A beginner drawing kit typically bundles graphite pencils, erasers, a sharpener, blending tools, and often a sketchbook or paper to start sketching immediately.
Most starter sets pack the essentials for dry-media sketching and shading into one purchase. While contents vary by brand and price, the core lineup stays consistent. Here’s what you can expect to find inside, plus the one item many kits quietly leave out.
The Core Items You Can Expect
Nearly every beginner drawing kit centers on dry-media essentials: graphite pencils in a few hardness grades, a vinyl or kneaded eraser, a sharpener, and blending stumps or tortillons. Many sets also include a sketchbook or loose drawing paper, though this is not guaranteed.
Faber-Castell’s “Getting Started Drawing & Sketching” set, an 11-piece example, shows the typical mix: three graphite pencils (2H, HB, 6B), a charcoal pencil, a fine black artist pen, a spiral-bound sketchbook, a sharpener, an eraser, loose sketch paper, and an illustrated instruction booklet. Their “Do Art – Drawing & Sketching Set” for ages 9 and up follows a similar pattern, adding four graphite pencils (6B, 2B, HB, 2H), three black pens in different tip sizes, a zippered storage pouch, colored paper, vellum sheets, a plastic copy grid, an eraser, and a sharpener. The copy grid helps beginners match proportions.
Pricier kits sometimes add a wooden manikin figure for practicing human forms. Budget sets can be leaner, with some retail examples offering ten colored pencils, four sketching pencils, one solid graphite pencil, two blending stumps, a sandpaper block, an eraser, a sharpener, three paper sheets, and a leaflet.
The Item Many Kits Leave Out
Paper is the most common omission. Some manufacturers note that beginner kits usually do not include paper, so check the packaging or product page before buying. If a kit lacks paper, a standard 9×12 inch sketch pad is an inexpensive add-on. Kits that do include paper typically supply loose sheets or a small spiral-bound sketchbook rather than a full pad.
Two other items worth a separate purchase are a workable fixative spray to prevent smudging, and a soft brush to sweep away eraser crumbs. Both are cheap and extend the life of your work, but they rarely appear in starter bundles.
| Kit Component | Common Variations |
|---|---|
| Graphite pencils | 2H, HB, 2B, 6B; sets of 3–6 |
| Sketching media | Charcoal pencil, artist pens, colored pencils |
| Erasers | Vinyl block, kneaded putty |
| Blending tools | Tortillons, blending stumps, sandpaper block |
| Paper or sketchbook | Spiral-bound book, loose sheets, vellum |
| Guides | Instruction booklet, copy grid, view finder |
| Extras | Storage case, manikin figure, sharpener |
How To Use a Beginner Kit
Start with the graphite pencils. Use the harder 2H pencil for light construction lines and the softer 6B for dark shading. Hold the pencil farther back for loose sketching and closer to the tip for detail work. Blend with a tortillon or stump for smooth gradients, then lift highlights with a kneaded eraser.
The instruction booklet in many kits covers these basics step by step. Some sets include a copy grid or view finder to help with proportion and composition practice. When you finish a sketch, spray it with fixative to keep the graphite from smudging.
One caveat applies across all kits: contents can vary from the illustration on the box. Check the product description before buying, and verify age labels, as kits contain sharpeners, pencils, and sometimes manikins with small or sharp parts. Age restrictions range from 6 to 9 and up depending on the set.
What To Buy Next
A beginner kit gives you a solid foundation, but the next purchase matters more. If you finish a set and want to keep drawing, a larger sketchbook of quality paper and a few individual graphite pencils in grades you use most will go further than another kit. When you are ready to compare options side by side, our tested roundup of the best drawing kits for beginners covers the top sets in detail.
Most kits fall in the $7 to $15 range, with the price reflecting the number of pencils, paper quality, and extras like cases or manikins. The Faber-Castell sets reviewed here list at roughly $15 to $25, which is fair for a bundle that includes an instruction booklet and multiple drawing media. A Faber-Castell Getting Started Drawing & Sketching set delivers the full starter experience with paper included.
For pure value, look for a kit with at least three graphite grades, a kneaded eraser, blending stumps, and some form of paper. That combination lets you practice shading, blending, and line control without buying supplies separately.
FAQs
Do beginner drawing kits come with paper?
Not always. Some manufacturers state that paper is usually not included, so check the packaging or product description before buying. When included, it is typically a small spiral-bound sketchbook or a few loose sheets rather than a full pad.
What pencils are best for a new artist?
Graphite pencils in three grades cover most beginners’ needs. A hard 2H handles light lines and construction, an HB is the all-purpose middle ground, and a soft 6B creates rich dark shading. Most beginner kits include exactly this range.
Are drawing kits safe for young children?
Kits can contain sharp or small parts like sharpeners, pencils, and manikin figures. Age labels vary, with some marked for 9 and up and others noting they are not for children under six. Always check the age recommendation before purchase.
References & Sources
- Faber-Castell. “Getting Started Drawing & Sketching Set.” Official product page listing kit contents.
- Faber-Castell. “Do Art – Drawing & Sketching Set.” Official product page with detailed contents and age rating.
- 92NY Art Center. “Drawing for Beginners Supply List.” Educator-recommended supplies for new drawing students.