The Only Horror Drawing Supplies Beginners Actually Need

16 December 2025

Getting Started with Horror Drawing

Last updated: 1 September 2026

You Need Less Than You Think

Starting horror drawing can feel intimidating before you’ve even made your first mark, especially when you’re unsure what supplies you actually need.

Social media is full of artists showing off huge pencil collections, expensive sketchbooks, and enough supplies to stock a small art shop. It’s easy to look at all of that and feel like you’re already behind before you’ve even started.

Here’s the truth: you don’t need any of it to begin drawing horror art.

Some of the most important skills in horror drawing – atmosphere, mood, texture, shadows, and storytelling – have very little to do with expensive supplies and everything to do with practice.

This guide strips things back to the absolute basics so you can focus on learning to draw creepy characters, unsettling creatures, and dark environments instead of worrying about equipment.

We’ll start with the minimum supplies you need to begin today, then look at a few optional tools that can make drawing easier as your skills develop.

Simple tools. Simple explanations. No unnecessary pressure.

If you already have a pencil and a piece of paper nearby, you’re much closer to getting started than you probably realise.

What You’ll Learn:

• The minimum supplies you need to start drawing horror art
• Which optional tools can make drawing easier as you develop your skills
• Which supplies beginners can safely ignore for now
• How to avoid spending money on equipment you don’t actually need
• The mindset shifts that make learning horror art less intimidating and more enjoyable

Quick Recommendations (Only If You Want Them)

You absolutely do not need to buy any of these to start learning horror art.

A single HB pencil, a basic eraser, and some paper are enough to begin building real skills.

However, if you’d like some recommendations, these are the affordable tools I think are worth considering as a beginner. Where I’ve personally used a product, I’ll tell you what I liked about it.

Graphite Pencils

✏️ Mr. Pen 14-Piece Sketch Pencil Set

This is a great affordable pencil set for beginners who want plenty of graphite grades without spending much money.

The set includes 14 grades ranging from 6H to 10B, giving you everything from very light sketching pencils to much softer grades for building deep shadows.

I found the pencils smooth and easy to work with, and the wide range makes it easy to experiment with different values and discover which grades you naturally prefer.

For beginners, you certainly won’t need every grade straight away, but having the full range gives you plenty of room to experiment as your drawing skills develop.

Best for: Beginners looking for an affordable first graphite set with plenty of variety.

👉 Check out the Mr. Pen 14-Piece Sketch Pencil Set here.

✏️ Staedtler Mars Lumograph – Reliable Alternative

If you’d rather choose a well-established drawing pencil range, Staedtler Mars Lumograph is another solid option for beginners.

The pencils are durable, easy to sharpen, and good for learning pencil pressure and control. They hold a point well and, in my experience, don’t suffer from excessive breakage.

The graphite doesn’t feel quite as dark or rich as some of the other pencils I’ve used, particularly in the softer grades. However, they’re dependable pencils for sketching, practising techniques, and learning the basics.

A smaller set is also plenty when you’re beginning. HB and 2B will handle most early drawing exercises, while the softer grades give you somewhere to go when you begin experimenting with darker shadows and stronger contrast.

Best for: Beginners who want a reliable, established pencil range and don’t mind spending a little more.

👉 Check out the Staedtler Mars Lumograph 6 Pack here.

Erasers

If you’re buying one eraser:

👉 Faber-Castell Dust-Free Eraser

This is the eraser I personally reach for most often.

It removes graphite cleanly, feels gentle on paper, and produces far less mess than many cheaper alternatives.

It’s especially useful when you’re still sketching lightly and adjusting shapes as you go because it removes mistakes without being too harsh on the paper surface.

And if you’re wondering about kneaded erasers:

They’re useful, but definitely optional.

Kneaded erasers are fantastic for lifting graphite, creating highlights, and softening areas of shading, but they’re firmly in the “nice to have” category rather than the “need to have” category when you’re starting out.

