Interested in adding some flair your next art project?
Charcoal pencils are perfect for shading and adding depth to your sketches and drawings.
They are also a great way to get your drawing started, and in this article we will be discussing the best charcoal pencils available.
You should consider using them in your next art project!
With their versatile nature, you can create some amazing pieces of art full of depth with charcoal pencils.
Keep reading so you can start browsing our selection of top picks to find the best set for you!
How We Choose Our Selections
It can be hard to find good quality drawing tools, especially if you're not sure what to look for.
Not all charcoal pencils are created equal.
Some sets are lacking and will frustrate you.
We've done the hard work for you, reading thousands of reviews, and have found the best charcoal pencils on Amazon.
Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist, we've got the perfect set of charcoal pencils for you.
Why We Love It
Looking for a professional charcoal pencil set that includes all the essentials?
Look no further than Markart!
This ten-piece set includes soft, medium, and hard pencils, so you can achieve any look you want.
Since they're less messy than traditional charcoal, they're great for all skill levels.
Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned artist, Markart has the perfect charcoal pencils for you.
What You Should Know
If you're looking for a great, eco-friendly and nontoxic charcoal pencil set, then you'll want to check out Markart's charcoal pencils.
Made from the highest quality clay and wood, these pencils are smooth and easy to sharpen, making them perfect for scratch-free drawing.
Know you can create endless possibilities with these highly pigmented pencils.
Since they're an Amazon's Choice product, you know you're getting quality.
If you're looking for a great gift idea (or just want to treat yourself), then be sure to check out Markart's charcoal pencils.
Why We Love It
Seeking for a charcoal pencil set that has everything you need to get started sketching, blending, and shading?
Look no further than General’s pencils!
This set comes with five different art supplies: three charcoal pencils in black, one white charcoal pencil, and a kneaded eraser.
The black charcoal pencils come as 2B, 4B, and 6B grade pencils.
The white charcoal pencil works great for highlights, and the kneaded eraser is great for removing charcoal from your drawings.
This set is perfect for anyone who wants to get into sketching or those who are already seasoned artists.
What You Should Know
These charcoal pencil sets are a great choice for artists of all levels.
They are easy to use and produce rich, dark lines that are perfect for sketching and charcoal drawing.
General's charcoal pencil set is made with high-quality materials that are nontoxic and PVC free.
This set is prouldly made in the US and is an economical choice for any art student.
The charcoal pencils are easy to sharpen and produce consistent lines that are perfect for sketching and charcoal drawing.
The kneaded eraser is soft and pliable, making it perfect for erasing charcoal lines without damaging the paper.
Overall, this is an excellent charcoal pencil set that is perfect for artists of all levels.
Best of all, this awesome set is an Amazon’s Choice product, so know you’re getting a quality charcoal pencil set, so pick up a General pencil set.
Why We Love It
Galart Supplies provides a great set of charcoal pencils!
These are easy-to-sharpen, and they are strong, pure, compressed charcoal pencils.
This complete charcoal set comes with twelve pencils, including five soft pencils, four medium pencils, two hard pencils, and one soft, white pencil.
Pre-sharpened and ready to use, these are great for individuals, both beginner and professional artist.
What You Should Know
If you're looking for a charcoal pencil set that will help you create beautiful works of art, then you'll want to check out the Galart Supplies' charcoal pencil set.
This Amazon's Choice product is made with high-quality basewood and features a sleek, ergonomic design that is comfortable to hold.
The set includes a white charcoal pencil for adding highlights, as well as soft charcoal pencils for creating deep shadows.
The pencils are also lightweight and waterproof, making them perfect for artists of all levels.
If you're ready to take your art to the next level, be sure to order the Galart Supplies' charcoal pencil set today.
Best Charcoal Pencils Toned Charcoal Drawing Set
Markart Charcoal Pencils with Colors
Why We Love It
Want a professional-grade charcoal pencil set that will help you take your sketches and drawings to the next level?
Markart’s charcoal pencil set has you covered.
This set features ten charcoal pencils in a variety of hues, including white, brown, suntan, and black.
With three different softness levels of black pencils (three soft, a medium, and one hard charcoal pencil), you’ll have everything you need to create detailed and nuanced sketches.
Plus, the inclusion of earth tones like brown and suntan makes this set ideal for those who want to experiment with different shading and blending techniques.
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned artist, working at home, in the studio, or in art classes, this charcoal pencil set is sure to take your artwork to new heights.
What You Should Know
This Amazon's Choice charcoal pencil set is nontoxic, eco-friendly, highly pigmented, and smooth.
These charcoal pencils are made from the highest quality clay and wood for scratch-free creating.
