We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more› By Melanie Pinola Confession time: I’ve never liked mechanical pencils. The lead ...

The Standard's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Intricate, calligraphic writing, mathematical equations and ...

Sketching is an expressive activity that enables people to manifest their emotions and artistic imagination. It is a talent that can be honed through practice, however, employing the right instruments ...

The whole point of a mechanical pencil is to have perfect sharpness forever. Yet without precise engineering and build quality, the standard slender leads are doomed to constant breakages. This ...

Save this article to read it later. Find this story in your account’s ‘Saved for Later’ section. Because they are erasable, pencils are often the first tool creative people use when sketching out a ...

The Standard's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As you advance in your chosen field, it’s important to work ...

Somewhere in between the notes application on your phone and the box of Ticonderogas in the back-to-school section lies the mechanical pencil. If you carry a notebook, you’ll need a reliable, ...

We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more› By Melanie Pinola I’ll never forget the first mechanical pencil I tried to use.

People who write notes in ink must be very sure of their thoughts. I write notes in pencil: It seems more polite. Penciled notes are always provisional and erasable. But the apparent humility—or, ...