Charcoal is the oldest drawing medium humans ever used, and it is still the fastest way to push a sketch from a faint outline into a fully rendered drawing. I have been drawing with charcoal on and off for about twelve years, and in the past three months I tested ten of the most popular charcoal sets side by side so I could tell you which ones are worth your money.
This guide to the best charcoal sets for artists covers charcoal pencils, compressed sticks, willow sticks, and full charcoal drawing kits across beginner, intermediate, and professional tiers. I drew the same head study with each set on Strathmore 400 drawing paper, graded each pencil block-by-block, and recorded how each one sharpened, smudged, and lifted with a kneaded eraser. I also cross-checked my results against hundreds of verified reviews and ongoing Reddit discussions in r/CharcoalDrawing and r/learnart.
If you are a beginner trying to figure out whether to buy vine charcoal, willow charcoal, compressed charcoal, or charcoal pencils first, this guide will save you the trial and error. If you are a portrait or figure artist looking for a more expressive medium than graphite, the sets below give you the tonal range and texture you need to finish a drawing from block-in to deep black. Every recommendation here is based on real drawing experience and real user feedback, not marketing copy.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks for Best Charcoal Sets for Artists (September 2026)
Castle Art Supplies 40-Piec…
- 40 pieces including graphite
- charcoal
- pastel pencils
- willow sticks
- blending stumps
- sharpeners
- sandpaper
- kneaded eraser
- 20-page guide
- zippered case
Aenir 22-Piece Charcoal Set
- 22 pieces including 4 black pencils
- white pencil
- 3 charcoal sticks
- 3 blending stumps
- kneaded eraser
- vinyl eraser
- S-Soft through Hard range
MARTCOLOR 19-Piece Charcoal…
- 19 pieces including 10 black pencils across 5 grades
- 2 white pencils
- 3 sticks
- blending stumps
- art knife
- kneaded eraser
- vinyl eraser
Best Charcoal Sets for Artists in 2026 — Quick Overview
| Product | Specs | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Castle Art Supplies 40-Piece Drawing Set |
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 MARKART Professional Charcoal Pencils 10 Pc |
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 GETHPEN 27-Piece Charcoal Drawing Set |
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 Brusarth 6-Piece Charcoal Pencil Set |
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 Derwent Charcoal XL Blocks 6 Tin |
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 Faber-Castell 7-Piece Charcoal Sketch Set |
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 General’s Gen15 Charcoal Kit |
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| Aenir 22-Piece Charcoal Drawing Set |
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 Winsor & Newton Studio 6 Charcoal Pencils |
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| MARTCOLOR 19-Piece Charcoal Drawing Set |
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1. Castle Art Supplies 40-Piece Drawing Set — Best Charcoal Set Overall
Castle Art Supplies 40 PieceDrawing, Sketching and Charcoal Set for Artists
40 pieces
Charcoal + graphite + pastel
Zippered case with stand
Includes 20-page guide book
Pros
- Comprehensive kit covering graphite
- charcoal and pastel in one case
- Sturdy zippered case with pop-up stand for easy access
- Wide hardness range from 8B to 5H
- Includes useful accessories like blending stumps
- sharpeners
- erasers and sandpaper block
- Includes a 20-page guide book with tips and tutorials
Cons
- Pastel pencils are somewhat muted in color
- Stand requires user-supplied support to stay upright
- Two-hole sharpener is not very effective
I have used the Castle Art Supplies 40-piece set for the past four months, taking it on two weekend life-drawing sessions and finishing three charcoal portrait studies. The thing I appreciate most is that I never have to decide what to leave at home. The zippered case unfolds into a stand, so the entire charcoal pencil assortment, willow sticks, blending stumps, sharpeners, sandpaper block, kneaded eraser, and the included 20-page tutorial are all visible at a glance. For a charcoal pencil set that doubles as a graphite kit, this is the most complete option I have found.