They’re worth exploring later once you’re experimenting with smoother shading, more controlled highlights, and more finished drawings.

For now, one ordinary eraser is all you really need.

Sharpener

Do you need a specific sharpener?

No.

If you already own a basic pencil sharpener that gives you a clean point without constantly breaking the graphite, keep using it.

A good drawing comes from practice and observation, not from owning a particular sharpener.

If you’re buying your first sharpener:

👉 Faber-Castell Trio Pencil Sharpener (Grip 2001)

This is the sharpener I personally use, and the one I’d recommend if you need to buy one.

It produces a clean, sharp point without constantly snapping the graphite core, which becomes especially useful when you start working with softer pencils such as 2B, 4B and 6B.

The separate sharpening holes also make it useful if you eventually move into coloured pencils or charcoal pencils, while the built-in container keeps all those annoying little shavings off your desk.

But you absolutely don’t need to replace a sharpener that’s already doing its job.

If you already own one that works, keep your money and keep drawing.

Blending Stumps

Do you need blending stumps?

No.

You can learn shading using nothing more than a pencil and good pencil control. In fact, learning how to build values gradually with graphite is an important skill in itself.

Blending stumps can still be useful, though. They make it easier to create smooth shadows, soft transitions and atmospheric effects without using your fingers, which can transfer oils onto the paper and make graphite harder to control.

They’re particularly useful for:

• Large areas of smooth shading
• Smoky backgrounds
• Deep eye sockets and facial shadows
• Fog, mist and atmosphere
• Soft shadow transitions

If you’d like to try blending stumps:

👉 Derwent Paper Stumps (Pack of 3)

These are the blending stumps I personally use and recommend.

The paper is tightly rolled, holds its shape well and doesn’t start unravelling after only a few uses, as some cheaper alternatives can.

Having several sizes is useful too. Smaller stumps work well for details such as eyes, wrinkles and narrow shadows, while larger ones are better for broader areas of shading.

But don’t feel that you need to buy them straight away.

If you’re working with a very small budget, start with your pencil, eraser and paper. You can always add blending stumps later once you’ve started experimenting with smoother shading and more finished drawings.

Want to learn how to use them?

If you’re new to blending stumps, these guides will help:

• How to Use Blending Stumps with Graphite
• How to Blend Charcoal with Blending Stumps
• Blending Tools for Graphite and Charcoal

A Closer Look at My Beginner Recommendations

The recommendations in this guide aren’t based on specifications alone. They’re tools I’ve personally used and have experience drawing with, so I can recommend them based on how they actually perform rather than simply what they promise on the packaging.

In the sections below, I’ll explain what I like about each tool, where it works particularly well, and anything worth knowing before you buy it.

You certainly don’t need to own everything listed here. The aim is to help you decide what’s actually worth buying for you and what you can comfortably leave until later.

1. Graphite Pencils

You don’t need an expensive professional pencil set to start drawing. What matters most is having a few useful graphite grades and learning how to control them.

For most beginners, an HB pencil is ideal for light sketching and construction lines, while softer pencils such as 2B, 4B and 6B make it easier to build darker shadows and stronger contrast.

Having additional grades gives you more room to experiment, but don’t feel like you need to use every pencil in the box straight away.

Mr. Pen 14-Piece Sketch Pencil Set

This is my main budget-friendly recommendation for beginners.

The set contains 14 graphite grades ranging from 6H to 10B, so you get everything from very hard pencils for faint marks through to extremely soft pencils capable of much darker values.

That range is much larger than you actually need as a beginner, but that’s part of what makes the set useful. You can start with just HB, 2B and perhaps 4B, then gradually experiment with the other grades as you become more comfortable with pencil pressure, shading and values.

I found the pencils smooth and easy to control, particularly when building up graphite gradually rather than pressing heavily into the paper. The softer grades also give you plenty of scope for creating the deep shadows and strong contrast that work particularly well in horror drawings.

