Art materials and pencil grades — Art and painting for kids

Artist's tip

Right tool, right job — “see-through, solid, waxy or creamy — and B for black, H for hard”

1. Watercolour = see-through washes; poster colour = bright, opaque, flat colour.
2. Wax crayons = hard and waxy; oil pastels = soft, creamy, blendable.
3. Pencils: H = hard and light, B = soft and dark (black), HB = middle; the bigger the number, the more so (6B darker than 2B).

Use it for: Choosing materials for a school chart, a sketch or a painting, and buying the right pencil.

Worked example: ✏️ Which pencil makes darker lines: HB or 2B? → 2B

✏️ Practice

Work it out in your head or on paper, then tap your answer — or type it and press Check. Stuck? Press “Show me how”.

🏁 Lesson 14 test

20 questions. Check each answer, then go to the next one. Get 16 or more right to pass.

🏅 Sign in with Google to earn the 🖍️ Art Supply Expert badge when you pass — and a certificate when you finish all 8 lessons of Part 2 · Drawing and painting basics. You can still take the test without signing in.

🖨️ Art Materials and Pencil Grades Worksheet

• Worksheet set 1 (PDF)
• Worksheet set 2 (PDF)
• Worksheet set 3 (PDF)