Drawing charcoal is the oldest drawing material in the world. It can be easily smudged or blended, is easy to correct, and can be painted over repeatedly. The old masters were already fascinated by its bluish hue in strokes. In contrast, the black charcoal appears significantly darker in strokes. Crushed drawing charcoal, combined with soot and clay, gives the black charcoal its deep black color and allows for differentiation into various hardness levels.
Drawing charcoal is the oldest drawing material in the world. It can be easily smudged or blended, is easy to correct, and can be painted over repeatedly. The old masters were already fascinated by its bluish hue in strokes. In contrast, the black charcoal appears significantly darker in strokes. Crushed drawing charcoal, combined with soot and clay, gives the black charcoal its deep black color and allows for differentiation into various hardness levels.
Drawing charcoal is the oldest drawing material in the world. It can be easily smudged or blended, is easy to correct, and can be painted over repeatedly. The old masters were already fascinated by its bluish hue in strokes. In contrast, the black charcoal appears significantly darker in strokes. Crushed drawing charcoal, combined with soot and clay, gives the black charcoal its deep black color and allows for differentiation into various hardness levels.
Drawing charcoal is the oldest drawing material in the world. It can be easily smudged or blended, is easy to correct, and can be painted over repeatedly. The old masters were already fascinated by its bluish hue in strokes. In contrast, the black charcoal appears significantly darker in strokes. Crushed drawing charcoal, combined with soot and clay, gives the black charcoal its deep black color and allows for differentiation into various hardness levels.
Last updated at 06/13/2026 02:54:54
Faber Pitt Charcoal Compressed Extra Soft Pack 3
Delivery $9.90
Faber-Castell Compressed Charcoal Extra Soft 3 Pack
Delivery by Wed $5
Faber-Castell Compressed Charcoal Extra Soft 3 Pack
Delivery between 16–25 June $7.95
originally posted on dickblick.com
Every piece came broken but I kind of expected it. Other than that they work very well.
originally posted on dickblick.com
I usually get Conte compressed charcoal, but they come in only packs of 12 here. Budget didn't allow me to go whole hog on those, so I decided to try the Faber-Castells, and I'm glad I did! (Price-wise PER stick, these are a bit less than the Conte. Neither brand is cheap, but the quality is obvious.)I do gestural and mixed media drawings, using compressed charcoals both dry and wet (for washes or by dipping the stick in water to create "inky" lines), and prefer the darkest black available. Faber-Castell's "extra-soft" really delivers! Dry, they lay down rich, deep lines that are easily blendable, and you can achieve smooth strokes or more textured lines by varying the pressure of your application. Dipping the tip of the stick into water (or applying to a wet ... MoreI usually get Conte compressed charcoal, but they come in only packs of 12 here. Budget didn't allow me to go whole hog on those, so I decided to try the Faber-Castells, and I'm glad I did! (Price-wise PER stick, these are a bit less than the Conte. Neither brand is cheap, but the quality is obvious.)I do gestural and mixed media drawings, using compressed charcoals both dry and wet (for washes or by dipping the stick in water to create "inky" lines), and prefer the darkest black available. Faber-Castell's "extra-soft" really delivers! Dry, they lay down rich, deep lines that are easily blendable, and you can achieve smooth strokes or more textured lines by varying the pressure of your application. Dipping the tip of the stick into water (or applying to a wet surface) creates the most beautiful, blackest black.The "extra-soft" is true to their name, as they do wear down quickly and will crumble or break with more aggressive use. I'm back to buy the "soft" and "medium," which I hope won't be as delicate. (This is where the Conte compressed charcoal #3B has a slight advantage: sturdier.)
originally posted on dickblick.com
They are nice to use, use it for my darkest values.
| Dimensions | 21.1 x 5.1 x 2 centimetres (0.01 kg) |
Faber Pitt Charcoal Compressed Extra Soft Pack 3
Delivery $9.90
Faber-Castell Compressed Charcoal Extra Soft 3 Pack
Delivery by Wed $5
Faber-Castell Compressed Charcoal Extra Soft 3 Pack
Delivery between 16–25 June $7.95
Every piece came broken but I kind of expected it. Other than that they work very well.
I usually get Conte compressed charcoal, but they come in only packs of 12 here. Budget didn't allow me to go whole hog on those, so I decided to try the Faber-Castells, and I'm glad I did! (Price-wise PER stick, these are a bit less than the Conte. Neither brand is cheap, but the quality is obvious.)I do gestural and mixed media drawings, using compressed charcoals both dry and wet (for washes or by dipping the stick in water to create "inky" lines), and prefer the darkest black available. Faber-Castell's "extra-soft" really delivers! Dry, they lay down rich, deep lines that are easily blendable, and you can achieve smooth strokes or more textured lines by varying the pressure of your application. Dipping the tip of the stick into water (or applying to a wet ... MoreI usually get Conte compressed charcoal, but they come in only packs of 12 here. Budget didn't allow me to go whole hog on those, so I decided to try the Faber-Castells, and I'm glad I did! (Price-wise PER stick, these are a bit less than the Conte. Neither brand is cheap, but the quality is obvious.)I do gestural and mixed media drawings, using compressed charcoals both dry and wet (for washes or by dipping the stick in water to create "inky" lines), and prefer the darkest black available. Faber-Castell's "extra-soft" really delivers! Dry, they lay down rich, deep lines that are easily blendable, and you can achieve smooth strokes or more textured lines by varying the pressure of your application. Dipping the tip of the stick into water (or applying to a wet surface) creates the most beautiful, blackest black.The "extra-soft" is true to their name, as they do wear down quickly and will crumble or break with more aggressive use. I'm back to buy the "soft" and "medium," which I hope won't be as delicate. (This is where the Conte compressed charcoal #3B has a slight advantage: sturdier.)
They are nice to use, use it for my darkest values.
Wish there were more in a pack but great
The charcoal I purchased is of great quality and for the price, it is more than reasonable. A specific product I will encourage other people to buy and I know I will continue to buy this item indefinitely.
Love this charcoal, it gets a lot blacker than the General's compressed charcoal and feels smoother. It also has a slightly warmer tone.#sweepstakes
I just purchased several different brands of compressed charcoal in my search for a bold and expressive one, and the Faber-Castell soft and extra soft are by far one of my favorites. It produces some of the smoothest and deepest blacks (not dark grey which some brands are) which is perfect for bold charcoal sketches I have been working on. This is definitely one I will order more of in the future!
First time using charcoal sticks and I fell in love with these! Perfect for filling in large spaces and versatility in its value with the right pressure applied. Can get very dark tones from it and it blend beautifully!#sweepstakes
I use this product for my art class and its amazing. I have never drawn using this type of charcoal before but making gestures with these are so fun.
I use compressed charcoal on edge to create sweeps of graduated tones for life drawing. I found the soft grade of faber castel needed lots of pressure to give rich black tones, but didn't wear down as quickly as Jakar, so was easier to hold. The extra soft grade really is soft though, wearing rapidly and breaking up in use too easily. Back to the soft grade.
| Dimensions | 21.1 x 5.1 x 2 centimetres (0.01 kg) |
