First, your softer wax-based pencils are going to be much better at creating a smooth and dull

point for blending. The increased surface area combined with the softer material means that
just about any type of sharpener will work here. Even your standard elementary school-type
pencil sharpeners should do fine.

The only thing we recommend keeping an eye on is that the sharpener is cutting down the
pencil consistently. Some lower-end sharpeners have been known to wear down one side of a
pencil sooner than the other. This not only reduces the life of a pencil but also makes it more
difficult to get a good application.

Flat Point

A flat point on a colored pencil is good for scenes that need consistent, light color. Settings
such as skylines, skin tones, etc. are perfect for using a flat point. An easy way to get a flat
point is to start with a dull point and press the pencil against the paper. Without rotating the
pencil, make several up-and-down strokes. After a few seconds, you will notice that a nice
sloped flat point remains.

You can also achieve these other ways as well. Pencil sharpeners will struggle to achieve this
look but you can easily accomplish it by grabbing your art knife and simply slicing off some lead
at an angle.
Sharp Point

A sharp point is great for highly intricate areas such as hair on an animal, eyelashes, cracks on a
rock, and other subtle features. To achieve a sharp point, however, you need both the proper
pencil as well as the proper sharpener.

We recommend sticking with a harder lead material with a smaller core if you plan on doing a
lot of highly detailed work. However, when you combine a hard material with a small point,
you can struggle with a very brittle and fragile tip that is easily broken while trying to sharpen.

To combat this, we recommend using a hand sharpener or sharpening knife to get the razor-
sharp point you are after. If you do prefer using a pencil sharpener, try to go with one that is
intended for colored pencils as these tend to be less “harsh” and operate with less friction.
Having less friction would help to alleviate the tip breaking while trying to sharpen.

Dull Point

A dull point is good for applying a lot of color or general blending. Simply coloring with a sharp
point will ultimately lead to a dull point, but there are also ways to achieve this result with a
sharpener.