How do you sharpen charcoal pencils?

With a craft knife or a manual sharpener, turning gently. Electric sharpeners often break the cores.

Which charcoal pencil grade should I start with?

Use hard for light layout lines and medium for mid-tones, then add soft for the deepest shadows. This set has 2 hard, 3 medium and 5 soft.

Do I need fixative for charcoal pencil drawings?

Charcoal smudges easily, so a spray fixative is the usual way to protect a finished drawing.

Are charcoal pencils better than charcoal sticks?

They suit different jobs. A pencil gives a sharpened point for detail and portraits. Sticks such as the PANDAFLY set have flat sides meant for shading large areas quickly.

Are MARKART charcoal pencils safe for kids and classrooms?

MARKART lists them as safe and non-toxic and calls them fantastic for the school classroom. The listing does not give an age range, so check it against your class's age before handing them out.

Best charcoal pencils

MARKART

MARKART Charcoal Pencils (10 Pieces)

A set of 10 charcoal pencils in three grades, 5 soft, 3 medium and 2 hard, for sketching, detailing, shading and blending on paper.

Best for: Artists drawing figures, portraits and still life in charcoal

Pencils: 10
Grades: 5 soft, 3 medium, 2 hard
Type: Compressed charcoal
Safety: Non-toxic

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Buy it if

You want charcoal in pencil form, with a sharpened point for detail and an angled side for broad strokes
You draw portraits, figures or still life and want three grades for light, mid and dark values
You want a set the listing calls non-toxic and suggests for the school classroom

Skip it if

You mostly need hard grades. The set is weighted to soft, with only 2 hard pencils
You want to cover big areas fast. Charcoal sticks, such as the PANDAFLY Compressed Charcoal Sticks, fill space quicker

What the MARKART Charcoal Pencils (10 Pieces) is

The MARKART Charcoal Pencils set is 10 charcoal pencils in three grades: 5 soft, 3 medium and 2 hard. MARKART calls it a professional charcoal drawing kit for detailing, sketching, shading and blending on paper and in sketchbooks.

The listing describes the cores as super pigmented, smooth, break resistant and easy to sharpen and erase. Sharpen a pencil to a point for fine detail, or hold it at an angle for broad strokes.

Key features, explained

Based on the manufacturer's Amazon listing.

Three grades in one box
You get 5 soft, 3 medium and 2 hard pencils. Hard makes light, crisp layout lines, medium builds mid-tones and soft gives the deepest shadows.
Point for detail, side for shading
Use the sharpened tip for fine lines such as eyelashes or hair, or tilt the pencil and use the side of the core for soft, broad strokes.
Break resistant cores
MARKART says the cores are extra smooth, break resistant and easy to sharpen, and that none arrive cracked.
Layers, blends and erases
The listing says the pencils layer nicely, suit blending and are easy to erase, which helps when you are still learning to judge values.
Non-toxic
MARKART lists the set as non-toxic, and it describes the pencils as suitable for the school classroom.

MARKART Charcoal Pencils (10 Pieces) specifications

Type: Charcoal pencils
Count: 10 pencils
Grades: 5 soft, 3 medium, 2 hard
Best uses: Detailing, sketching, shading, blending
Subjects: Figure, portrait and still life drawing
Safety: Non-toxic
Color: Black
Model: M6682
Warranty: 2 year manufacturer

Who the MARKART Charcoal Pencils (10 Pieces) suits

Beginners moving from graphite to charcoal. The pencil form works like any sharpened pencil, and three grades make it easy to practise building values from light to dark.
Portrait and figure artists. The sharpened tip handles features and edges, while the soft grades lay in shadows.
Art classes. MARKART lists the set as non-toxic and calls it fantastic for the school classroom.

Look elsewhere if: you want highlights on toned paper. The MARKART White Charcoal Pencils are made for light marks on gray, tan or black paper.

MARKART Charcoal Pencils (10 Pieces) vs similar picks

Spec	MARKART Charcoal Pencils (10 Pieces)	PANDAFLY Compressed Charcoal Sticks (12)	Brusarth Charcoal Pencils (6)
Count	10 pencils	12 sticks	6 pencils
Grades	5 soft, 3 medium, 2 hard	4 soft, 4 medium, 4 hard	Extra soft, soft, medium, hard
Type	Charcoal pencil	Compressed	Charcoal pencil
Safety	Non-toxic	Non-toxic	Listed as safe
Choose it for	Controlled charcoal in pencil form	Broad strokes and big value studies	An extra soft grade for the darkest darks

MARKART Charcoal Pencils (10 Pieces)
Count
10 pencils
Grades
5 soft, 3 medium, 2 hard
Type
Charcoal pencil
Safety
Non-toxic
Choose it for: Controlled charcoal in pencil form
PANDAFLY Compressed Charcoal Sticks (12)
Count
12 sticks
Grades
4 soft, 4 medium, 4 hard
Type
Compressed
Safety
Non-toxic
Choose it for: Broad strokes and big value studies
Brusarth Charcoal Pencils (6)
Count
6 pencils
Grades
Extra soft, soft, medium, hard
Type
Charcoal pencil
Safety
Listed as safe
Choose it for: An extra soft grade for the darkest darks

Before you buy

Sharpen with a craft knife or a manual sharpener, turning gently. Electric sharpeners often snap charcoal cores.
Charcoal smudges easily, so plan on a spray fixative to protect finished drawings.
Paper with some tooth, such as drawing or charcoal paper, holds charcoal better than smooth paper.
Most of the set is soft grade, so work light to dark and save the soft pencils for the final shadows.

Frequently asked questions about the MARKART Charcoal Pencils (10 Pieces)

How do you sharpen charcoal pencils?: With a craft knife or a manual sharpener, turning gently. Electric sharpeners often break the cores.
Which charcoal pencil grade should I start with?: Use hard for light layout lines and medium for mid-tones, then add soft for the deepest shadows. This set has 2 hard, 3 medium and 5 soft.
Do I need fixative for charcoal pencil drawings?: Charcoal smudges easily, so a spray fixative is the usual way to protect a finished drawing.
Are charcoal pencils better than charcoal sticks?: They suit different jobs. A pencil gives a sharpened point for detail and portraits. Sticks such as the PANDAFLY set have flat sides meant for shading large areas quickly.
Are MARKART charcoal pencils safe for kids and classrooms?: MARKART lists them as safe and non-toxic and calls them fantastic for the school classroom. The listing does not give an age range, so check it against your class's age before handing them out.