
Constructed with a shatter proof, transparent and flexible plastic material. Also includes a 22cm metric ruler on the top edge. This template can be used for a wide range of purposes including drafting, figure drawing, technical drawing, fabric design, and many others. Circle stencil template features circles from 1mm to 36mm diameter.
View productJakar Combo Circle Template
Jakar Combo Circle Template containing 50 circles from 2mm up to 39mm in diameter. Pencil allowance 0.4445mm on all openings.
View productJakar Circle Radius Master Template
Jakar Circle Radius Master Template. A useful aid for drawing circles up to 190mm in diameter. Pencil allowance 0.4445mm on all openings.
View productJakar Female Human Figure Template
Jakar Female Human Figure Template. A template to enable you to draw the female human figure to scale. Scales included 1:20, 1:25, 1:75, 1:100 and 1:125. Pencil allowance .4445mm on all openings.
View productJakar Landscape Template
Jakar Landscape Template. A useful template containing a selection of symbols for landscape design. Scale 1:50. Pencil allowance 0.4445mm on all openings.
View productJakar Even Ellipse Template
A tinted transparent 60°set square with a graduated scale. Size: 360mm.
View productJakar Male Human Figure Template
Jakar Male Human Figure Template. A template to enable you to draw the human figure to scale. Scales included 1:20, 1:25, 1:75, 1:100 and 1:125. Pencil allowance 0.4445mm on all openings.
View productRulers for all types of art, design and craft.
A ruler is another essential item in your tool kit of drawing companions. You will need several different rulers for the different functions of your creative practice. If you are a quilter you will of course need an ARTdiscount or Jakar acrylic cutting ruler. For trimming paper using a scalpel you will definitely need a metal ruler to protect your fingers and we have several especially designed for cutting. We have shatterproof rulers and even rulers that magnify the details or text perfect for pattern grading. For measuring margins for mounting your work you may need a clear ruler, whilst a 2 Metre Linex wooden folding ruler would be great to measure out your wall space for that large mural you are about to start! We have compiled a list below to help you choose the rulers that are just right for you.
Linex wooden folding ruler - 2m
Folding ruler 2 metres with degree measurement with each expansion.
View productJakar Aluminium Cutting Rulers - Grip Handle
This is a heavy-duty aluminium cutting ruler, accurately marked on one side in centimetres and in millimetres, with a strong aluminum and zinc alloy black handle, ergonomically designed for ease of use.
View productTransparent Acrylic Ruler - 30cm
Great little acrylic ruler, transparent and easy to use for all those stationary needs. Especially useful for the crafters, card makers and drafting out small compositions on watercolour paper.
View productJakar Wooden Rule 1 Meter Yard Stick School Office Tailors Ruler 1M 100cm 3007
Strong, Sturdy & Safe Design, accurately marked with centimetres and millimetres on one side and inches on the other. Multi Layered Laminated Wood. Hanging Hole & Metal End Caps. 100cm.
View productJakar ACRYLIC Cutting Rulers
Strong Acrylic Cutting Ruler with stainless steel cutting edge, other edge bevelled. Marked in cm and mm and 5mm squares. With a hole for hanging up purposes. Supplied in a plastic wallet with a reinforced hole. Available in 30cm, 60cm, or 100cm
View productJakar Lightweight Aluminium Cutting Rule
Lightweight anodised aluminium, mm/cm graduations, Stainless steel cutting edge, Rubber grip on reverse side.
View productThe Maun 12" Safety Rule
The Maun Safety Rule has a unique M profile which keeps the fingers clear from the knife blade when cutting along. The rule is stainless steel to give a corrosion free life. With metric and imperial scales the Maun Safety Rule is ideal for hobby and craft work . Size 12".
View productHelix 2x Magnifying Rule 12"/30cm
Magnifying rule allowing line by line reading of text. Takes the strain out of detailed reading, 2 x magnification. Metric and imperial graduation. Single colour print.
View productBlending paper stumps/tortillion blenders
Derwent Paper Stumps
Perfect for blending pastel, charcoal and graphite, the paper stump makes the difficult job of blending these mediums much easier and cleaner.
Paper stumps are perfect for accurate blending. And, once the stumps get dirty and the points wear down they can be easily cleaned and re-pointed using a sandpaper block.
Derwent paper stumps can be found individually or in a handy pack of 3 sizes ranging in diameter from 5.5mm to 10.5mm. The paper stumps are made from compressed rice paper and with a point at each end. The use of rice paper ensures that the paper stumps blend more effectively and provide an even smoother finish. The points mean the stumps can be used to tackle even the smallest area of detail.
Drawing Companion Set
Don't underestimate the usefulness of this set - it will add considerably to the range of effects achievable with a mere HB pencil. Just imagine where it will take your charcoal and pastel work! This comprehensive, value-for-money pack contains two stumps, 3 tortillions, a sandpaper block, a putty eraser, an erasing shield and a chamois.
View productScalpels for the ultimate pencil point!
ACM No.1 Handle with No.11 Blade & Guard
ACM No.1 Handle with No.11 Blade & Guard - Swann Morton No.1 Handle Set complete with 1 x No.11 Blades. ACM No.1 Handle Set complete with 1 x No.11 Blade and Guard sealed in an attractive point of sale clam pack.
Click the links below for compatible spare blades
Spare blades no. 7
Spare blades no. 10
Spare blades no. 11
Spare blades no. 16
Swann Morton
Founded in Sheffield during 1932, Swann-Morton has become a world leader in the manufacture of surgical blades, scalpels and handles. It is a name respected globally for quality, precision, consistency and reliability and recognised for combining traditional blade making skills with the latest technology.
Sandpaper blocks
Sandpaper Block
A wooden block containing 12 sheets of sandpaper (10cm x 3cm) used for sharpening pencils.