Faber-Castell PITT Natural Drawing Charcoal Ø 3–6 mm, 20 Sticks

Faber-Castell PITT natural drawing charcoal – thin sticks for sketches and shading

PITT natural drawing charcoal from Faber-Castell is a dry drawing medium for sketches, studies, shading and outlines. The sticks of Ø 3–6 mm are the thinnest size in the PITT range and come in a pack of 20, so you have plenty in stock even if you sharpen and break them often.

According to Faber-Castell, the grey-blue charcoal glides softly over paper, blends and smudges easily, and can be erased and drawn over repeatedly without difficulty. This makes it useful for first drafts, portraits and landscapes, as you can correct mistakes and soften transitions. The sticks are grease-free and oil-free and give a bluish-black line.

Working with natural drawing charcoal

Start with loose, light lines to lay out proportions and composition. Because the charcoal can be erased, you can change this first layout easily later on. Build up areas and shadows with the long side of the stick and blend them with a finger, a blending stump or a cloth to create soft transitions. Add strong accents at the end with the tip and a little more pressure. As the charcoal can be drawn over, it is also usable for an underdrawing beneath later layers of colour. A finished charcoal drawing remains sensitive to touch; a fixative makes it more smudge-resistant.

Which size suits your subject?

With Ø 3–6 mm you draw finer lines, details and smaller formats more precisely than with thicker sticks. For large areas and broad, soft shadows, the range offers other sizes: Ø 5–8 mm, Ø 6–11 mm and Ø 9–15 mm. If you like to switch between detail and large areas, combine a thin and a thick size.

Faber-Castell PITT drawing charcoal Ø 3–6 mm product details

• Manufacturer: Faber-Castell, PITT natural drawing charcoal series
• Size: Ø 3–6 mm
• Contents: 20 sticks
• Colour: bluish-black line
• Properties: grease-free and oil-free, blendable, erasable, can be drawn over

You will also need: drawing paper with some texture; a fixative to preserve the finished drawing.