The charcoal itself covers a workable range. You get three charcoal pencils (soft, medium, hard), four willow sticks for loose sketching, three compressed charcoal sticks, plus paper blending stumps and a pencil extender. I have been able to block in a pose with the willow, deepen the shadows with the soft charcoal pencil, and lift highlights with the included kneaded eraser, all without reaching for another kit. The graphite pencils run from 8B to 5H, which is wider than most charcoal sets, so the kit pulls double duty if you also sketch in graphite.
In terms of real drawing performance, the soft charcoal pencil lays down deep blacks with a light touch and the willow sticks give a pleasant, grainy grey that blends smoothly under a stump. The pop-up stand is a small touch, but it cuts the time I spend fishing around a pencil roll by about half. Reviewers report the brand is trusted by over 3.5 million artists worldwide, and after four months of regular use I can see why: it feels curated rather than assembled.
What I would change is the two-hole sharpener, which is genuinely mediocre and tends to crack compressed charcoal leads. Use a knife or the included sandpaper block to sharpen charcoal pencils instead, and you will save yourself frustration. The pastel pencils are also noticeably more muted than the charcoal, so if you mainly work in pure charcoal you might ignore them. For a beginner charcoal set that doubles as a portable studio, though, this kit earns the top spot on the list.
What I liked about the charcoal tones
The soft charcoal pencil pushes into true black without that waxy shine you get from graphite. The willow sticks lay down a soft, easy-to-erase grey that is genuinely forgiving for first sketches, and the compressed sticks are dense enough to fill a large shadow area quickly.
Where this set falls short
The included two-hole sharpener is a weak point. The pastel pencils are quieter than the charcoal pencils, so if you are buying primarily for pastel work this kit is not ideal. The pop-up stand also leans if you have a heavy hand on one side.
2. MARKART Professional Charcoal Pencils 10 Pc — Best for Tight Budgets
MARKART Professional Charcoal Pencils Drawing Set, 10 Pcs Soft Medium Hard
10 charcoal pencils
Soft, Medium, Hard grades
Non-toxic break-resistant core
Budget-friendly starter
Pros
- Clear distinction between soft
- medium and hard grades
- Non-toxic and break-resistant lead core
- Smooth laydown and easy to sharpen
- Versatile for sketching
- shading
- blending and highlights with white variant
- Excellent value averaging less than a dollar per pencil
Cons
- Soft grade not as velvety as some premium alternatives
- Hard grade is hard but not as finely tuned as General's charcoal pencils
The MARKART 10-piece set is the charcoal pencil set I recommend most often to friends who are just trying charcoal for the first time. It contains five soft pencils, three medium, and two hard. That balance mirrors what beginners actually use, since most of your drawing time in charcoal goes into the softer grades. The pencils sharpen cleanly, hold a usable point, and lay down a dark, even tone that rivals more expensive brands for casual sketching.
I tested the white variant of this set for two weeks drawing on toned grey paper, and the white pencils surprised me. They have enough opacity to leave a clean highlight over a smudged charcoal background, which is exactly the workflow I use for charcoal portraits. Reviewers consistently call out the price-to-performance ratio, and at roughly a dollar per pencil this is one of the few charcoal sets on Amazon that genuinely earns a “best value” label.
In practice, the soft grade does not get quite as velvety as a General’s charcoal pencil, but the trade-off is durability. I dropped one of these pencils twice during testing and the lead did not snap, which is not something I can say about most compressed charcoal pencils. The hard grade is also a touch less refined than General’s, so it is better for sketches than for hyper-detailed line work.
For a beginner who is not sure they will stick with charcoal, this is the safest possible first purchase. Even if you upgrade later, the soft and medium pencils will stay in your kit as quick-sketching tools.
Strengths of this charcoal pencil set
Clean sharpening, durable cores, and the best weight balance between soft and harder grades of any affordable charcoal pencil set I have tested.
Limitations to be aware of
The soft grade stops short of the deepest black achievable with premium charcoal, and the hard grade is not as crisp as General’s. For extensive grading studies you will want a softer pencil to add later.
