What is the difference between vine and compressed charcoal?

Vine charcoal is light and easy to erase. Compressed charcoal is bound together, so it makes much darker marks that are harder to erase.

What is vine charcoal best for?

In general, early sketches, gesture drawing and lay-ins that you plan to adjust before adding detail. The Winsor & Newton listing itself does not name uses.

How many sticks are in the Winsor & Newton vine charcoal box?

Twelve soft sticks, which Winsor & Newton says are selected for uniformity.

How do I stop a vine charcoal drawing from smudging?

Spray it with a workable fixative. Vine charcoal sits on the paper surface, so it smudges easily.

Can I use vine charcoal with compressed charcoal?

Yes. Sketch with vine charcoal first, then add the darkest areas with compressed charcoal. The Pacific Arc listing says its compressed sticks complement natural vine or willow charcoal.

Best artist vine charcoal

Winsor & Newton

Winsor & Newton Vine Charcoal (12 Sticks)

A box of 12 soft vine charcoal sticks, selected for uniformity and free of imperfections, with the United States listed as country of origin.

Best for: Artists who want soft vine charcoal sticks of uniform quality

Sticks: 12
Type: Vine charcoal
Grade: Soft
Brand: Winsor & Newton

Check price on Amazon

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Buy it if

You want a box of 12 soft vine charcoal sticks
You want sticks the maker says are selected for uniformity, without imperfections
You plan to block in with vine charcoal and add darks with a compressed stick later

Skip it if

You want dense, dark lines. The Pacific Arc Compressed Charcoal lists dense, dark lines and broad strokes
You want more sticks in one box. The PANDAFLY Willow Charcoal set has 25

What the Winsor & Newton Vine Charcoal (12 Sticks) is

Winsor & Newton Artist Vine Charcoal is a box of 12 soft vine charcoal sticks. Winsor & Newton says the sticks are carefully selected for uniformity, without imperfections.

As a medium, vine charcoal is generally used for light, erasable marks in the early stage of a drawing. The listing itself gives only the stick count, the soft grade, the uniformity claim and the country of origin.

Key features, explained

Based on the manufacturer's Amazon listing.

Soft vine charcoal
The listing grades these sticks as soft. Vine charcoal in general leaves a light line that lifts off with a kneaded eraser or a cloth.
Selected for uniformity
Winsor & Newton says the sticks are chosen to be consistent and free of imperfections, so one stick behaves much like the next.
12 sticks in a box
The box holds 12 sticks. Vine charcoal is fragile in general, so a spare stick helps when one snaps.
Works with compressed charcoal
A common method is to sketch with vine charcoal first and add the darkest areas with a compressed stick. Pacific Arc says its compressed sticks complement natural vine or willow charcoal.