At a glance
Begin a dry-graphite sketching kit with a sketchbook, a familiar pencil, an eraser, and a sharpener. Colored pencils and a new pouch are optional. Check the paper’s intended media before adding wet paint or markers.
On this page
Supplies for an everyday sketching kit
Check what you already own first. These are supply categories, not tested product rankings.
- Dry-media sketchbook — Essential. For graphite and colored pencil. A dry-media book is not a promise of good results with wet paint. Options: Small everyday sketchbook; Larger drawing sketchbook.
- Graphite pencil — Essential. A familiar HB pencil is enough to begin. Add a range only when you want more drawing options. Options: Single graphite pencil; Graphite drawing set.
- Eraser — Essential. For lifting or removing graphite; try it on a spare corner of the paper first. Options: Single drawing eraser.
- Pencil sharpener — Essential. Check the barrel size if you later choose oversized pencils. Options: Handheld sharpener.
- Colored pencils — Optional. Optional: add color after establishing a simple drawing habit. Options: Small colored-pencil set; Artist colored-pencil set.
- Pencil case — Optional. Use an existing pouch if it fits your supplies. Options: Simple supply pouch.
Choose the way you will use it
A book that stays on a desk can be larger than one you carry on a walk. Consider its closed size, weight, binding, and whether the page stays comfortably open. Check the actual dimensions rather than relying on a product photograph. If carrying a large book makes you leave it at home, its extra page area is doing little for this particular habit.
Match the surface to the medium
This kit starts with dry graphite. A book described for dry drawing should not automatically be treated as suitable for watercolor washes or heavy marker use. Check the manufacturer’s stated media and try your own supplies on a back page. If you decide to add wet materials, revisit the paper choice rather than assuming a more expensive pencil fixes the mismatch.
Start with a pencil you understand
A single familiar graphite pencil, an eraser, and a sharpener are enough for the first exercise. A drawing set offers more grades, but buying one is optional. Before choosing a sharpener for a later purchase, confirm that it accepts the pencil’s barrel size. The planner shares the pencil with the other project lists so it need not become a duplicate purchase.
Give the kit a small first task
Draw one ordinary object: a mug, a shoe, or a houseplant. Start with its outline, add a few darker shapes, and leave the rest of the page alone. Put a date beside the drawing if you want a record of the habit. This exercise is a starting prompt, not a graded test or a claim that these supplies improve skill by themselves.
Add color deliberately
The kit leaves colored pencils optional. If color is part of the project you want to make, select the option and enter a current price. Compare the exact set contents and available open-stock replacements. More pieces do not automatically make a set more useful for the subjects you draw.
Before placing an order
Compare your list with the supplies at home, check the retailer’s delivered total, and remove accessories that do not solve an immediate problem. Our planner does not contain live prices or product test results. BLICK’s pencil categories provide a retailer reference for the different supply types (consulted 17 October 2026).