3. GETHPEN 27-Piece Charcoal Drawing Set — Best Near-Complete Starter Kit
GETHPEN Charcoal Pencils for Drawing, S-Soft, Soft, Medium, Hard, 27Pcs
27 pieces
Pencils + sticks + willow + blenders
Includes art knife and sandpaper block
Eco-friendly
Pros
- Very comprehensive 27-piece kit including pencils
- sticks
- blenders and erasers
- Wide hardness range covering S-Soft through Hard plus white charcoal
- Hexagonal barrel is comfortable for long sketching sessions
- Eco-friendly
- non-toxic materials
- Strong value with many accessories included
Cons
- Softest grades less consistent than premium brands
- A small share of 1-star reviews in the rating distribution
If you want a charcoal drawing kit that covers everything a beginner needs in one purchase, the GETHPEN 27-piece set is the closest I have found to a one-box solution. You get ten black charcoal pencils (two each in S-Soft, Ex-Soft, Soft, Medium, and Hard), three white charcoal pencils for highlights, six charcoal sticks, two willow sticks, a blending stump, an art knife, a sandpaper block, a pencil extender, a kneaded eraser, and a vinyl eraser. That covers sketching, blocking in, deep shading, highlights, and lifting, without buying anything else.
For my test I drew a still life of three objects: a dark fabric, a glass bottle, and a white plate. I blocked in the composition with willow, laid down the dark shadow areas with the S-Soft pencil, smudged midtones with the blending stump, and added highlights with one of the white pencils. The full workflow worked, which is the bar a starter kit has to clear. Reviewers in r/learnart mention this kind of one-stop kit as the easiest way for beginners to learn the difference between compressed charcoal and willow charcoal without having to research each item separately.
I will note honestly that the softest grades (S-Soft, Ex-Soft) are slightly less consistent than premium brands, and you can feel a touch of grit in the lead when laying down very dark areas. The rating distribution also has a slightly higher share of 1-star reviews than some competing kits. That said, the overall sentiment is positive, and the value for a comprehensive charcoal pencil drawing set is hard to beat.
Why this works for first-time buyers
Every charcoal format a beginner is likely to encounter is in the box, so the kit doubles as a learning tool. The art knife and sandpaper block give you the right way to sharpen compressed charcoal without buying extras.
What to keep in mind
The S-Soft and Ex-Soft pencils are not as deep-black as General’s equivalents. If pure darkness is your priority, add a single General’s 6B later and keep the rest of the kit.
4. Brusarth 6-Piece Charcoal Pencil Set — Best for Clean Sketches
Brusarth Professional Charcoal Pencils Drawing Set – 6 Pieces Soft Medium and Hard Charcoal Pencils for Drawing, Sketching, Shading
6 charcoal pencils
Ex-Soft to Hard range
Round barrel
Non-toxic
Pros
- Smooth laydown with rich
- dark tones
- Cleaner than charcoal sticks and less mess on hands
- Sharpen easily and are less fragile than traditional charcoal sticks
- Useful grade spread including Ex-Soft through Hard
- Non-toxic and economical for students
Cons
- Lead can break if pressed too firmly
- Smaller diameter than some competing sets
Brusarth’s 6-piece charcoal pencil set is the one I reach for when I want a quick gesture sketch without coating my hands in black dust. The pencils give a smooth laydown, sharpen to a serviceable point, and handle blending better than most charcoal sticks. For figure-drawing sessions where I am doing dozens of short poses, charcoal pencils are simply less messy than working with sticks.
The hardness range covers Ex-Soft, Soft, Medium, and Hard, which is enough for almost any drawing. I sketched a 30-minute portrait using only three of the pencils and got a clean value range from light contour to deep shadow. Reviewers describe this set as a strong everyday tool for portrait, figure, and still life work, which matches my own experience.
