Pencil

writing · wood · art supplies · everyday tool

Made from graphite. The dark core of a pencil is actually graphite, a form of carbon. When you write, tiny bits of graphite rub off onto paper and leave a mark.

Wood protects the core. The graphite core is surrounded by layers of wood that keep it from breaking and protect your hands from getting dirty while you write.

Sharpened to a point. When a pencil gets dull, you use a sharpener to cut away the wood and expose fresh graphite so you can keep writing with a fine tip.

Erasable and smudgeable. Unlike pen, pencil marks can be erased with a rubber eraser because graphite sits on top of paper instead of soaking in like ink does.

Different darkness levels. Pencils come in different grades from hard (light marks) to soft (dark marks), so artists and writers can pick the perfect one for their work.