Are you an artist looking for the perfect tools to create your latest masterpiece? White charcoal pencils can take your charcoal drawing from a basic sketch to a masterpiece with just a few strokes. You can use them to add highlights or even work with black paper to create a striking artwork.
So, what are the best white charcoal pencils? For general use, it’s best to buy a white charcoal pencil with a medium-soft or medium core that is easy to use, easy to erase, and easy to blend. Fine-point white charcoal pencils are also great for creating fine lines, great for working with black paper.
Keep reading to learn more about white charcoal pencils and which options are the best for you.
Buying Guide
White charcoal pencils are ideal for adding highlights and accentuating details in sketches and drawings. The white pigments can stand out against a dark or colored background, which makes them perfect for adding finishing touches to artwork or for drawing attention to details.
White charcoal pencils are also quite versatile and can be used in a variety of different ways. For instance, they can be smudged and blended to create soft, gradient effects or even used with dark paper to create a contrasting look.
One important factor that can help you create great art is using the right tool, so let’s take a look at what you need to consider when buying white charcoal pencils.
Softness
The softness rating is probably the first thing you need to look at when buying any kind of charcoal pencil, not just white ones. The softness rating is usually indicated by the letter B or H, which tells you how soft or hard the core of the pencil is.
A B rating tells you that the charcoal core is soft, while an H rating tells you that the charcoal core is hard.
There’s also an F rating, which stands for Fine point. Fine-point pencils usually have a hard charcoal core that can be sharpened to have a very fine tip, which is great for outlining and fine details but not great for coloring.
Whether you choose, a soft or hard charcoal pencil is really a personal preference and your artistic style. Hard pencils are great for creating fine details, and they are also smudge-resistant, which is great for left-handers.
On the other hand, soft charcoal pencils can be quite satisfying to use because they can lay down colors beautifully. They are also more blendable and erasable, but they also smudge more as well.
Although soft charcoal can be very smooth, the tip also wears out faster and requires sharpening more often if you would like to maintain a fine tip.
Application
When it comes to application, you’ll want to look for charcoal pencils that can smooth lines that won’t scratch the paper. This can make the application much easier, and the color quality will show up well on the page.
The best charcoal pencils are made with fine-grained charcoal that is firmly bonded together. This ensures that the lead is strong enough to resist breakage but still soft enough to produce smooth lines.
Erasability
One advantage of charcoal pencils is that they can be easily erased when you make a mistake.
However, not all charcoal pencils can be easily erased. For example, if the charcoal is too hard, you may need to use more pressure to apply the color on the page, which means the marks will be more difficult to erase.
If you want white charcoal pencils that are a bit more forgiving, opt for one with a medium to a soft charcoal core that can be easily erased.
Blendability
The magic of white charcoal pencils is that white can easily be blended with other colors to create gradients and different shades of colors.
This ability allows you to expand the range of colors you have beyond your set of colored pencils, and it’s also quite neat if you want color transitions to look seamless.
Generally speaking, the softer the charcoal core is, the more blendable it is. If you are buying a white charcoal pencil that can be blended with other colors to enhance your artwork, then blendability is definitely worth considering.
Quality Wood
The charcoal is protected by a layer of wood to protect it and make the pencil sturdier. If you are looking for something that’s both durable and easy to use, then the quality of the wood is also important to consider.
The wood should be sturdy enough to protect the core without being too heavy, and it should resist breakage, especially if you tend to apply a lot of pressure when working with charcoal pencils.
Best White Charcoal Pencils
The best white charcoal pencils are ones that can serve multiple purposes. They should have a core that’s strong enough to stay sharp without breaking but still malleable enough so that you don’t have to apply a lot of pressure to lay down the colors.
In addition, your style of drawing can also affect your choice. For example, if you prefer sketching and drawing fine lines, then you should opt for a medium to hard charcoal pencil. If you prefer blending and coloring, then a softer charcoal pencil will be much easier to use.
Below are some of the best options on the market.
| Rank | Product | Hardness |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Arteza White Charcoal Pencils | Medium - Hard |
| 2. | MARKART Professional Charcoal Pencils Drawing Set | Medium - Soft |
| 3. | Brusarth Professional White Charcoal Pencils Set | Medium - Soft |
| 4. | PANDAFLY White Charcoal Pencils Drawing Set | Soft |
| 5. | Marco Raffine White Charcoal Pencils | Medium Point |
| 6. | Derwent Charcoal Pencils | Fine Point |
| 7. | Pasler White Charcoal Pencils Kit | Medium Point |
| 8. | General's Charcoal White Pencil | Medium-Hard |
| 9. | Faber-Castell Charcoal Sketch Set | Medium |
1. Arteza White Charcoal Pencils
Arteza’s White Charcoal Pencils are smooth, medium-hard sketching pencils perfect for adding highlights and dimension to your charcoal drawings. The pencils come in a pack of 12 so you always have a sharp one on hand.
The core is made of finely ground white charcoal that delivers rich, light color when used on its own or with other charcoal pencils.
Thanks to the medium-hard charcoal core, these pencils can be finely sharpened to create fine details in your sketches, which are perfect for working with black paper.
However, the fine point means they are not very blendable and can be difficult to color with.
The wood casings are made out of durable wood, which complements the core perfectly. The casings are lacquered for smoothness, and they can be quite comfortable to work with for an extended time.
2. MARKART Professional Charcoal Pencils Drawing Set
The MARKART Professional Charcoal Pencils Drawing Set is the perfect tool for artists of all levels who are looking to create beautiful charcoal drawings.
The set includes 5 white pencils with medium-soft core, allowing you to easily create blocks of colors and shadings, as well as blend with other colors. The pencils are also made with high-quality pigment that produces dense, rich colors on dark paper.
Although they can create very smooth lines, the pencils have a strong lead that resists breakage and provides excellent control when drawing small details or lettering. They are also very easy to sharpen and will stay sharp for a long time.
The casing is made from durable basswood that protects the 4mm core, which makes it even more durable and comfortable to use.
3. Brusarth Professional White Charcoal Pencils Set
Brusarth Professional White Charcoal Pencils are perfect for both beginners and experts alike.
These white charcoal pencils are specifically designed with soft charcoal cores to offer smooth color lay down and easy blending, making them an ideal choice for any artist looking to create stunning artwork.
Thanks to the ease of application, these white pencils can be used on their own with black paper or used with other colors to create highlights and gradients.
The pencil casings are made from high-quality wood and are fitted with 4 mm cores that can be easily sharpened for precise color application. In addition, the ergonomic design of the pencils makes them comfortable to hold and use for extended periods of time.
4. PANDAFLY White Charcoal Pencils Drawing Set
PANDAFLY White Charcoal Pencils are artist-quality white charcoal pencils with a soft core that is easy to apply and blend. Made with a highly pigmented charcoal core, they offer a super smooth application that’s perfect for coloring on dark paper, as well as shading and blending.
The sleek white barrel makes them a stylish addition to any artist’s toolkit. They are also durable enough to protect the 4mm charcoal against breakage, and they also make the pencils easy to sharpen.
In addition, these pencils are also non-toxic and are quite pleasant to work with. This is a handy five-pack that allows you to always have a sharp white pencil on hand.
5. Marco Raffine White Charcoal Pencils
Marco Raffine’s white charcoal pencils have a medium core that makes them easy to work with. This is the perfectly blanched charcoal pencil, especially for beginners.
The core is hard enough, which makes it easy to sharpen and maintain but still soft enough to make them easy to apply smoothly on the page.
The wooden casing is made from a blend of cedar and basswood, and the wood is treated with a special process that makes it resistant to breaking and chipping.
This set comes with 12 white pencils, so you’ll never run out. These are great all-purpose white charcoal pencils to have in your charcoal drawing set since they can help you with sketching, shading, as well as coloring, and blending.
6. Derwent Charcoal Pencils
If you’re looking for a pencil that will give you a fine point and stay sharp, then Derwent Charcoal Pencils are a great option.
The core is made from natural charcoal particles mixed with clay, which adds to the hardness and allows it to maintain a fine point.
This makes it perfect for detailed sketching. The charcoal gives your sketches a rich, dark look, while the clay ensures that the point stays sharp.
This is a set of four charcoal pencils in light black, medium black, dark black, and white. This is a complete set that allows you to create a finished charcoal drawing, with the colors working perfectly together to create smooth shadings and details.
7. Pasler White Charcoal Pencils Kit
If you cannot decide which hardness option is right for you, why not try all of them? The Pasler® white charcoal pencil kit is the perfect way to get started with white charcoal drawing.
The kit includes three different grades of white charcoal pencils – soft, medium, and hard – so you can find the perfect level of hardness for your needs.
The soft charcoal pencil is great for coloring and blending, the medium core is great for sketching and shading, and the hard charcoal pencil is great for creating fine details and soft strokes.
The kit also includes a sharpener, so you can keep your pencils in tip-top condition. The barrels are made from high-quality materials, so you can be sure they will withstand the rigors of drawing without breaking.
Because this set is super versatile, you can use it to compliment other charcoal drawings or even use them with dark or tinted paper to create contrast.
8. General’s Charcoal White Pencil
If you’re looking for a versatile pencil that can be used for both sketching and detailed drawing, then the General’s Charcoal White Pencil is a great option.
This No. 2 pencil is a medium-hard charcoal pencil that’s soft enough to cover wide areas, but it also produces fine lines when needed. Best of all, it’s easily erasable, so you can always make corrections without scratching your paper.
This white pencil is a versatile drawing tool that can be used to create a range of effects. When used on its own, the pencil produces a soft, white line that is perfect for creating delicate details that can stand out on black paper.
However, the real strength of the pencil lies in its ability to blend with other charcoal pencils. When mixed with black or dark gray charcoal, the pencil can be used to create stunningly realistic shadows and highlights.
Whether you’re looking to add subtlety or drama to your artwork, this white charcoal pencil is an excellent choice.
9. Faber-Castell Charcoal Sketch Set
The Faber-Castell Charcoal Sketch Set is a great way to get started with charcoal drawing. The set includes seven pieces: two charcoal sticks, two charcoal pencils in black, a paper blender, a kneaded eraser, and yes, a charcoal pencil in white as well!
The charcoal sticks are perfect for getting a thick, intense black line, while the pencils are great for adding finer details. The paper blender is a must-have for smudging and blending, and the kneaded eraser is perfect for lightening areas or removing unwanted lines.
When it comes to charcoal pencils, Faber-Castell is a brand that is known for its quality. Their pencils contain lead, which is a mixture of soot and clay, which provides a smooth and balanced laydown.
The lead is also soft enough to be easily blended, making it ideal for sketching and shading. The white charcoal pencil included is designed to be used with the set, which allows you to add beautiful highlights to complement the charcoal drawing perfectly.
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