Review: Wolff Carbon Pencils

Here's another Carbon Pencil review! You might want to compare this review to my review of the Staedtler Mars Lumograph Black carbon pencils, because they are similar and yet so different.
I'm still more of a fan of graphite over carbon, but I'm certainly happy to have carbon pencils in place of the way too crumbly charcoal pencils!
To purchase the Wolff Carbon Pencils click the link below
amzn.to/2HBVrfl
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I have no relationship with the manufacturers/dealers of this product, I just have experience using it in my artwork/teaching.
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[@fangchick93]

I love carbon pencils because they are a perfect fusion of graphite and charcoal. They have the matte look and darkness of charcoal, but they don't have all that dust that makes charcoal so bad for asthmatics.
And the Strathmore lumograph black pencils are awesome.

[@Lzmstudio]

I’m glad you’ve found your fave!! I just love the warmth of graphite vs the coolness of a charcoal black. The heart wants what it wants 😍!

[@PeterQuentercrimsonbamboo]

From what I (vaguely?) remember reading from Staedler, yes, the difference between the blues and blacks is mainly the *proportion* of graphite:carbon in the two series -

[@Lzmstudio]

Yes, as per Staedtler data sheets they sent me when I emailed them, the Mars Lumograph Black have graphite, clay and carbon in them and the Mars Lumograph only have graphite and clay in them.

[@Amonny]

Try those carbon pencils on some smoother paper ;)

[@Lzmstudio]

I don't love smooth paper, but yeah, the carbon might look nice on paper with less tooth!

[@valeroarts5080]

I love both. However the Wolff's are carbon pencils, while the Staedtler Lumograph Black are a mix, with some graphite, and carbon. However, I also prefer the Staedtler, as they are far more robust & much much easier to sharpen. Carbon pencils, like charcoal pencils, are far too fragile (and I am incredibly heavy handed- am working on it). I have a heck of time sharpening these pencils. The Staedtler Blacks works well with the graphite pencils also, so I use them a lot in all my graphite pencil work. Great videos BTW.

[@Lzmstudio]

Thanks! My understanding is that there are Steadtler Black which are carbon and Staedtler Mars Lumograph which are the mix of carbon and graphite. It is a confusing issue, but I wrote the company and they sent me their official product data sheets that explain what is in each pencil - so I could be sure I wasn't spreading misinformation. You might find you can sharpen the charcoal and carbon pencils more easily with less breakage if you use a handheld sharpener- but if the blade is dull- which they commonly are after just a few uses- they will always break a soft pencil of any kind. Try the KUM longpoint sharpener for best results, or the Xacto bulldog vacuum mount (my favorite).

[@valeroarts5080]

I agree this all gets a bit confusing, I think Staedtler reformulated their Mars Lumograph 7B, 8B. The Mars Lumograph Black series have become my favorite pencils to use since I love the rich blacks it provides. I have the KUM longpoint, but I still have issues sharpening the Wolff pencils, and charcoal pencils. I will definitely try the Xacto bulldog vacuum mount. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@Lzmstudio]

Yeah the wolff pencils might be too soft for many sharpeners... the softer something is the more difficult it is to sharpen without crushing.

[@sarojkhan7525]

Why is it so expensive?

[@Lzmstudio]

I think this podcast perfectly illustrates why pencils are so expensive- the ingredients come from all over the world, using complex technologies to mine/harvest (ie the "lead" from a pencil includes graphite, paraffin wax, candelilla wax, clay, water & some kind of binder - the different elements from sri lanka, mexico, china, belgium, etc. just to create this one part- the graphite core). We are actually quite lucky to live during a time when pencils are so affordable. freakonomics.com/podcast/i-pencil/

[@emadmoussa2576]

Curious, can you mix carbon with Charcoal?

[@Lzmstudio]

Hmm, that is a great question! I'm guessing yes, but won't be near my supplies until later today or tomorrow. The carbon *should* compress the tooth of the paper more than the charcoal so it might limit the mixing a bit. However they are more similar in how they lay on the tooth of the paper, so it should work some. I'll experiment both ways and report back. I'm guessing will be easier than mixing charcoal and graphite, though!

[@emadmoussa2576]

@@Lzmstudio Thank you!

[@emadmoussa2576]

@@Lzmstudio I managed to get hold of this set. This is my first experience with carbon pencils. I frankly don't feel they're that different from Charcoal, at least the 4b and 6b. They have the consistency and effect of hard charcoal, but in hand feel like graphite. I think I like them. And yes, they blend well with charcoal. You could probably do the under-drawing with them first and then enhance the final result with charcoal. Unless of course you start off with the tone and shades before defining the shape - which I usually do. In this case, because they're hard, can be used for small details. I probably need to fiddle a bit more to develop a better feel of them.

[@Lzmstudio]

Emad Moussa I’m glad you tried them with charcoal! I thought you had asked about how they combine with graphite and as I suspected - just like how charcoal and graphite combine- you can use graphite over the carbon pencils but CAN’T use carbon over graphite pencils! Sorry for delayed reply- I was fighting off a cold right before the new year so I didn’t make it into the studio for a few days! Hope you’re well!

[@emadmoussa2576]

@@Lzmstudio Happy new year, and I hope you better now. Oh my, graphite and I aren't good friends, I'm afraid. I think probably because I scribbled most of my life with ink, I got more comfortable with darker, more daring lines. This is probably why I'm happier making a mess with charcoal. And don't get me started on graphite sheen!! ;) Have you ever tried Conte a Paris sepia, sanguine, and the rest of the group?

[@javedakhtar7476]

My pencil is not smoot 😁

[@Lzmstudio]

I’m guessing you mean smooth? It could be the paper is rough, your mark making/application is rough (this is common!) or the surface you have the paper resting on is rough and makes impressions in the paper as you draw? Try to figure out the source of the roughness to work towards solving that problem?