Graphite is probably the cheapest and most easily accessible of all art materials (normally the first thing we reach for when wanting to begin to create art). Ranging from light greys through to darker greys, depending on the pencil’s hardness, and with a slightly shiny finished appearance, I recommend having at least one pencil in your art supplies.
Charcoal is very much like graphite in that it can be applied via pencil or stick, but is likely to be of a more crumbly consistency. It’s finish, unlike graphite, is matt in appearance and a true black application can be achieved.
Colour-tinted Graphite and Charcoal are also available as are Water-soluble ones too. So there’s plenty to choose from, or plenty to be tempted by 😉
Opposite are the basic supplies I recommend if just getting started with graphite or charcoal ➡
Below is a small selection from the graphite & charcoal products I use ⬇
Some of the links on this page are my ArtDiscount and Amazon affiliate links – please feel free to click, browse and shop at no extra cost to you.
Graphite
- Caran d’Ache Grafwood
- Derwent Sketching Pencils, medium range, set of 12
- Pentel Twist-Erase technical pencils 0.5, 0.7 & 0.9 (all HB)
- Caran d’Ache Technalo (water-soluble graphite)
- Faber-Castell Graphite Aquarelle (water-soluble graphite)
- Derwent Graphitint (tinted graphite)
- Derwent water-soluble sketching pencils
- Derwent Pencil Extenders – you’ve paid for those pencils so use every bit.
Charcoal
- Pasler Premium Charcoal – blacks in soft, medium & hard. White charcoal also available.
- Derwent Charcoal Set
- Derwent Tinted Charcoal
- Conte a Paris Charcoal pencil
- Daler Rowney Willow Charcoal
- Coates Willow Charcoal
- Derwent Pencil Extenders – you’ve paid for those pencils so use every bit.
Surfaces
- Strathmore Toned Grey Paper Sketch Paper 80lb
- Strathmore Toned Grey Mixed Media Paper 184lb
- Strathmore Toned Paper 400 Series
- Canson Mi-Teintes Pad 30 sheets 32cm x 41cm – Grey Tones
- Canson Mi-Teintes Pad 30 sheets 32cm x 41cm – Earth Tones
- Daler Ingres Pastel Paper 90g
- SAA Pastel Paper
- Pink Pig Sketchbooks
- Various generic sketchbooks & printer paper
Erasers
Sharpeners
Miscellaneous
- Trace Down Wax Free Tracing Down Paper – available in graphite black or white
- Clairefontaine Glassine Paper – to rest my hand on while working preventing unwanted smudges.
- Blending Tools – an assortment of sizes allowing blending in the tiniest of areas.
- Embossing Tools – perfect for making indentations in the paper for relief work.
- Derwent Pencil Extenders – you’ve paid for those pencils so use every bit.
- Loxley Fixative Spray – tested and recommended
- Winsor & Newton Professional Fixative Spray – tested and recommended
- Angoo compartmented Pencil Case – ideal when you’re on the move.
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