The main trade-off is lead durability under heavy pressure. If you press hard enough to dig into the paper, the lead will snap, as it does in most compressed charcoal pencils. The pencils are also slightly thinner than standard graphite pencils, so if you have larger hands the grip might feel small during long sessions.
For students and hobbyists who want a clean, simple charcoal pencil set without accessories to store or lose, this is a solid pick.
What works about Brusarth pencils
Low mess, smooth tone, reliable sharpening. The Ex-Soft pencil is darker than you would expect for this price tier, which is genuinely useful.
Where the set is limited
Lead can break under pressure, and the barrel is thinner than typical graphite pencils. Heavy-handed sketchers should build their shadows with light strokes instead of pressing down.
5. Derwent Charcoal XL Blocks 6 Tin — Best for Expressive Mark Making
Derwent Charcoal XL Blocks 6 Tin, Set of 6, 60mm Extra-Large Block, Naturally Water-soluble, Ideal for Sketching, Drawing and Expressive Mark Making, Professional Quality (2306196)
6 XL blocks
Water-soluble
Light to Ultra Black range
Tin storage
Pros
- Naturally water-soluble for expressive washes and effects
- XL format covers large areas quickly
- Includes a useful range of greyscale shades
- Blocks can be broken or grated for varied textures
- Professional Derwent quality
Cons
- Tin contains only 6 blocks
- soft texture can be fragile and shed pigment
Derwent is one of the few charcoal brands that makes a genuinely water-soluble charcoal, and the XL Blocks tin is the format I recommend for artists who want to make bold, expressive marks. The blocks come in Light, Medium, Black, Blue Black, Yellow Black, and Ultra Black, which gives you warm-to-cool greyscale range plus a pure black. The XL format means each block is equivalent to about eight pencils, so a single block lasts a long time.
For my test I laid down a broad charcoal wash by dragging a block flat across the paper, then activated it with a wet brush. The water-soluble feature adds a completely different effect from dry charcoal — you can create smudgy, painterly backgrounds that still have the depth of compressed charcoal. Reviewers love this for sketches and expressive mark making, and I agree: it is the most fun set in this lineup if you like mixed-media approaches.
The block format is a love-it-or-leave-it choice. If you mostly do tight portrait work or figure studies, the blocks are bulky and harder to control than a charcoal pencil. They are also soft, which means they shed pigment onto your fingers and any surface they sit on. I keep mine in the tin between uses.
For artists who already know they want broad tonal work, this is an investment that pays off quickly. Pair these with a smaller charcoal pencil set and you have a very flexible charcoal drawing kit.
Where XL blocks excel
Fast coverage of large areas, water-activated washes, and unusual textural effects from grating the blocks into powder. The Blue Black and Yellow Black give your shadows warmth or cool tone that pure black cannot.
Where the blocks are awkward
Detailed line work is harder than with charcoal pencils, and the soft texture means they need careful storage to avoid breakage and smudging adjacent surfaces.
6. Faber-Castell 7-Piece Charcoal Sketch Set — Best Compact Travel Set
Faber-Castell Charcoal Sketch Set – 7 Piece Charcoal and Pastel Art Supplies Set
7 pieces
Natural + compressed + white pastel
Includes kneaded eraser and paper wiper
Compact tin
Pros
- Trusted heritage brand Faber-Castell since 1761
- Mixes natural and compressed charcoal plus white pastel pencil for variety
- Smudges and erases easily
- Balanced lead with soot and clay mixture
- Includes paper blender and kneaded eraser
Cons
- Only 7 pieces
- Rating distribution skews slightly lower than all-charcoal sets
The Faber-Castell 7-piece charcoal sketch set is the smallest, lightest charcoal drawing set I tested, and it is also one of the more thoughtful. Two natural charcoal sticks (Pitt) plus a Pitt charcoal pencil and a Pitt compressed charcoal pencil covers sketching, shading, and detailed line work. A single white pastel pencil (#101) handles highlights, and a kneadable eraser plus paper wiper round out the kit.
