Winsor & Newton Artist Vine Charcoal Sticks, Soft, Box of 12 Sticks

Darker than regular graphite

Specially prepared for artists’ use, the wood used for our willow charcoal is correctly baked to produce an even line of consistent intensity. capable of very fine lines as well as broad bold strokes. Charcoal Sticks are ideal for artists of all abilities who love the rich, timeless medium of charcoal.

Drawing Tool | Oiled Charcoal

Oiled charcoal is an interesting way to create a new drawing tool from willow charcoal. First, place the charcoal in a jar of linseed oil to steep overnight. The next day, remove it from the jar and wipe off the excess oil; you are now ready to draw with your oiled charcoal. This tool leaves a far richer black mark and cannot be wiped off the paper as easily as dry willow. You must use it fairly quickly though because, as the oil evaporates, it will become difficult to use.

Charcoal Fixative | Building Layers Charcoal for Density

Fixative is a fantastic tool for developing dense, rich blacks in charcoal. The wood used for our charcoal is willow, which is precisely baked for a consistent intensity, and provided in a range of sizes for thin or broad marks. By applying a field of charcoal, and masking an area before spraying Fixative, we demonstrate how well the fixed charcoal stays on the surface. This process is repeated several times, adding charcoal, masking an area and then spraying Fixative several times over. This shows how to develop charcoal into a dense, rich black. At the end, the area not sprayed with Fixative can be rubbed away, but the area of charcoal layered with Fixative is stable.