How to Choose a Charcoal Pencil

Charcoal pencils come in all different types and flavors ( don't eat them though). Here is a selection of my favorites and some descriptions as to why these are my "go-to's"!
I am not sponsored by any of these charcoal pencil brands and my opinions are completely my own, and just that, opinions.

[@Wilson83192]

You are the only person besides me that I've seen use or even talk about the Primo charcoal pencil's. They are the main one's I use.

[@JosephPGerges]

They def have their place 😊

[@JosephPGerges]

Conte are probably the strongest of the three, don’t break often really- unless in shipment something happens. It’s the number, 2b or b, that are strong. If higher in number, they may break because they get softer. But that’s any charcoal pencil really.

[@im2bz2bcn]

The cont’e you have is an oil pencil, that’s why it doesn’t erase all the way but it is wonderful and dark

[@deeeeeeeeeeeeeeee]

Is there any pragmatic design in this metal tip of general’s carbon sketch? I mean how I suppose to use that tip?

[@mattm7426]

Thanks for the tips!

[@JosephPGerges]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@KenseiAo]

I’m mainly looking for something super dark that doesn’t reflect light like graphite pencils

[@JosephPGerges]

Conte or primo or generals charcoals darker than hb all work

[@stephanieannaolson6316]

When you're sketching with charcoal, which type of sketchbook do you use?

[@JosephPGerges]

I’d probably go with a moleskin, the goal is to get smooth paper, not rough, and I’d stick to hard pencils like the wolfs carbon hb or b so the tone doesn’t smudge onto the adjacent pages.

[@stephanieannaolson6316]

@@JosephPGerges thank you 🙏🏻

[@greekveteran2715]

Have you tried the Faber Castell charcoal? Are they in the same league as Generals, better maybe worse than them? Thanks in advance

[@JosephPGerges]

Yep, I like them a lot. Only problem I’ve noticed is that the colored charcoals they carry can be inconsistent and sometimes have problems marking on certain types of papers. The blacks are nice and smooth overall. I’d place them pretty high on the scale of high end charcoals. I’m not a fan of generals charcoals as they leave too much of a mark behind but it’s been a while since I’ve picked them up so I’ll give them another try.

[@greekveteran2715]

@@JosephPGerges You saved me some money,thanks! I was ready to order the Generals charcoal set (which is very expensive here) Mostly to get the white pencil that comes with, but instead, I'll order only the 2 white General charcoals, and stick with the Faber Castell black I already own!! Thanks again!!

[@silpidraw6919]

Conte is really nice👌

[@cohencohen54]

Pierre Noir pronounced like Noo R.