Natosha Via But near the end of the assembly line, in a nook where pencils are imprinted with their logos, the sound is no more than the soft clink ... around sticks of graphite, then slice ...

A batch of graphite has just been delivered to this pencil factory in Germany. Once it’s been thoroughly mixed with clay, it’s ready to go into production, with around 550 pounds of the stuff ...

Coloured pencils can be blended ... very different marks ranging from soft and subtle shading to bold, dark lines depending on how much pressure you use. Graphite sticks are harder than charcoal ...

Graphite pencils come in various grades ... eraser is versatile and can be shaped to erase fine details or create soft edges. White vinyl erasers are excellent for precise erasing and lifting ...