Another advantage is the price. You can experiment freely without feeling like you’ve invested a fortune in professional pencils before you’ve even worked out which grades you prefer.

For someone buying their first proper graphite set, this gives you far more than enough to learn with while still leaving plenty of room to grow.

Best for: Beginners who want a complete, affordable graphite range to practise sketching, shading and value control.

👉 Check out the Mr. Pen 14-Piece Sketch Pencil Set here.

Staedtler Mars Lumograph

What I Like

• Strong, durable cores
• Hold a point well for controlled line work
• Smooth enough for sketching and everyday shading
• Reliable and consistent between grades
• A good choice for beginners learning pencil control

My Experience

I’ve always found Staedtler Mars Lumograph pencils reliable, durable, and easy to control, which makes them particularly useful when you’re still getting comfortable with graphite.

The cores hold up well during normal use and sharpening, and they keep a good point for sketching and finer details. That’s useful when you’re practising light construction lines or trying to build cleaner, more controlled marks.

For me, their biggest strength is their consistency. They’re dependable pencils that can comfortably handle sketching, line work, and general shading without making things unnecessarily complicated for a beginner.

The main drawback is the darker grades. I’ve found that they don’t produce the same rich, deep darks as some softer graphite pencils, so they wouldn’t be my first choice when I specifically want very heavy shadows and dramatic contrast.

That doesn’t stop them from being good drawing pencils, though. For learning the basics, practising techniques and developing better pencil control, Staedtler Mars Lumograph remains a solid beginner-friendly option.

If you’d prefer a well-established drawing pencil range and don’t mind spending a little more than the budget option, this is the alternative I’d recommend.

👉 If you’d like to try them, you can check out the Staedtler Mars Lumograph 6 Pack here.

2. Paper

You do not need expensive drawing paper when you’re starting out.

Right now, the goal is to practise freely without worrying about ruining pages or wasting expensive paper.

• Printer paper works perfectly well for early practice, exercises and quick sketches.
• Basic sketch paper is a good step up once you’re drawing more regularly.
• A sketchbook is nice to have, but absolutely not essential.

The best paper for a beginner is paper you’re actually willing to draw on regularly. If you’re nervous about making mistakes because the paper feels too precious, it’s probably not the right paper for learning on.

When you’re starting out, quantity beats luxury.

You want pages you can fill with experiments, mistakes, half-finished monsters and questionable anatomy decisions without feeling guilty about it.

The more pages you fill, the more opportunities you give yourself to improve.

Better-quality drawing paper becomes worth considering once you’re creating more finished artwork or experimenting with techniques where the surface of the paper starts to matter.

Once you’re ready for that, my guide to Best Sketchbooks and Paper Types for Horror Art covers the different options and what they’re best suited for.

3. Erasers

You don’t need a specialist eraser when you’re first learning to draw.

A basic, decent-quality eraser is perfectly fine for correcting early sketches, adjusting proportions and cleaning up unwanted graphite.

What matters most is that it removes graphite without damaging the paper or making you fight with your drawing every time you want to change something.

Faber-Castell Dust-Free Eraser

This is the standard eraser I personally use and recommend, but you certainly don’t need to buy this exact one to get started.

What I like about it:

• Removes graphite cleanly
• Feels gentle on the paper
• Produces relatively little mess while erasing
• Holds up well with regular use
• Comfortable to control when erasing smaller areas

I find it particularly useful when I’m sketching lightly and making adjustments as I draw, because it removes graphite without feeling overly aggressive against the paper.

If you already have a basic eraser at home that works well, keep using it. There’s no reason to replace it just for the sake of having a drawing-specific eraser.

If you do need to buy one, though, the Faber-Castell Dust-Free is the standard eraser I’d recommend. It’s simple, reliable and something you’ll continue to use even as your drawing skills develop.

👉 If you’d like to try it, you can check out the Faber-Castell Dust-Free Eraser here.

Kneaded Eraser

A kneaded eraser becomes useful once you start experimenting with shading and highlights, but it isn’t essential when you’re first starting out.

