Faber-Castell Pitt Charcoal Set, 10 pieces, with Drawing Charcoal

Faber-Castell Pitt Charcoal Set – drawing charcoal, compressed charcoal and kneadable eraser

The Faber-Castell Pitt Charcoal Set (art. no. 112996) contains 10 pieces for charcoal drawing: drawing charcoal, compressed charcoal in different grades and a kneadable eraser. You can sketch spontaneously and work on anything from small to very large areas.

Natural drawing charcoal is considered the oldest drawing material in the world. It is easy to blend and smudge, simple to correct and can be drawn over again and again. The three compressed charcoal sticks in the set make a distinctly blacker line than ordinary drawing charcoal.

Drawing charcoal or compressed charcoal?

Use the natural drawing charcoal sticks, 3–6 mm in diameter, for loose preliminary sketches, hatching and large, softly smudged areas of tone. Compressed charcoal is made of pressed charcoal and gives a much blacker mark; it gets its deep black from soot and clay content. The grades let you vary lines and areas: softer grades leave more black, harder ones draw more finely and with greater control. This way you can place accents and shadows precisely with compressed charcoal and build up the area underneath with drawing charcoal.

How to use it

Start the drawing with drawing charcoal and blend areas with your finger or a blending stump. Then add the deep blacks with compressed charcoal. The kneadable eraser lets you make corrections without roughening the paper: shape it into a point or an edge and lift out highlights by dabbing or gently rolling it, rather than rubbing. When the putty has turned grey, knead it through. Charcoal only sits loosely on the paper, so protect the finished drawing with fixative.

Faber-Castell Pitt Charcoal Set, 10 pieces, product details

• Manufacturer: Faber-Castell, Pitt Charcoal range, art. no. 112996
• Contents: 10 pieces
• 2 charcoal pencils (soft, medium)
• 4 natural drawing charcoal sticks, Ø 3–6 mm
• 3 compressed charcoal sticks (extra soft, soft, medium)
• 1 Art Eraser kneadable eraser

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