For some reason my first thought was an exacto knife because I feel like use them a lot not just for trimming things down but for creating – I really love collages. However instead I decided to go with the pencil, because it’s so invisible to the forefront of my mind because I don’t even have to think about using it since I use a pencil ALL. THE. TIME. (notice my emphasis there lol). Before I get started on a design or even writing a paper, which I will be typing, I use a pencil to sketch and outline my thoughts and ideas. The construction of the pencil is made of graphite mixed with a clay binder, leaving grey or black marks so that it can be easily erased. Pencils are used for writing and drawing so it made to be durable although gentle enough that it can be erased. You can use a light or heavy hand to emphasize the darkness of something in a sketch. With a pencil things are only ever going to be gray, if I’m hoping to convey that something is colored I’m going to need another tool instead of a standard pencil. Ballet writes “Drawings, pasted up layouts, instructional overlays, coordinated color systems, standardized ink formulation and paper sizes, prototypes, models and reprographic proofs were just some of the instrument invented to ensure that the faithfulness of a designer’s vision was executed according to plan.” When designing it always helps to have a plan and with a pencil you can sketch/draw out an idea so you can produce your vision exactly as it was in your mind and going into production it’ll help to show people who can’t read your mind as to what you want your design to look like. I think a pencil (at least for me) is the first tool I grab before I get down to work.