Are you getting the most out of your pencil? Those marks on paper are your means of communication with your viewer. To make sure they speak eloquently, there are a few things to think about when you are drawing. Applying pencil to paper might seem simple, but if you experiment with a range of mark making, just playing with texture and tone, you'll notice that different handling of the pencil creates many different effects. Try to apply and release the pencil gradually as you make a line - try doing the same but quickly - and you'll find you can create a lovely dynamic line. Using different patterns of hand-movement when shading can create very different textures. Exploring these for their own sake, without the pressure of observational drawing, can help us remember to use them when we are creating a picture. Read this lesson on using a pencil for more tips on better use of your pencil.