Conte Crayon and Carbon Pencils

Important Drawing Tools

Charcoal and Related Media!

Charcoal, conte crayon and carbon pencils all make dense black lines, have a wide tonal range.

When used on grey or tinted papers, with the additional use of white chalk, reach a degree of richness no other drawing medium can give. They work well for inside or outside drawing, and combine well with watercolor or pen and ink, achieving quick, lively results.

Charcoal!

Charcoal is delightful to use, easy to erase, but very messy, especially when overworked. Charcoal, like pencil, is graded into hard and soft sticks, and also into thin and thick sticks. You can purchase charcoal in boxes that contain a variety of grades and thicknesses, or buy individual sticks to give you exactly what you’re looking for. You can also buy charcoal pencils that are similar to the loose sticks, except that you can’t use the sides for shading.

Conte Crayon!

Conté crayons are hard, slightly waxy pastels that are smooth and rich in pigment. They are graded into hard, medium and soft, and give a richer tone and line than either charcoal or pencil. Conté is a durable medium, difficult to erase but less liable to injury and smudging, as well as easier to fix.Conté is available in short, square sticks or in pencil form. Traditional conté is available in black, white and various shades of brown (often called sanguine).

Conte Pencils!

Some conté pencils are manufactured in a wider variety of colors. Pencils are cleaner to use but, being brittle, conté is not easy to sharpen. Use a razor blade or knife to sharpen conté pencils; be sure to sharpen away from your body and be careful not to cut your fingers.

Carbon Pencils!

Carbon pencils combine the fine grain and precision of pencils with the velvety blacks of charcoal. They sharpen well, are not too messy to use and only require the lightest of fixing. They give good rich tones and can be used in combination with all the other black media, including watercolor and pen and ink. They are highly recommended for both studio and outdoor work. Carbon pencils come in four textures, ranging from B (the hardest) to 6B (softest).

Chalk Pastels!

Black, grey, and white chalks (or “soft”) pastels are alternatives to charcoal. They can be used in combination with charcoal and excel on grey or other tinted, toothed papers. Chalk pastels can be found in sets of shades of grey only or in a wide variety of colors. Chalks in shades of grey are terrific for learning about shading and tone. Then move on to colored chalk pastels for fun and vibrant drawing. Use a light hand when fixing pastels. Colors can change a little in tone if too much fixative is used.

Your Choice

Conte crayon and carbon pencils are popular tools used by seasoned veteran artists, as well as the beginning artist. It is up to you to decide if conte crayon and carbon pencils are the medium that you want to use to create your masterpieces!

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