Pensels

Pensels is not a standard English term with a single accepted meaning. In English-language sources it often appears as a misspelling of pencils, the graphite-encased writing instruments. In other contexts, pensel is a word in Indonesian and Malay meaning a brush used in painting, derived from the Dutch penseel.

When referring to pencils, these writing implements consist of a graphite or graphite-clay core encased in wood or a mechanical housing. They come in a range of hardness grades from 9H to 9B, with HB or H often used as mid-range. The modern pencil lineage begins with the Borrowdale graphite deposit in the 16th century and the development of standardized shapes and casings in the 18th and 19th centuries, notably through the Conté process. Pencils are valued for erasable marks, portability, and low cost. Common woods include cedar; modern variants may use recycled materials or plastic casings.

In Indonesian and Malay, pensel means a paintbrush. Brushes are used with various media such as watercolors, acrylics, oils, and cosmetics. Brush types are distinguished by hair or filament type (natural vs synthetic) and by shape (round, flat, filbert, etc.). Care involves rinsing after use, reshaping bristles, and drying upright to prevent deformation. In Indonesian usage, the plural form is not standardized in English; referents are typically described by material and shape.

Other uses of the term Pensels are limited and unclear in English-language reference works; it is not widely recognized as a distinct object, organization, or concept in major encyclopedias.