Milena Briceño was born in Valparaíso, Chile before her family moved to the capital city of Santiago. She carries an ongoing love affair with drawing, Italy, wrestling, the colors blue and gray, tattoos, and Taekwondo. Check out more of her work here.

How did you become an illustrator?

Ever since I was a child, I've been enchanted by Walt Disney movies and animation from the 80’s and 90’s. This fascination continues to this day and has caused me to develop my penchant for drawing animals of any and every kind. Throughout this time, my parents have strongly encouraged me to keep drawing and also supported my passion with gifts of pencils and sketchbooks for my birthdays and Christmas. This is probably why I absolutely love collecting art supplies.

New products are in!

The Pilot 2+1 Evolt 2 Color 0.7 mm Ballpoint Multi Pen + 0.5 mm Pencil is a jolt of energy. The electrifying metallic colors and sleek aluminum body make your fingers tingle with anticipation as you reach for this multi pen. Modern elegance is combined with three functions to meet your demands: 0.7 mm black ballpoint, 0.7 mm red ballpoint, and 0.5 mm pencil. A perfect addition for your own office or desk, these modern pens will definitely attract all the right looks and comments.

Thank you to all our fans for participating in our Palomino Blackwing Prize Pack Giveaway. We appreciate our community and are excited to give away some of our fascinating products!

Here is the winner of the Palomino Blackwing Prize Pack Giveaway:

If you haven’t explored the variety and technology behind seemingly simple sticks of lead, our latest article will assist you in Picking the Perfect Pencil Lead Hardness Grade. To whet your appetite, we’ve put together a prize pack that is sure to delight:

- 1 x pack of Palomino Blackwing Wooden Pencils - 602 Model
- 1 x Palomino KUM Automatic Brake Long Point 2 Step Pencil Sharpener

The legendary Palomino Blackwing Wooden Pencils have a long and storied history found here. Made of incense-cedar and topped with replaceable erasers, the luxurious pencils are rich, dark, and smooth. Paired with the Palomino KUM sharpener and two spare blades, you’ll easily create beautiful long points on your new pencils!

For this giveaway, entering by leaving a comment below.

Rules and instructions:

Pencils have three main components: a graphite core known as the "lead", a plastic or wooden body that encases the lead, and an eraser. Depending on how hard the lead is, the pencil makes different marks. A hard pencil lead leaves light, fine marks that are great for drawing precise details. A soft pencil lead leaves dark, heavy marks that are typically used for filling in large areas, or for shadows. Pencils in the middle of the spectrum are most suitable for writing, but as usual, it comes down to personal preference -- you have to play around to figure out what works for you.

Not all pencil leads are made equal. They vary in strength, smoothness, smudge resistance, and hardness. Some are relatively dark, while others are relatively light. Refer to the chart below for details.