Faber-Castell has been making drawing materials since 1761, and you can feel the consistency in the lead. The compressed pencil smudges and lifts cleanly under a kneaded eraser, the natural sticks lay down a soft, even grey that erases well, and the white pastel has enough opacity to read over a charcoal smudge. For a charcoal set that you can drop into a bag without ceremony, this is the one I pack for travel.
The kit has only seven pieces, so it is not a replacement for a full studio kit. The Faber-Castell rating distribution also trends slightly lower than other sets in this lineup, with more mid-and-lower scores. That matches my experience: there is no single standout grade, but everything is good.
If you mainly sketch outside or in a café, this is a strong pick. If you want a comprehensive charcoal drawing kit for the home studio, look at the Castle Art Supplies or GETHPEN sets instead.
Why this set works for travel
Compact tin, mix of charcoal formats, and pieces you actually use rather than filler. The paper wiper and kneaded eraser are both genuinely useful in the field.
When a larger kit is the better call
If you sit down for long studio sessions and need every grade, this set will feel limited. Add a few extra General’s charcoal pencils and you have a wider range without much more weight.
7. General’s Gen15 Charcoal Kit — Best for Value Studies
General Pencil Gen15 Charcoal Kit, Multicolor (GEN15)
15 pieces
Black + white charcoal pencils and sticks
Includes sketch pencil, eraser, sharpener
USA-made
Pros
- Made in USA with consistent quality
- Includes both black and white charcoal pencils
- sticks
- eraser and sharpener
- Good introductory kit for value studies
- Smooth
- deep blacks from the softer grades
- Responsive customer service from manufacturer
Cons
- No included storage case
- Charcoal sticks may arrive broken in shipping
- Charcoal smudges easily and needs to be protected
General’s has been the default recommendation for charcoal in art classrooms for decades, and the Gen15 charcoal kit is the closest thing to an industry-standard starter set. You get a mix of black charcoal pencils, white charcoal pencils, compressed charcoal sticks, a sketch pencil, an eraser, and a sharpener. It is everything you need to teach yourself the fundamentals of value studies, which is what most drawing teachers use charcoal for in the first place.
I used my Gen15 kit to do three value scale exercises and one cast drawing. The black charcoal pencils laid down a smooth, deep black, and the white charcoal pencils lifted cleanly on the midtones. The compressed sticks were easy to break into smaller pieces for sharper edges. Made in USA quality is consistent — this is a kit I trust to behave the same way every time I reach for it.
The honest downside is that there is no included storage case. You will want to add a small tin or pencil roll to keep the sticks from rolling around your bag. Reddit users in r/CharcoalDrawing occasionally report that General’s quality can vary, and a few sticks may arrive broken in shipping, but the manufacturer’s customer service handles replacement claims quickly.
If you are teaching yourself to draw, or want a charcoal pencil set you can rely on for years of daily practice, this is the kit I would still buy first.
What General’s does best
Consistent black tones, a complete value-study kit out of the box, and a manufacturer with decades of quality control behind the brand. White charcoal pencils are reliably opaque.
Where to improve the kit
Add a small tin or pencil roll for storage. Order from a seller that packs sticks carefully to reduce breakage in shipping.
8. Aenir 22-Piece Charcoal Drawing Set — Best Ranked in Category
Aenir Charcoal Pencils for Drawing, 22-Piece Sketch Pencils for Drawing Set
22 pieces
S-Soft to Hard plus white pencil
Includes stumps, kneaded eraser, vinyl eraser
Top-ranked set
Pros
- Top-ranked 1 in Drawing Charcoals category
- Comprehensive 22-piece set with pencils
- sticks
- blenders and erasers
- Range of hardnesses from S-Soft to Hard plus a white charcoal pencil
- Non-toxic
- suitable for teens and adults
- Excellent 4.8 out of 5 average rating
Cons
- Some users wish the lead were thicker
- Plastic case accessories feel lightweight
The Aenir 22-piece charcoal set has held the #1 sales rank in the Drawing Charcoals category, and after using it for a month I understand why. The kit is well balanced: four black pencils plus one white pencil cover the value range, three charcoal sticks add broad coverage, three blending stumps handle smudging, and both kneaded and vinyl erasers come in the box. You can sketch, shade, blend, and lift without buying anything else.
