A drawing and writing tool. Early pencils were made from fragments of soft lead or natural graphite in a bone or wooden holder. Today, pencils are made from a wooden or plastic stick with a rod of graphite mixed with clay running through the centre, known as the ‘lead’. Pencil leads have a range of grades. Harder pencils have more clay and make light marks, softer pencils have less clay and make darker marks. Water soluble pencil lines can have water applied to create a colour wash.