Art Supply question

[Eyeboy1]

Does anybody know where I can get non-repro blue lead for a mechanical pencil?
I've checked some of the online art supply stores without any luck.

Thanks in advance!

[GrapeApe]

>Does anybody know where I can get non-repro blue lead for a mechanical pencil?
>I've checked some of the online art supply stores without any luck.

IF I have seen it, it has been much thicker than the typical mechanical pencil
(although there are 'any size will fit" lead holders out there. So if your
purpose is lead of constant sharpness and no sharpening, I don't think you are
going to find this functionality in non repro.

The pigment needs a larger substrate or it will crumble. (Graphite can be
compressed into a stronger smaller form). The best holder for such is usually
wooden pencil or perhaps a paper strip that can be pulled away for grease
pencils (china markers) The best chance for a sharp point is a wooden non-
repro blue. You will just have to keep a sharpener nearby, as far as I know.

There may be markers with a finer point.

[Chris Kemp]

Staedtler Mars makes the pencils as well as the pencil leads in a .50
thickness (this is what I use and yes it does crumble but it beats having to
sharpen a pencil to keep a point). Any art supply store should stock or be
able to order it for you. You can also get fine point markers in non-repro
blue.

--
Chris Kemp
ODDLY ENOUGH
http://www.ucomics.com/oddlyenough/viewoe.htm

[Ted Kerin]

Chris Kemp <sq...@iprimus.ca> wrote in message
news:B75ED48A.6423%sq...@iprimus.ca...

> Staedtler Mars makes the pencils as well as the pencil leads in a .50
> thickness (this is what I use and yes it does crumble but it beats having
to
> sharpen a pencil to keep a point).
>

Good info, but I would join in the recommendation to use a wooden non-repro
pencil because, in my opinion, the mechanical non-repro leads are too hard
(an attempt to prevent the crumbling you mention), and I find the softer
pencils more pleasant to draw with. Of course this is a matter of personal
taste.

Another variable with these pencils and leads, is whether your pen and ink
will lay nicely over the blue lines and stay black without "crawling"
(beading up). This will depend upon your choice of ink as well as your
choice of pencil/lead, so you might need to experiment.