<p>I like the Carbon pencil.  Wolff's Carbon by Royal Sovereign is the brand I have, but there are others. </p>

<p>The Carbon pencil is a combination of charcoal and graphite.  They draw smoothly, and can be smudged.  There is no grit like charcoal alone.  I use them as a layout for watercolor and pastel work, but I like to see the black outlines in my work.  The Carbon pencil is easily erased with a putty eraser.</p>

<p>dc </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-25T12:06:38.670Z
This doesn't seem like an answer to the question. You are talking about Carbon pencils while the question is asking about the different kinds of charcoal pencils.
Matt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-26T13:47:41.763Z
@Matt I see your point. That being said, if a carbon pencil is a combination of charcoal and graphite, it sounds like it is a type of charcoal pencil?
Catija
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-26T16:51:07.113Z
@Matt Clarification on Carbon pencils.  The point of the question is really about making a very black mark, as does charcoal, but with a thinner more controlled line, as does a charcoal pencil.  Thus, the carbon pencil does the trick.  It is part charcoal and part graphite.  The charcoal is very finely ground so is not gritty like most charcoal pencils.  The graphite is added as a sort of lubricant to make the application smooth and give you nice control over a line.  dc
dscapuano
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-24T17:14:53.760Z
2017-04-24T17:14:53.760Z
dscapuano
<p>These charcoal pencils are just a demonstration of the styles of pencil you might encounter.</p>

<p><strong>Wooden Coated Charcoal</strong></p>

<p>The first pencil, labeled "soft" is a softer charcoal pencil, coated in wood. Wooden charcoal pencils are generally cheaper and require a sharp blade (ex exacto knife) to sharpen them. They would not easily sharpen in a traditional pencil sharpener as the charcoal is so soft that a regular sharpener would grind and break the charcoal during the sharpening process.</p>

<p><strong>Paper Coated Charcoal</strong></p>

<p>The second pencil is coated in paper. Paper coated pencils are generally more expensive, but provide the ease of being able to reveal more of the charcoal by simply pulling the string and unraveling the paper rather than sharpening the pencil with a blade. The 600-H identification on the pencil is just Prang's model number for that pencil and means nothing with respect to the charcoal grade.</p>

<p><strong>White Charcoal</strong></p>

<p>The 558 is General's line of white charcoal pencil and, like the 600-H is proprietary to the company and has no real meaning with respect to the charcoal. </p>

<p>White charcoal is obviously different from black charcoal but is used in much the same way, but in reverse. White charcoal is a great way to come back after the work is finished to really bring out highlights and shines to be a "whiter than white" which brings contrast and boldness to an image.</p>

<p>White charcoal <a href="http://vitruvianstudio.com/what-the-heck-is-white-charcoal/" rel="noreferrer">really isn't charcoal at all</a>, but a type of pastel or Conté, often chalky and meant to be used with charcoal. It can be made from mixing white pigment with some type of binder, but the exact makings are generally proprietary and not disclosed. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-29T18:42:35.827Z
2016-04-29T19:54:52.900Z
2016-04-29T19:54:52.900Z
leigero
<p>I noticed that in the following picture there are at least 3 kinds of charcoal pencils:  </p>

<ol>
<li>Wooden charcoal pencil with just the word soft written on it.  </li>
<li>Paper wrapped charcoal pencil with 600-H written on it.  </li>
<li><p>White charcoal pencil with 558 written on it.</p>

<ul>
<li>Are there more varieties of charcoal pencils? What are their properties that make them different from each other? </li>
<li>How does paper wrapping effect the charcoal pencil as compared to wood?  </li>
<li>Why would there be specific number written on paper wrapped pencil but not on wooden one? </li>
</ul></li>
</ol>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/OrkS4.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/OrkS4.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p><a href="http://thevirtualinstructor.com/draw-with-charcoal-pencils.html" rel="noreferrer">http://thevirtualinstructor.com/draw-with-charcoal-pencils.html</a></p>

<drawing><pencils><charcoal>
What are the types of charcoal pencils and how do they differ from each other?
Aquarius_Girl
# What are the types of charcoal pencils and how do they differ from each other?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-04-29)

I noticed that in the following picture there are at least 3 kinds of charcoal pencils:

1. Wooden charcoal pencil with just the word soft written on it.
2. Paper wrapped charcoal pencil with 600-H written on it.
3. White charcoal pencil with 558 written on it.

   * Are there more varieties of charcoal pencils? What are their properties that make them different from each other?
   * How does paper wrapping effect the charcoal pencil as compared to wood?
   * Why would there be specific number written on paper wrapped pencil but not on wooden one?

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/OrkS4.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/OrkS4.jpg)

<http://thevirtualinstructor.com/draw-with-charcoal-pencils.html>

**Tags:** drawing, pencils, charcoal


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-04-29. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

These charcoal pencils are just a demonstration of the styles of pencil you might encounter.

**Wooden Coated Charcoal**

The first pencil, labeled "soft" is a softer charcoal pencil, coated in wood. Wooden charcoal pencils are generally cheaper and require a sharp blade (ex exacto knife) to sharpen them. They would not easily sharpen in a traditional pencil sharpener as the charcoal is so soft that a regular sharpener would grind and break the charcoal during the sharpening process.

**Paper Coated Charcoal**

The second pencil is coated in paper. Paper coated pencils are generally more expensive, but provide the ease of being able to reveal more of the charcoal by simply pulling the string and unraveling the paper rather than sharpening the pencil with a blade. The 600-H identification on the pencil is just Prang's model number for that pencil and means nothing with respect to the charcoal grade.

**White Charcoal**

The 558 is General's line of white charcoal pencil and, like the 600-H is proprietary to the company and has no real meaning with respect to the charcoal.

White charcoal is obviously different from black charcoal but is used in much the same way, but in reverse. White charcoal is a great way to come back after the work is finished to really bring out highlights and shines to be a "whiter than white" which brings contrast and boldness to an image.

White charcoal [really isn't charcoal at all](http://vitruvianstudio.com/what-the-heck-is-white-charcoal/), but a type of pastel or Conté, often chalky and meant to be used with charcoal. It can be made from mixing white pigment with some type of binder, but the exact makings are generally proprietary and not disclosed.


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### Answer by username_1 on 2017-04-24. Score: 1

I like the Carbon pencil. Wolff's Carbon by Royal Sovereign is the brand I have, but there are others.

The Carbon pencil is a combination of charcoal and graphite. They draw smoothly, and can be smudged. There is no grit like charcoal alone. I use them as a layout for watercolor and pastel work, but I like to see the black outlines in my work. The Carbon pencil is easily erased with a putty eraser.

dc

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: This doesn't seem like an answer to the question. You are talking about Carbon pencils while the question is asking about the different kinds of charcoal pencils.  
> **username_3**: @username_2 I see your point. That being said, if a carbon pencil is a combination of charcoal and graphite, it sounds like it is a type of charcoal pencil?  
> **username_1**: @username_2 Clarification on Carbon pencils.  The point of the question is really about making a very black mark, as does charcoal, but with a thinner more controlled line, as does a charcoal pencil.  Thus, the carbon pencil does the trick.  It is part charcoal and part graphite.  The charcoal is very finely ground so is not gritty like most charcoal pencils.  The graphite is added as a sort of lubricant to make the application smooth and give you nice control over a line.  dc  

---

