Create richer greys and more contrast between light and dark by layering and using a broad selection of pencil grades.

Hi Peter, Derwent’s inktense outliner pencil is waterproof and I think it would work really well for you. While our modern graphite sticks are fairly new, graphite was originally sold in pieces for marking stone and sheep. Their edges can be used for line work, or you can turn them on their side to easily shade large areas with rapid, broad strokes. Water soluble graphite sticks can be used both wet and dry, you can also use them like a watercolour meaning once you have drawn your art piece you can then go over it with water on a paint brush giving the piece a watercolour effect, this will give a painterly feel without using actual paint. Derwent Tinted Charcoal is sold in pencil format – allowing you to enjoy the natural properties of charcoal while adding a subtle hint of colour to your work.Sealing charcoal and softer grades of graphite is a good idea, I’d recommend using an acrylic based spray varnish. The tin also has a recessed reservoir which allows to you to control the amount of charcoal you tip from the tin.

Hi Dlamini, I imagine charcoal will be cheaper to source as a raw material however it’s harder to handle during manufacture.In her own work her focus lies in experimentation, and unearthing the true potential of the materials she works with. Carbon pencils are sometimes mentioned in the same breath as charcoal products, however these are made of a different form of carbon than either charcoal or graphite. Another alternative is to apply using a tissue or a small piece of leather all these methods will give the work you create a completely different texture. This leads to the incomplete combustion of the material and production of the form of carbon we know as charcoal. Tints and wash effects can be created with the water-soluble version, Koh-I-Noor Progresso Aquarelle.

Those who had to share their workspace with these monsters couldn't believe the answer was so simple. Choose traditional graphite sticks, jumbo graphite sticks, graphite crayons, and watersoluble graphite blocks with hints of color that can be used dry or wet to add splashes of color to your sketches. Be aware however the more you rub it the shiny and ‘polished’ the whole surface will become as it buffs the particles. If you’re working on a small scale then the precision tip of a pencil is more suitable for rendering small details. This lack of uniformity also causes it to be very fragile and fracture oddly on a molecular level, resulting in a dusty, crumbly, matt material that gets caught in the tooth of the paper but can be easily wiped away if it is not fixed in some way.

One of the advantages of graphite sticks is you can create broad strokes, rubbings and distinctive dark lines easily. By signing up you agree to Crafty Arts Ltd using your personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Shortly after the discovery of graphite it was clear the amount of naturally occuring graphite was finite leading to people experimenting with combining powdered graphite with gums, resin and glues to extend them. It has better adherence than charcoal (which is more dusty) so you will find you need to use little, if any fixative.

If you are working solely with charcoal, try out as many types as possible to see what types of marks you can achieve with them. This type of charcoal is made with a mixture of powdered charcoal and a binder, which are compressed.Not as soft as Lyra in my opinion (despite the 2B–9B range), it works well with other brands when I need a harder mark. Beginners may find it useful to weigh up the pros and cons of using both drawing materials, before settling on one to start with. wax-based drawing tools- like oil pastels or wax crayons- are waterproof and would act like a resist.