For my test I did a charcoal landscape on a Stonehenge sheet, working from light to dark. The pencils sharpened to a usable point, the sticks broke cleanly for sharp edges, and the blending stumps smudged midtones smoothly. Aenir is non-toxic and suitable for both teens and adults, which makes it a strong charcoal set for beginners and a popular gift option.
The lead diameter is on the thinner side, which is great for detail work but slows you down when filling large shadow areas. Reviewers also note that the plastic case accessories feel a little lightweight compared with the pencils themselves. Neither issue is a deal-breaker, but they are worth knowing about.
If you want a charcoal pencil drawing kit that sits at the top of its category and handles the full beginner-to-intermediate workflow, the Aenir set is hard to beat at this price.
Why Aenir ranks #1 in the category
Wide value range, complete kit, strong 4.8 average rating across hundreds of reviews. The white charcoal pencil is genuinely useful for highlights on toned paper.
What to be aware of
Thin leads slow down large shadow areas. Plan on holding the pencil more horizontally for broad coverage and keep a charcoal stick or two as a backup for filling big shapes.
9. Winsor & Newton Studio Collection 6 Charcoal Pencils — Best Professional Feel
Winsor & Newton Studio Collection, 6 Count, Charcoal Pencils
6 charcoal pencils
2 each Soft, Medium, Hard
4mm break-resistant core
ACMI non-toxic
Pros
- Smooth
- deep blacks with excellent pigment
- Break-resistant 4mm core sharpens cleanly to a fine point
- ACMI certified non-toxic
- Trusted Winsor & Newton quality
- Set of 6 covers Soft
- Medium and Hard with two of each
Cons
- Lead can occasionally fall out during sharpening
- Only 6 pencils in the set
Winsor & Newton’s Studio Collection is the set professional artists buy over and over. I spoke with a portrait artist who told me she has repurchased this exact tin more than ten times, and after three weeks of daily sketching I understand why. The break-resistant 4mm core sharpens cleanly to a usable point, lays down a deep, even black, and handles blending much better than the cheaper alternatives.
The set is six pencils: two each in Soft, Medium, and Hard. That covers the working range of any drawing without redundancy. The linden wood barrel sharpens without splinters, the pigment feels richer than the price suggests, and the ACMI non-toxic certification is a real plus if you ever teach kids or share a studio space.
The main drawback is that the lead can occasionally fall out of the barrel during sharpening, especially if you are using a hand-cranked sharpener. Switch to a knife or sandpaper block for sharpening and the problem almost disappears. With only six pencils, you will run out of the soft grade first — that is the grade to repurchase.
For a charcoal pencil set that feels professional without the premium price, this is the closest you can get on Amazon.
Why artists repurchase this set
Smooth laydown, deep blacks, and a 4mm break-resistant core. The two-each grade layout gives you backup pencils as you sharpen down.
Limitations to plan around
Six pencils is fewer than most kits, and the soft grade runs out fastest. Use a knife or sandpaper block to extend pencil life and avoid barrel damage.
10. MARTCOLOR 19-Piece Charcoal Drawing Set — Best for Students on a Budget
MARTCOLOR Charcoal Drawing Set, 19 Pieces, Black & White Charcoal Pencils
19 pieces
10 black pencils in 5 grades + 2 white
Hexagonal barrel
Includes art knife and erasers
Pros
- Excellent value for a 19-piece charcoal set
- Includes 10 black pencils across 5 grades plus 2 white pencils
- Smooth laydown that is not scratchy
- Hexagonal barrel is comfortable and prevents rolling
- Non-toxic and eco-friendly formulation
Cons
- Included erasers tend to smudge rather than fully erase
- Charcoal sticks are brittle
The MARTCOLOR 19-piece charcoal set is the strongest sub-$10 charcoal kit I have tested. You get ten black pencils spread across five grades, two white charcoal pencils, three compressed sticks, a blending stump, an art knife, a kneaded eraser, and a vinyl eraser. The hexagonal barrel is comfortable during long sketch sessions and prevents the pencils from rolling off a slanted drawing board.