Unlike a standard eraser, a kneaded eraser is designed to lift graphite gradually rather than simply rubbing it away. This gives you much more control over how much graphite you remove.

They’re particularly useful for:

• Lifting graphite gradually
• Creating highlights and soft transitions
• Shaping into a fine point for small details
• Lightening areas of shading without completely removing them
• Creating effects such as hair highlights, glowing eyes, fog and subtle lighting

Because you can press, dab or roll a kneaded eraser over the graphite, you can gradually lighten an area instead of immediately erasing it back to the paper.

That makes it especially useful once you start creating more atmospheric horror drawings, where subtle changes in light and shadow can make a huge difference.

I wouldn’t recommend buying one as your very first eraser. A normal eraser is much more useful when you’re learning the basics.

Once you start experimenting with shading and highlights, though, a kneaded eraser becomes a genuinely useful addition to your drawing supplies.

Want to learn when to use kneaded, dust-free and standard erasers? My guide, How to Use Erasers in Horror Art (Types, Techniques and Effects), covers the differences and shows you how to use them effectively in horror drawings.

4. Pencil Sharpener

You need something to keep your pencils sharp, but you don’t need a specialist drawing sharpener when you’re first starting out.

A basic sharpener that gives you a clean point without repeatedly breaking the graphite is perfectly adequate for learning.

Keeping your pencils reasonably sharp gives you better control over sketch lines, small details and precise shading, but the sharpener itself doesn’t need to be anything fancy.

Faber-Castell Trio Pencil Sharpener (Grip 2001)

This is the sharpener I personally use and recommend, but you certainly don’t need to buy this exact one if you already have a sharpener that works well.

What I like about it:

• Produces a clean, sharp point
• Has multiple sharpening sizes for different pencil types
• Works well with graphite and charcoal pencils
• Helps reduce unnecessary graphite breakage
• Has a built-in container to keep shavings contained

I’ve found it particularly reliable with softer graphite pencils, where a poor sharpener can sometimes cause the core to snap while you’re sharpening.

Of course, no sharpener can completely prevent broken leads. The condition of the pencil, how it has been handled, and your sharpening technique can all play a part.

For everyday drawing, though, I’ve found this one reliable, easy to use and convenient, and the built-in container saves graphite shavings from migrating across the desk like they’ve developed their own little escape plan.

If you already own a sharpener that gives you a clean point without constantly breaking your pencils, keep using it. There’s no reason to replace something that already does the job.

If you do need to buy a sharpener, though, the Faber-Castell Trio Grip 2001 is the one I’d recommend.

👉 Check out the Faber-Castell Trio Pencil Sharpener (Grip 2001) here.

5. Blending Stumps

Blending stumps aren’t essential when you’re first learning to draw, but they can be very useful once you start experimenting with smoother shading and softer transitions.

You can create excellent shading using pencil control and layering alone, so don’t feel as though you need a blending stump before you can get started.

Where they really come in handy is when you want to soften visible pencil strokes and blend graphite into smoother transitions.

They’re particularly useful for things like:

• Smooth shadow transitions
• Smoky backgrounds and atmospheric effects
• Deep eye sockets and facial shadows
• Softening visible pencil strokes
• Blending both graphite and charcoal

I use blending stumps regularly in my own drawings and tutorials, particularly when I want soft, controlled shading without using my fingers to blend the graphite.

Derwent Paper Stumps

These are the blending stumps I personally use and recommend.

What I like about them:

• Tightly rolled paper that holds its shape well
• Smooth blending without leaving fibres behind
• Different sizes for small details and broader shaded areas
• More durable than many cheaper alternatives

I’ve tried cheaper stumps that started peeling apart after only a few drawing sessions. These hold together much better, and the different sizes are useful when moving between small details such as eyes and wrinkles and larger areas of shading.

That said, you don’t need to buy blending stumps immediately. If you’re working with a limited budget, I’d put pencils, paper, an eraser and a sharpener ahead of these.

