So I picked up an Orenz Nero .2 recently. I’m a mostly hobby artist, but when sketching, drawing, detailing, etc. I can definitely say that I lean more toward precise, meticulous, crisp line work. So after trying out a few different pencils, I decided to give the .2 lead size a go, as my thinking was I would love the more precise line work.

Right from the rip, I absolutely loved the Orenz Nero as a pencil. The weight, design, mechanics, everything was fantastic and I instantly fell in love with it. Until I started writing…

I just couldn’t find a way to enjoy the experience of using .2. Initially I had chosen to grab a Ain Stein .2 2B because of it being one of the stronger leads. But even with this lead and the features of the Orenz, I found myself breaking lead constantly. I’m naturally a heavy handed user, so when going from sketch work to trying to sharpen up my drawings, I had hoped the Orenz would produce these crisp, dark lines. And it did, but I was breaking the lead so often that it didn’t matter because I couldn’t make a line long enough to make it matter.

And I’m sure a lot of it is user error and my heavy handedness. Or maybe it was my misunderstanding of where .2 lead finds it’s usefulness and application best. But for me, I just can’t seem to get it.

Now granted, I’ve only really dabbled in the darker end of the spectrum, B and heavier, so I’m going to try a 2H and see if I have any more luck with it there. But then I feel like it almost defeats the purpose of having a pencil capable of producing such thin lines. I typically reserve my lighter leads, H and lighter, for sketch work and concepting, where I’m usually making quick, repeated lines and shapes, which doesn’t seem as beneficial of the thinner lead size compared to at a .7 or .9, where you also have the advantage of less chance of breaking while rough sketching.

Like I said though, I do love the feel and experience of the Nero, so I’m almost sure I’m going to try and grab the .5 version for my collection. I just don’t think the .2, for me, makes sense or at least not in the way I had originally thought I’d be using it.

Can anyone lend any advice or insight in to .2 and where you’ve found it most useful? Maybe it wasn’t made with me in mind at all and I just didn’t realize it.

It also makes slightly hesitant to try .3 as well, afraid I’ll encounter some of the same issues. I might try and hunt down the elusive .4 though and see if that’s the magic number!

TL;DR:

Bought an Orenz Nero .2 and between breaking lead constantly and it’s limited uses day to day in my experience, I just don’t know if it’s for me. Any insight or where you’ve found it most useful?