/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

>>3230020
Choices like that are mostly personal preference. Being an artist, and becoming one, is trying different things to see what happens. There's no set of rules you have to follow, unless you listen to some of the autists here.
Generally, I use harder leads for more detailed stuff, and lighter values. Softer leads I use for more expressive stuff, and darker values. You should be mapping out in your head what the values/level of detail is going to be when you sit down and start a drawing.

Example is Alan Lee, attached. He's a fantasy illustrator who's extremely talented with a pencil. This piece shows the various values, the lighter values a harder lead, with softer leads for the medium and dark values. You can draw something with one pencil, or you can use several different weights to expand the values of the drawing. Google Alan's work, he is a phenomenal draftsman, and shows how to handle values with a pencil, and go from very subtle to very heavy drawing, in one composition.
Paint is buying a tube of black and white paint, and mixing all the values in between. Buying pencils is like buying a tube of paint at 60% grey, and only using that value, and white (the paper), in a painting. It can work, but why limit yourself?

>>3009197
Pencils don't always have to "go dark", that's a beginner belief. Harder grades of lead will have a higher value for it's darkest value possible, and that can be used for effect in subtle drawings, where you don't want the full 0-100 range of grey.

You should have at least 2b, 1b, HB, F, 1H and 2H lead/pencils, and be familiar and comfortable with all of them, and have a good idea of when and where to use them all.

Attached is a piece by Alan Lee, who is using several weights of lead - 1 or 2h for the dress, 1b or F for the shadows.

If you don't know who Alan Lee is, find out. He's one of the best draftsman in pencil in the fantasy market, and most of the Lord of the Rings movies are based on his work.