Once you start exploring smoother graphite shading, though, they’re a very useful addition to your drawing kit.

👉 You can find the Derwent Paper Stumps (Pack of 3) here.

Tools You Can Safely Ignore for Now

It’s very tempting to buy everything at once when you’re learning to draw. You really don’t need to.

A small collection of basic supplies is more than enough to start practising, and you can add more specialised materials as your skills and interests develop.

For now, you can safely skip:

• Charcoal – Brilliant for deep blacks, dramatic shadows and expressive horror drawings, but you don’t need it while you’re learning the basics with graphite. If charcoal interests you, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with experimenting with it – just don’t feel you have to buy it.

• Ink pens – Great for bold linework and finished pieces, but much less forgiving than pencil. Graphite gives you far more freedom to erase, adjust and experiment while you’re learning.

• Coloured pencils – Fun to explore later, but adding colour gives you another thing to think about. Learning light, shadow and form with graphite first gives you a strong foundation to build on.

• Expensive or heavily textured paper – Save the fancy stuff for later. Right now, you need paper you’re happy to cover with sketches, mistakes and experiments without worrying about wasting it. Basic sketch paper is perfectly good for learning.

• Large professional pencil sets – You don’t need every graphite grade known to humanity sitting ominously on your desk. A small selection of pencil grades is plenty for a beginner, and you’ll soon discover which grades you actually use most.

The aim isn’t to build the perfect art collection before you begin. It’s to start drawing with a few reliable tools and learn what you genuinely need as you go.

A Quick Mindset Reset Before You Start

Your practice matters far more than having the perfect drawing supplies.

Horror art is particularly forgiving. Uneven lines, strange proportions and rough sketches don’t always ruin a drawing – sometimes they actually make it feel more unsettling.

Something looking wrong doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve failed. Most of the time, it simply means you’re learning.

Messy sketches, failed experiments and drawings you never finish are all part of improving. Every page teaches you something.

And if all you have right now is a pencil that’s been chewed at the end and an eraser that’s seen better days, you can still start.

You don’t need expensive supplies to learn horror art.

You need practice, curiosity and a willingness to make a few strange little drawings that may look mildly cursed at first.

Those slightly cursed sketches are usually where the good stuff starts.

Conclusion: You’re Ready to Start

You really don’t need much to begin drawing horror art. A few reliable basics are enough to get you started, and you can build your collection gradually as you discover what you actually enjoy using.

Start with your pencils, paper, eraser and sharpener. Add things like blending stumps or more specialised supplies when you have a reason to use them, rather than buying everything at once.

Most importantly, don’t wait until you have the perfect supplies before you start drawing.

Use what you have. Practise often. Experiment with your materials and learn what works for you.

Your first drawings don’t need to be finished masterpieces. They’re where you learn how your pencils behave, how dark you can push your shadows and how a few simple marks can slowly turn into something wonderfully unsettling.

What You’ve Learned:

• You only need a few basic supplies to start learning horror drawing
• A small selection of graphite pencils, paper, an eraser and a sharpener is enough to get started
• Blending stumps can be useful for smoother shading, but they aren’t essential for beginners
• You don’t need expensive paper, huge pencil sets or specialised materials while you’re learning
• Good tools can make drawing easier, but practice and pencil control matter far more
• You can gradually add new materials as you discover the techniques and styles you enjoy most

What’s Next…

Now that you’ve got your tools sorted, the next step is learning how to build creepy drawings from simple shapes and place everything where it belongs. No details yet, no pressure, just the foundations.

• Basic Shapes for Drawing Horror Art (Beginner Guide)
  Every horror drawing starts with simple shapes underneath the details. Learning these foundations makes complex creatures, skulls, and monsters much easier to build.
• Simple Guidelines for Horror Characters (Beginner)
  Once you’re comfortable with shapes, guidelines help you place features and proportions correctly before committing to darker lines and shading.