A lot of people ask me whether they should use charcoal or graphite pencils for their drawings. Both are exceptionally popular drawing mediums, but when it comes to beginners, it can be difficult to choose between them.
Which is better for beginners, graphite or charcoal? Several factors give the complete answer to this question.
Both charcoal and graphite look like pencils, but that is where the similarities end. Both have their good points and bad points, and both can be used by beginners.
One of the main factors, when it comes down to deciding between charcoal and graphite, is the type of project you are drawing. Today we are going to take a look at both of these mediums, so you will have a better idea of which one to use for the art projects you are working on.
Let’s get started.
Charcoal and Graphite Comparison
| Factors | Charcoal | Graphite |
| Good for beginners | Yes | Yes |
| Good for large drawings | Yes | No |
| Good for small drawings | Yes | Yes |
| Good for fine details | No | Yes |
| Darkness | Achieve many shades from light to dark | Not as dark as charcoal, leaves a shine |
| Messiness | Charcoal is messy and smudges | Graphite is not messy |
What Is Graphite?
Graphite is a type of carbon, and it is the main part of the core of a charcoal pencil. The core, or lead as some call it, is also made with a binder, such as clay.
While we call the core of a pencil “lead”, there was never a time when lead was actually used. The reason it became known as lead is because it was thought that graphite was a type of lead.
The only lead that has ever been in graphite pencils was in the paint that coats the pencils.
This was used before the mid-20th century. These days, lead is no longer used in the paint because we know just how dangerous lead is.
There are different hardnesses of graphite pencils. The more binder in the core, the harder the core is going to be.
A hard core will give you thinner lines, and the color is lighter. When there is less binder, the graphite is much softer.
This gives you thicker, darker lines that are much easier to blend. Most sets of drawing pencils will have a hardness ranging from 2H or HB to 6B, but the full range is much larger.
The pencils we write with are generally No. 2 pencils, which are HB pencils. When it comes to drawing, you will likely find that you don’t use the entire range.
Most artists work with HB to 6B, and often only use two or three pencils for any project.
When drawing and shading with graphite, try to use smooth paper. Graphite pencils are best for smaller drawings and sketches because the marking surface is small. I suggest using drawing paper that is 9 X 12 or smaller.
The one thing I don’t like about using graphite pencils is that it leaves a shine. The darker the pencils, the more shine there will be, and this makes it difficult to photograph your drawings. One way to minimize this is to layer with the darkest pencil instead of using a heavy hand.
Pros and Cons of Graphite
Pros
- Graphite is excellent for beginners
- Graphite is ideal for small drawings
- Graphite doesn’t smudge easily
Cons
- Graphite isn’t great for large-scale drawings
- Graphite is shiny
- When using graphite it takes longer to fill an area than it does with charcoal
What is Charcoal?
Charcoal is another form of carbon. But, it is made by burning wood until the piece is the right consistency for drawing. It is available in sticks and pencils that are mixed with clay and resin. This mixture is then pressed to create a stick or the pencil core.
You can get charcoal pencils and sticks in soft, medium, and hard consistencies. The hardest will give you thin, light lines while the softest will give you darker values.
If you want to draw and shade in the darkest shades, you will have better luck with charcoal than you would with graphite. The charcoal will give you a wide range of shades, and the grading range is much smaller than it is for graphite pencils, from HB to 6B.
One of the things I like the most about using charcoal is that it can be blended easily, and it spreads better than graphite. You can get much more coverage with charcoal.
If you are using softer charcoal, you will find that you can even erase it. This is great for beginners because we all make plenty of mistakes when we are getting started. I have been drawing since I was a child, and I still make lots of mistakes!
The absolute BEST charcoal you can use is soft vine or willow charcoal. This is not compressed, and you will be working with burnt twigs that contain no binder.
The best paper to use for charcoal drawings is one that has some texture. You can use larger sizes of paper because you can lay a charcoal stick on its side and shade large areas at once.
Charcoal is great for creating highlights. You can even lighten areas by using a kneaded eraser, which will lift some of the charcoal away.
I generally only use charcoal at home, because it is so messy to work with. After I finish drawing, I usually have to wash the charcoal from my hands and clothing.
You also should use a fixative when working with charcoal. If you don’t, your pictures will likely end up getting smudged. It is very easy to end up with fingerprints on your drawing.
Because the marking surface is larger than that of graphite, it is more difficult to draw fine details with charcoal.
Pros and Cons of Charcoal
Pros
- Charcoal is great for beginners because you can create large, broad strokes
- Charcoal is ideal for larger drawings
- You can achieve darker colors with charcoal
- Charcoal is faster to work with
Cons
- Charcoal is very messy
- Charcoal isn’t ideal for drawing on the go
- Charcoal smudges easily
Conclusion
While both charcoal and graphite come in pencil form, they are not the same thing. It is easy to master both, but you will likely find that over time you end up preferring one over the other.
There is no way to say for certain that charcoal is better than graphite, or vice versa. They each have their uses, and it will depend on the types of art projects you are working on.
I recommend trying both charcoal and graphite. It won’t be long before you can decide which you prefer to work with.
Sari Green is a semi-professional artist and professional writer. She has been hosting paint & sip parties for the past couple of years, and truly enjoys helping other people to create their very own masterpieces. She loves to create, and you never know what she’s going to come up with next!