PENCIL
- GAURI GOYAL
The core of
a pencil, confusingly named the ‘lead’, is formed from a naturally occurring
element known as graphite, discovered in the Lake District of England in the
early 1500s. Graphite is not the first example of an element hewn from the
ground and used as a mark making tool – this process dates back to the very
first examples of human art seen in the prehistoric cave paintings which were
created using both charcoal and chalk in the era between 40,000 and 10,000 BC. In
the same way as many pencils hold an eraser at the tip for removing errors, the
lead stylus had a flattened end that could be used for smoothing over and
therefore erasing the unwanted text.
In the first
part of the 16th century, locals discovered a large quantity of solid graphite
in Borrowdale, near Keswick in the Lake District of England. This misnomer has
transcended many languages throughout the world where the word for a pencil
translates as ‘lead pen’, including Arabic, German and Gaelic. The term pencil
was only first used to describe a ‘graphite writing implement’ towards the end
of the 16th century. The origins of the word are in the Latin word penicillus
meaning ‘little tail’, used to describe either a fine artist’s brush or lead
stylus and was first used in the Post-Classical period of history, from the end
of the 5th century AD onwards.
Problem solving
the users of
which soon discovered that the graphite not only left marks upon the hand but
also could become brittle when held in the hand. Early casings for the graphite
included small pieces of sheepskin or lengths of string.
First
attempts were made in the 1660s, in Nuremberg, Germany, to create graphite
sticks from powdered graphite, but it was the Napoleonic Wars in the late 18th
century when trade embargos forced the French to develop an alternative method
and recipe for the core of the pencil. A French army officer, Nicholas Jacques
Conte, developed a mixture of clay and graphite powder (produced from poorer
quality graphite) that was fired in a kiln. This breakthrough ended the British
monopoly on quality pencil production.
Conte, who
was also a chemist further developed this manufacturing process, realising that
using different quantities of clay and graphite would result in a harder or
softer pencil mark which is seen today in the range of pencils available graded
using the HB scale. This scale grades pencils according to their Hardness (H)
and Blackness (B).
How Are Pencils Made?
The addition
of a wooden casing surrounding the graphite stick was first developed by an
Italian couple, Lyndiana and Simonio Bernacotti, as early as the 1560s. Their
design featured a hollowed out juniper stick into which the graphite would be
placed to produce a flat carpenter’s pencil. The oldest example of a
carpenter’s pencil is dated from the 17th century and was found in the roof of
a German house, built during this period.
In time, the
manufacturing process evolved to use a wooden casing, sawn into two halves and
then carved out for the graphite stick. The two halves would then be glued
together. This technique proved so successful that it has changed little in the
last four centuries.
Problem solving
As with many
aspects of pencil design, simplicity equates to success. The hexagonal shape of
the pencil barrel was first introduced by Ebenezer Wood, a contemporary of
William Munroe, in the middle of the 19th century. Wood was the first to
introduce a circular saw to the manufacturing process and using straight edged
lengths to form the wooden casing proved more time efficient. It is likely that
this design feature endured for the beneficial reason that a hexagonal (or
indeed octagonal) pencil will not roll when placed on an inclined surface. This
serendipitous design change proved beneficial for both manufacturer and consumer.
Pencil in Present
The pencil
gets evolved through centuries and centuries as result we are using in our day
to day life.It comes under different grades and leads. Here are some examples
and variety of it.
Pencil for kids
Various variety
of pencil launch for kids they launch a pencil which have fun for them. They also
attract children with different type of cartoon and superhero pencil. For
example-
stylus
With
advancement of technology pencil also get advanced and comes for electronic
devices so we can draw and write on it and also it called as stylus.
My observation
How in past
they try to solve the problem is very intresting because of this we reach this
stage and improving more. I think in future there will be a pencil which will
work on voice assistant. This is not far that I am sure. The one more problem
solving done by someone was that pencil come with eraser on back so it will
more convenient.
Image credits
https://blog.penvibe.com/the-graphite-pencil-scale-ultimate-guide/
https://bostitchoffice.com/articles/colored-pencil-lead
https://blingspot.pk/products/superhero-pencil-2?variant=37851247018172
https://www.flipkart.com/global-gifts-set-two-shaklaka-boom-pencils-pencil/p/itmedc5tnegf4sgb
https://www.cultofmac.com/765816/digi-pen/
Write up and research credits
https://www.pens.co.uk/pen2paper/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/The-History-of-the-Pencil.pdf
GAURI GOYAL
ROLL NO. 22BDC011
COURSE- HISTORY OF DESGIN
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