I love a simple pencil. From my very first drawings it was a favorite tool. Still I like the way he rustles the paper, like its clear, dark, a little silver trail and the smell of wood. In soviet childhood, I had pencils of the brand "Cedar". What they were “fragrant"! Even the cardboard box in which they were stored was impregnated with this magic smell of resin and fresh cut wood.
Then, 30 years ago, of course, there was no such amazing variety of materials and tools and we, the children, were happy to draw everything that was offered by domestic manufacturers: “Krasin”, “Constructor”..., but pencils of the Czech brand ”Koh-i-noor” were special chic. These Golden-yellow, covered with a varnish, scented pencils with soft in the slice tree, and a round gold plated blunt end just mad at us, young artists. In the classroom, we cut with a blunt knife hard “Constructor”, in the lead which came across even small stones, and cherished the dream of a yellow foreign miracle. Oh, how they envied those who had at least one such pencil! It usually with great care and carefully sharpened, were kept under the cap in a wooden hard case and taken out only on special occasions. It wasn't even a pencil, it was an element of prestige.
And then, one day, dad brought from Moscow a whole box of " Koh-i-noor”: elegant packaging design, rosewood sharpening, just crazy for us, beginners, softness-3B. Just a dream! Brought and hid. And he took out one pencil only when required by the task. On the sly I got out of the box with pencils and just admired them.
So, when dad presented me with such a sunny, radiant pencil... My happiness knew no bounds! So he beckoned to himself, he begged in his hands and to a sheet of paper! And I gladly took it with me to the artist. And, of course, on this day there was a drawing class. And, of course, it was not the same lesson as usual: as if the pencil helped to draw.He heard and felt me, he did exactly what I needed: the lines themselves became straight, hatching lay neatly and clearly, the picture was correct and beautiful. The difference was in the tactile sensations, and in the uniformity of the stylus, in comparison, and simple children's pencils, which I usually drew.
It was a celebration of creativity! Since then, I have already rubbed a lot of pencils of different brands, but every time holding a gold lacquer pencil in my hand, I feel: “here it is, happiness!". And I prepare my tools with special care: I carefully put them in a pencil case or jar, sharpen pencils with a typographic cutter, sort them according to the degree of softness. And I still believe that careful, loving attitude to materials and tools - 50% of successful work.
Listen to your pencils, feel your assistants in creativity, take care of them. Do you think that you can draw a blunt piece of pencil? Remember the fairy tale "fedorino grief"? That's it!
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