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Mechanical Pencils

Mechanical pencils are excellent for artists who enjoy detailed sketching and drawing. Browse our selection of mechanical and clutch pencils now. Read More

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Also known as propelling pencils or automatic pencils, mechanical pencils are an essential in every artist's sketching tool kit. In contrast to normal woodcased sketching pencils, a mechanical pencil has an internal mechanism which pushes the pencil lead forward when the tip has worn down too much to be used effectively. Our mechanical pencil range offers diversity in lead thicknesses from professional brands at  affordable prices at Cowling & Wilcox.

Mechanical Pencils for Drawing

If you are an avid sketcher, you might be wondering why switch to a mechanical or clutch pencil when your regular graphite pencils are doing the job perfectly. Mechanical pencils have a wealth of advantages over regular woodcased pencils. 

The first advantage of mechanical pencils is the lack of mess. Due to the lead-mechanism, you will never need to sharpen your pencil lead like you would a normal graphite pencil. This can save you time and effort, while also reducing any mess that would be created by pencil shavings.

Consistency is key, which is also an excellent feature of a mechanical pencil. The width of the pencil’s lead will always remain the same, regardless if you have been sketching for minutes or have freshly pushed more lead out of the pencil’s end. This is a benefit over woodcased pencils, which start out with a very thin and pointed tip which then wears down and becomes thicker and less refined. This is one of the main reasons why many people prefer mechanical pencils for drawing and draughting.

You will also notice a difference in using a mechanical pencil when the lead has worn down to a small length. At this point, using a regular woodcased pencil becomes hugely difficult, as the entire length of the pencil is minimised. Your grip will be poor and as a result your pencil lines will be less refined. With a mechanical pencil, your casing will always remain the same length, making drawing effortless no matter how much lead is left inside.

Best Mechanical Pencils for Drawing

The best mechanical pencil for you will be personal to your drawing style and pencil preferences. Cowling & Wilcox stock a range of top brands, including Pentel, Faber-Castell, and Tombow. Whatever your preference and budget, you can find the right pencil option for you.

For more sketching tool kit essentials, check out our blog.