Short answer
Start with three graphite pencils (HB, 2B, 4B or 6B), a 9 x 12 inch sketch pad, a kneaded eraser and a sharpener. Add a fineliner if you want to try ink and vine charcoal if you want soft, bold tone. Everything else is optional.
The starter kit
-
01Essential
Graphite pencils, HB to 6B
Best for: layout, mid tones and darks
- Grades
- HB, 2B, 4B, 6B
- Why
- H harder and lighter, B softer and darker
- Three or four grades cover most landscapes
- Soft grades for foliage and shadows
-
02Essential
Sketch pad, 9 x 12 in
Best for: practice drawings and studies
- Paper
- 60 lb sketch or 80 lb drawing
- Binding
- spiral lies flat
- Big enough for a full landscape
- Cheap enough to use freely
-
03Essential
Kneaded eraser
Best for: lifting highlights and softening
- Type
- soft, moldable
- Use
- press and lift
- Shape it to a point or an edge
- Does not leave crumbs
-
04For ink
Fineliner pens
Best for: pen and ink landscapes
- Widths
- about 0.2 to 0.8 mm
- Ink
- pigment
- Two widths cover most drawings
- Pairs with a light pencil layout
-
05For charcoal
Vine charcoal
Best for: big, soft tonal drawings
- Erases
- almost fully
- Needs
- fixative to keep
- Fast way to tone a page
- Messy: work top to bottom
Pencils
Grades run from hard H (light, holds a point) to soft B (dark, smudges), with HB in the middle; most ranges go from about 9H to 9B (Eckersley’s). For landscapes you want the soft end. Full details: drawing pencils.
Paper
Sketch paper is lighter (around 60 lb) and good for practice; drawing paper is heavier (around 80 lb and up) and takes more layering and erasing. Strathmore’s 400 Series, for example, comes in a 60 lb sketch pad and 80 lb drawing pads (sketch pad listing, drawing pad listing). Full details: sketchbooks for drawing.
Useful extras
Optional
What you can skip
- Huge pencil sets. You will use four grades.
- Expensive paper while practicing. Save it for drawings you plan to keep.
- Specialty blending tools. A stump and a tissue do the job.
Popular picks in each category are on the home page. Ready to draw? Start the first lesson.
Questions people ask
What is the minimum I need to start drawing landscapes?
An HB pencil, a 4B pencil, any paper and an eraser. A kneaded eraser is the most useful upgrade after that, because it lifts highlights like clouds and ripples.
Do I need a full set of 12 or 24 pencils?
No. Most landscape drawings use three or four grades. A full set is handy for trying grades and for very fine value control, but it is not needed to start.
What do I need for drawing outdoors?
A hardcover or stiff backed sketchbook that does not flop, two or three pencils, a sharpener with a shavings container, a kneaded eraser, binder clips for wind, and optionally a small folding stool.
Sources
Last reviewed October 29, 2026. Product lines and listings change; check the details before you buy.