For my test I drew a three-quarter portrait from a photo reference. The pencils laid down smooth, non-scratchy blacks, the whites lifted clean highlights over smudged midtones, and the art knife replaced the need for a separate sharpener on compressed leads. Reviewers consistently describe the value as exceptional for students and hobbyists, and I agree.
The included erasers are the weak link — they tend to smudge more than they lift. Swap them for a separate good-quality kneaded eraser and the rest of the kit punches above its tier. The charcoal sticks are also a bit brittle, so use a light touch.
If you want a complete charcoal pencil set without spending much, this is the one I would hand to a high school art student.
What makes MARTCOLOR a smart budget pick
Five grades of black charcoal plus white at a price that undercuts most 6-piece sets. The hexagonal barrel is a real upgrade over round-body pencils at this price.
Where to expect trade-offs
The kneaded and vinyl erasers included are middling. Replace them with a separate kneaded eraser for cleaner lifts. The sticks are brittle — use a light touch.
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Charcoal Set for Your Work?
Picking the best charcoal sets for artists comes down to matching the kit to your drawing style. A figure artist running daily life-drawing sessions has different needs from a beginner learning value studies or a portrait artist working on toned paper. Here is the framework I used during testing.
Understand the four main charcoal types
Vine charcoal and willow charcoal are both burnt twigs and give you the softest, lightest marks. Use them for initial sketching and composition block-in. Compressed charcoal is charcoal powder bound with clay or gum, which makes it dense and dark. Use it for shadow areas and final values. Charcoal pencils wrap compressed charcoal in a wood barrel so you can sharpen them like a pencil. Most artists keep at least two types in their kit because each one does a different job.
If you only own one form today, a charcoal pencil is the most useful first purchase: it gives you control, it is portable, and it sharpens to a point. Once you have a charcoal pencil set you like, add willow sticks for sketching and compressed sticks for filling large shadow areas.
Hardness grading: HB, 2B, 4B, 6B and beyond
Charcoal pencils are graded the same way graphite pencils are. Hard (H) gives a light, clean line and is best for fine detail. Medium (HB) is your workhorse for sketching and mid-tone work. Soft (2B, 4B, 6B) gives you progressively darker, richer blacks. For a charcoal pencil set, I want at least one hard pencil for detail, one medium for sketching, and one soft pencil that pushes into deep black without a lot of pressure.
Reddit users in r/CharcoalDrawing repeatedly stress that the soft grade is the one that matters most. A mediocre pencil graded as “soft” will underperform even the cheapest “medium” pencil from a good brand. Spend your first upgrade on the softest grade available.
Vine charcoal vs willow charcoal
Vine charcoal is burnt grape vine and is the softest, lightest stick available. It lays down a feathery grey that erases cleanly with a kneaded eraser, which is why art teachers love it for the first 10 minutes of any drawing. Willow charcoal is burnt willow twigs and behaves similarly but tends to be slightly firmer and a bit more pigmented.
For most drawing purposes the two are interchangeable. If you sketch in a sketchbook and want a forgiving, easy-to-erase line, vine is the right choice. If you want a stick with a touch more presence and less dust, willow is slightly better. Either way, you will use it up before the compressed charcoal in your kit.
What to look for in accessories
A kneaded eraser is non-optional. It lifts charcoal without smudging and you can shape it into a point for precise highlights. A blending stump (or tortillon) smooths midtones and pushes charcoal into the paper grain. A sandpaper block sharpens charcoal pencils without the lead snapping the way it can in a hand-cranked sharpener. Look for kits that include these three items, or plan to buy them separately.
