General's Compressed Charcoal Sticks

These are rigid, compressed charcoal sticks for art projects and general sketching. The sticks are sufficiently durable, although you can easily split them if you need to do so. Thankfully, they don't get crushed or pulverized during shipment - at worst, some of the sticks might be split upon arrival. But that's okay since they're just as usable at any length. Note they are pretty messy, however, so you probably want to hold them with a small cloth, unless you don't mind ending up with charcoal all over your fingers. Remember you'll need different levels of hardness depending on the type of project you're doing. You can also buy softer, more malleable charcoal blobs instead of sticks. Sticks are used for making sketches where standard pencil leads might be too soft or too light. For shadowing, you'll probably want to have a paper nub on hand as well. (Not included.) One typically does not need to sharpen charcoal sticks. But if you wear down all the corners, it's simple enough to whittle them with a pocket knife.

My granddaughter asked for pastel pencils. She was thrilled

General has great quality products and that includes this compressed charcoal.

They cover good, but I'm not very skillful with charcoal.

Worked well!

I absolutely love them. Next to the Derwent drawing pencils, although I love all my colored and watercolor pencils, they are some of the most cherished of my supplies. I use them wet and other times dry. I use as a wash base and then use the pencils dry over. Sometimes I use them with other pencils. They work well with watercolor pencils, colored pencils, and can be used as a base that has been blended with water and work pastel over! I have used them on wood boxes and they work good. But if used dry only remember you must spray with a fixative to seal it. As I have the full line of rich colors and they are so bendable I have never done a project in which I felt they lacked a color to get the effect. Of course, they work well with Derwent drawing pencils too. As I live next to the coast I always have in my pencil roll while out, the greens, a few greys, indigo, and the aubergine. They are so buttery and such a joy drawing with.

My mom would buy me these pencils when I was a child as I was always very passionate about art and drawing. I've always loved drawing very detailed portraiture and animals. To this day they're still my all-time favorite pencils. I've tried many other brands but always come back to these. They're an amazing and versitile medium. I just wish they weren't as expensive (even though they're 100% worth the price).

My mom would buy me these pencils when I was a child as I was always very passionate about art and drawing. I've always loved drawing very detailed portraiture and animals. To this day they're still my all-time favorite pencils. I've tried many other brands but always come back to these. They're an amazing and versitile medium. I just wish they weren't as expensive (even though they're 100% worth the price).

I recently purchased a set of charcoal art sticks and have been thoroughly impressed with their performance. As an artist who frequently works with charcoal, I found these sticks to offer great versatility and quality. Quality: The charcoal is soft enough to produce rich lines and deep shadows, yet sturdy enough not to crumble under pressure. The texture allows for smooth application, and the variety of shades within the set covers a broad spectrum from light grays to intense blacks. Use: Whether you're sketching or doing detailed work, these sticks are incredibly responsive. They blend easily, allowing for seamless transitions in shading. I particularly appreciate how they maintain their point with minimal sharpening, which is ideal for creating fine ese charcoal sticks offer great value for money. Given the quality and quantity of sticks in the set, it's a worthwhile investment for both beginners and seasoned artists. Overall Impression: Overall, I highly recommend these charcoal art sticks for anyone looking to add depth and dimension to their drawings. Their quality, ease of use, and affordability make them a staple in my art supplies collection.