Faber-Castell PITT natural charcoal sticks, Ø 5–8 mm, 12 pcs

Faber-Castell PITT natural drawing charcoal – 12 sticks for sketching and shading

Faber-Castell PITT natural drawing charcoal in Ø 5–8 mm is a set of 12 charcoal sticks for sketching, shading and expressive drawings. The blue-grey charcoal glides softly over the paper and leaves a bluish-black line. According to Faber-Castell, it is grease- and oil-free.

You can blend and smudge the line easily, and because the charcoal is grease- and oil-free, it can be erased and drawn over repeatedly. This helps when you are building up portraits, landscape studies or life drawings: you start with loose lines and areas and correct them until the proportions and shadows are right.

Working with natural charcoal

Start by laying in the shape with loose, light strokes. Use the side of the stick to cover larger areas and the edge or tip for contours and strong lines. Soft shadows appear when you blend the area with your finger, a blending stump or a cloth. Bring back highlights with a putty rubber. Natural charcoal is sensitive to touch: place a sheet of paper under your hand while drawing so you don't smudge your work. You can make finished drawings last with fixative.

Which thickness to choose

Ø 5–8 mm sits between the thinner and thicker sticks in the PITT range. The range is also available in Ø 3–6 mm, Ø 6–11 mm and Ø 9–15 mm. Thinner sticks suit finer lines and detail, while the thickest are for large areas and broad shading. With Ø 5–8 mm you can cover both in one set.

Faber-Castell PITT natural drawing charcoal product details

• Manufacturer: Faber-Castell, PITT series, art. no. 129298
• Product: natural drawing charcoal (sticks)
• Thickness: Ø 5–8 mm
• Contents: 12 pieces
• Properties: grease- and oil-free, bluish-black line
• Line: can be blended, smudged, erased and drawn over

You will also need: drawing paper or sketch paper; a blending stump or cloth for smudging, a putty rubber for correcting; fixative to make drawings last