What is the difference between compressed and willow charcoal?

Compressed charcoal is bound into dense sticks and makes darker, harder-to-erase marks. Willow charcoal is lighter and easier to lift.

How do I keep my hands clean?

Wrap the stick in a strip of paper or foil, or use a charcoal holder.

What paper works best?

Paper with some tooth, such as drawing or charcoal paper, holds the charcoal better than smooth paper.

Best compressed charcoal

PANDAFLY

PANDAFLY Compressed Charcoal Sticks (12)

12 compressed charcoal sticks in 4 soft, 4 medium and 4 hard. Compressed charcoal gives deep, dense blacks and is ideal for bold value studies and quick sketches.

Best for: Bold value studies, gesture drawing and large drawings

Sticks: 12
Grades: 4 soft, 4 medium, 4 hard
Type: Compressed
Safety: Non-toxic

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What we like

Three hardness levels
Deep, dense blacks
Erasable and blendable

Keep in mind

Messy on the hands
Hard to erase fully once pressed in

Key features

From the manufacturer's Amazon listing.

Versatile Charcoal Sticks Set: The compressed charcoal sticks are mainly used for sketch painting, oil painting, watercolor painting, design and basic composition work, which have different brushstroke effects in the field of art...
Diverse Charcoal Hardness: Our charcoal sticks set includes 4 soft, 4 medium and 4 hard compressed charcoal. Different hardness can better meet the needs of your paintings, and more reflect the image effects required for...
Non-toxic Charcoal Drawing Set: The charcoal sticks are essential for studies, life drawing, and sketching scenes quickly. They are erasable, blendable and have a great tonal value
Smooth & Blendable: The selected good charcoal are fired at high temperatures, with the characteristics of being easy to color and not easy to break when painting. Compressed pure black charcoal produce a velvety surface
Suitable for All Skill Levels: These charcoal sticks work well for sketching, drawing and shading. Suitable for budding artists and amateurs of all ages looking to develop their drawing skills

Frequently asked questions about the PANDAFLY Compressed Charcoal Sticks (12)

What is the difference between compressed and willow charcoal?: Compressed charcoal is bound into dense sticks and makes darker, harder-to-erase marks. Willow charcoal is lighter and easier to lift.
How do I keep my hands clean?: Wrap the stick in a strip of paper or foil, or use a charcoal holder.
What paper works best?: Paper with some tooth, such as drawing or charcoal paper, holds the charcoal better than smooth paper.