These pencils are easy to sharpen and allow endless possibilities, making them perfect gifts.
These charcoal pencils have a wide variety of uses such as drawing, sketching, shading, and blending to create beautiful works of art.
They are also great for erasing unwanted lines or smudging to create a softer effect.
This set is an excellent choice for those who want the highest quality product that is also eco-friendly and nontoxic.
Why We Love It
Searching for a high-quality set of charcoal pencils that will add some pizzazz to your artwork?
Look no further than Pandafly's charcoal pencil set!
Other brands lack a wide color selection, but these pencils come in 12 vibrant colors, including popular skin and hair hues, so you can create stunning portraits.
They're also perfect for drawing, sketching, coloring, illustrating, and crafting.
Plus, they make great gifts!
Let your imagination run wild with Pandafly's charcoal pencils.
What You Should Know
Pandafly charcoal pencils are an excellent choice for artists who are looking for rich, high-quality pigments and smooth, even color application.
The charcoal pencils blend, shade, and layer effortlessly, and they are also eco-friendly and nontoxic.
Pandyfly takes customer satisfaction very seriously, which is why the company only uses the finest quality materials to make its charcoal pencils.
The charcoal pencils are also ASTM certified.
So, if you're looking for a high-quality set of charcoal pencils that will add some pizzazz to your artwork, be sure to check out Pandafly's charcoal pencils today.
Charcoal Pencils FAQs
When it comes to charcoal pencils, there are a lot of questions that people have.
A lot of people don't know how to use charcoal pencils or what they're for.
Charcoal as a medium tends to be rather messy, so people can by association become intimidated by charcoal pencils.
We've put together a list of the most frequently asked questions about charcoal pencils so that you can learn everything you need to know before you make your purchase.
Are charcoal pencils good for sketching and drawing?
This all depends on what you personally are looking for in a drawing pencil.
There are a wide variety of drawing pencils, including graphite, pastel, watercolor, and colored pencil to name a few.
However, many artists find that charcoal pencils are great for sketching and drawing because of their wide range of tones and their smudge-resistant properties.
Charcoal pencils also tend to be quite affordable, so they are a good option if you are just starting out with sketching and drawing.
Are charcoal pencils or charcoal sticks better for drawing?
Overall, it depends on artist preference which you want to add to your art supply kit.
Artist charcoal can be found in the form of compressed charcoal sticks, vine charcoal, charcoal pencils, and even a charcoal drawing set.
If you want less smudges and cleaner, thin lines, charcoal pencils are the better option.
They're also great for comics or if you need a softer touch.
But if you want more fluidity in your strokes and a wider range of tones, then charcoal sticks are better.
Artist who want to experiment more with shading could go for willow sticks or vine charcoal sticks since they offer type of marks.
It really comes down to what you feel more comfortable using and what project you're working on.
If smudging isn't an issue and you like being able to push harder for darker lines, then use whatever type of charcoal makes you happy!
Are charcoal pencils good for beginners?
Yes, charcoal pencils are a good choice for beginners because they are easy to use and produce a nice, dark line.
They are also relatively inexpensive, which makes them a good option for artists who are just starting out.
Most that you find in sets are black charcoal pencils, but you can also find white or colored charcoal pencils.
These pencils are generally preferred over compressed charcoals because they are less messy when used.
The best charcoal pencils for beginners are usually the ones that come in a set.
This is because they come with a variety of softness levels and tones, so you can experiment and find the ones that work best for you.
When it comes to finding the best charcoal pencils, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
First, you need to decide what type of drawings you want to do.
Are you looking for something that is smudge-resistant?
Do you want something that is easy to use?
Do you need a wide range of tones?
Once you know what you want, you can start looking at different brands and sets of charcoal pencils.
There are a lot of great options out there, so take your time and find the ones that are right for you.
What are the grades of charcoal pencils?
The grades of charcoal pencils vary depending on the brand and quality of the pencil.
Usually, there are three main grades: soft, medium, and hard.
Soft charcoal pencils are great for blending and sketching, while harder pencils are better for precision work.
Medium charcoal pencils obviously would fall in the middle of soft and hard pencils.
Some brands also offer extra-soft or extra-hard charcoal pencils for artists who prefer those options.
So, keep an eye out for the sets with the grade range you prefer.
What is the difference between soft and hard charcoal?
There are two main types of charcoal pencils available on the market: soft and hard.
Both have their own unique benefits that can make them better suited for different types of drawings or artists.
Soft charcoal pencils are great for creating quick sketches or editorial cartoons.
They produce a softer, more smudged look that can be very expressive and versatile.
Hard charcoal pencils are perfect for serious drawings or illustrations where clean lines and sharp details are important.
