Wait, Pencils?

Yeah, I know, I know- you weren't totally sure I even knew how to use pencils.  But I do.  And here's proof, in the form of a concept sketch of Pippa and two other Major Characters.

Generally speaking, I don't like working with pencils because I don't like how messy they are: hence I do 98% of my sketching in ballpoint pen (and 1.99% in brush pen).  But I thought I was going to turn this into a Real Piece, so I started in pencil so I could mess with composition and proportions and the like.  I don't think it will go past this point, but I do like the sketch well enough, and so all's not lost.