Derwent Pencil Extender: It Fits!

Shorties are back in action, thanks to the Derwent
pencil extender.

You may recall my post about how I’ve used my shorty colored pencils to help me choose a limited palette with the “calling the dog” method. Too short to carry easily in my Tran Portfolio Pencil Case (when they get pushed down past the elastic, pencils are difficult to pull out quickly), the shorties aren’t wasted, of course – I just retire them from my daily-carry bag and use them in the studio.

Some of those shorties are now getting close to the “Steinbeck stage” – too short to be supported by the web between the thumb and forefinger, making them uncomfortable and awkward to use. Although many pencil extenders for standard-size pencils are readily available, none I tried would accommodate my favorite Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelles and Derwent Drawing Pencils, both of which have barrels that are slightly larger than standard. (These favorite large-barreled pencils have also given me problems with sharpening, which I finally resolved.)

Derwent pencil extenders

A Derwent pencil extender was recently brought to my attention because it is designed to accommodate pencils up to 8mm in diameter, so I gave it a try – and voila! It fits! Barely – I had to really jam the Museum Aquarelle in – but that’s good enough for me. Packaged as a pair with a second extender made for standard-size pencils (up to 7mm), it’s made of lightweight aluminum, so it doesn’t add much weight to my bag.

The extender now makes the shorties long enough to go back into my everyday-carry Tran Pencil Portfolio Case, where I can use them fully and comfortably again.