Some artists prefer to use a combination of both soft and hard charcoal pencils to get the best of both worlds.
Which type of charcoal pencil is right for you depends on your individual drawing style and what you’re trying to achieve with your artwork.
Experiment with both to see what works best for you.
Are carbon and charcoal pencils the same?
The simple answer is no, they are not the same.
While they are both types of pencils, their cores differ.
Carbon pencils have a core made of graphite or other carbon-based materials, while charcoal pencils have a core made of charred wood.
The type of core material affects both the appearance and performance of the pencil.
Charcoal pencils tend to be smudge-resistant and produce darker lines than graphite lead pencils.
They are often used for sketching and for creating value studies (shading to show different levels of darkness).
Charcoal is also favored by some artists for its ability to produce a range of value from very light to much darker tones.
Carbon pencils, on the other hand, are perfect for detailed drawings or for any type of work where clean, precise, thin lines are important.
They also tend to be less messy than charcoal pencils, which is another advantage.
Carbon pencils also tend to be less expensive than charcoal pencils.
So, which should you choose?
It really depends on your individual needs and preferences as an artist.
If you’re just starting out, you may want to experiment with both types of pencils to see which you prefer.
Or, you may want to stick with one type or the other depending on the type of drawings you do most often.
No matter what type of charcoal pencil you choose, be bold and experiment with different techniques to see what you can create!
Are charcoal or graphite pencils better?
Both types of pencils are great drawing tools.
At the end of the day, the best pencil form depends on what you want to accomplish with these drawing tools.
There seems to be a general consensus that charcoal pencils are better for drawing when it comes to creating a richer, darker values and lines than other pencils.
Charcoal pencils are also great for achieving detailed gestural drawings.
Traditional drawing pencils, on the other hand, make a lighter line and can be used for both writing and drawing.
However, some artists prefer to use this pencil form because of their familiarity and former experience with the medium.
It really comes down to personal preference in the end.
The best way to find out is to experiment with both types of pencils and see which you prefer.
How do you blend with charcoal pencils?
To blend with charcoal pencils, you can use blending stumps, tortillions, tissues, your finger, or other blending tools.
First, identify the area that you want to blend.
Then, take your blending tool, like a blending stump, and rub it back and forth.
Make sure to keep the blending tool clean, so that it picks up more pigment.
Experiment with different tools to see which is the best fit for you!
What are charcoal pencil drawing techniques?
There are a few charcoal pencil drawing techniques that can help you create beautiful pieces of art.
Here are a few of them:
1. The hatching technique: This involves drawing parallel lines close to one another to create a tonal effect.
You can use this technique to create light and dark areas in your drawing.
2. Cross-hatching: This is similar to the hatching technique, but you draw perpendicular lines instead of parallel lines.
This will create a more varied tonal effect in your drawing.
3. Scratching: This is a simple technique that involves scratching away the charcoal with an implement such as a sharpened stick or wire wool.
This will create highlights and shadows in your drawing.
Experiment with these techniques or any others you enjoy and see which ones you like best!
What's the best paper for charcoal pencils?
The best paper for charcoal pencils is a heavy-weight, smooth paper, such as a drawing pad, that will allow the charcoal to glide across the surface with ease.
Look for a paper that has a slight tooth to it, as this will help grip the charcoal and prevent smudging.
Dark or light-colored papers can be used for charcoal drawings, but lighter papers will help show off the range of values that can be achieved with your pencils.
Darker papers are great for white charcoal pencils.
Experiment until you find a paper that works well for you and gives you the results you’re looking for.
The Best Charcoal Pencils for You
So, what charcoal pencil set should you buy?
After hours of research reading thousands of Amazon reviews, we’ve found the top picks for all artist levels.
Whether you're just starting out, only looking to dabble, or are a professional on the next best addition to your art supplies, there is a set perfect for your needs!
Hopefully, our findings have given you what you need to make an informed decision to walk away a happy shopper!
Whichever set you choose, we hope you have blast creating bold art with charcoal pencils!
Don't forget to tap the button to check Amazon for the best prices on charcoal pencils!
Thanks for reading and stay creative while exploring charcoal creations!
Need help getting started? Check out Kirsty Partridge Art's guide on how to draw with charcoal!
If you'd like to see artwork I've made, you can find some at Redbubble, TeePublic, and TeeSpring.
And if you'd like to listen while working on art, like I do, you can get a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime Music or Two Free Audiobooks from Audible Plus!
I love listening to a great book and awesome music while drawing and creating!
Plus, if you want to take advantage of 2-day shipping, get a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime, or if you want to take advantage of down time, get a free 30-day trial of Prime Video!
Enjoy drawing and looking for more art supplies?
Check out our other drawing supply articles:
