This set provides assorted charcoal drawing tools...charcoal pencils, sticks of charcoal, blocks and smudging tools...everything a young artist will need (except paper) to explore the traditional art of drawing with charcoal.

• 5 charcoal pencils (asst. extra soft, soft, medium, hard)
• black carbon sketch pencil
• charcoal white pencil
• 3 compressed charcoal sticks (asst. soft degrees)
• compressed charcoal white stick
• kneaded eraser
• charcoal pencil sharpener

Use this charcoal assortment to create rich black & white drawings, to sketch and layout before painting, or to blend with pastel chalks. For a dramatic effect, use the charcoal white pencil and stick alone on black or dark colored paper. Use a textured paper, either white or with a tan color, drawing with black charcoals then adding highlights with the charcoal white. Make your own paper stump (called a tortillon) by rolling a piece of soft, thick paper into a tight tube. Use the blunt end of this paper stump to smudge and blend the charcoal marks.

Charcoal is one of the most ancient of drawing materials, and remains one of the most rewarding. Basic skills like shading, contour, texture and tone are especially fun to learn using charcoal. It's much different than drawing with either pencil or pen. Every young artist should have the opportunity to work with these simple and classic materials. We highly recommend the $4 KidsArt booklet Chalk & Charcoal to accompany this set, and the handy pad of Charcoal & Pastels Paper.