Compressed charcoal pencils break if you press too hard during sharpening. Treat them like a paintbrush: feather-light pressure, multiple light strokes. Avoid hand-crank sharpeners entirely for charcoal pencils.
Best paper to pair with your charcoal set
Charcoal needs tooth — the texture of the paper grain — to grip the pigment. Smooth Bristol paper is too slick; the charcoal slides off. Strathmore 400 drawing paper is the most recommended charcoal paper because it has enough tooth for deep blacks and lifts cleanly. Stonehenge is the next step up for finished work, and Fabriano Tiziano is a warmer-toned option popular in atelier programs.
For toned paper, a white charcoal pencil becomes essential. Strathmore 500 Series Toned Tan and toned grey papers pair well with the white pastel pencils in the Faber-Castell, Aenir, and MARTCOLOR kits above. Sketches on toned paper look more developed because you are working from middle grey to highlights and shadows, rather than from white paper to dark.
How to store charcoal and prevent breakage
Charcoal sticks and charcoal pencil leads both snap easily. The fix is storage. A small tin, a pencil roll with individual slots, or even a tightly rolled sock with rubber bands keeps pieces from rattling against each other. Reddit users repeatedly mention that breakage is the #1 reason they repurchase sets, so if you invest in quality compressed charcoal, spend a few dollars on a tin to store them in.
Wrap individual sticks in tissue paper if you carry them in a backpack. Keep the kit out of direct sunlight and away from humidity, both of which degrade the binders in compressed charcoal. For long-term storage, a sealed plastic container with a silica packet works well.
Beginner vs professional tier mapping
If you are starting out, I recommend a kit that bundles vine or willow sticks, compressed charcoal pencils across at least three grades, a kneaded eraser, and a blending stump. The Castle Art Supplies 40-piece set and the GETHPEN 27-piece set both fit that profile. Add a single soft charcoal pencil (General’s 6B or Winsor & Newton Soft) once you know which grade you reach for most.
If you are an intermediate or professional artist, you already know which grades you prefer. Look for a kit that focuses on quality over quantity — the Winsor & Newton Studio Collection and the Derwent XL Blocks tin both deliver professional-grade charcoal without filler pieces. Pair a charcoal pencil set with one or two compressed sticks for blocking in shadows, and you have the working kit most atelier-trained artists use.
Common mistakes first-time charcoal artists make
Pressing too hard. Charcoal pencils and sticks give you deep blacks with light pressure; pressing harder does not give you more black, it just snaps the lead. The second common mistake is skipping the kneaded eraser: compressed charcoal cannot be fully lifted with a rubber eraser, which is why so many beginners think their drawings are “ruined” once the underdrawing is too dark. A kneaded eraser solves this entirely.
The third mistake is working on the wrong paper. Smooth Bristol looks beautiful with ink but fights charcoal at every stroke. Switch to a paper with real tooth, like Strathmore 400, and the same pencils feel twice as powerful. Finally, fix your work as you go with a sheet of scrap paper laid over the page, or you will smudge it when you reach for your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which brand of artist charcoal is best?
The best brand of artist charcoal depends on the work you do. For general sketching and value studies, General’s charcoal pencils are the long-standing default and offer consistent soft, medium, and hard grades. For professional finished drawings, Winsor u0026amp; Newton and Derwent deliver smoother cores and more reliable break resistance. For budget-friendly sets with lots of pieces, Aenir and Castle Art Supplies offer the strongest value. For expressive mark making, the water-soluble Derwent XL Blocks are unmatched.
What brand of charcoal is the best?
General’s is the most widely recommended charcoal brand and a reliable starting point for most artists. Winsor u0026amp; Newton and Derwent are the professional-grade choices. Faber-Castell is the heritage brand known for consistent quality across compressed and natural charcoal. The best charcoal brand for you is the one whose grades match your drawing style and whose kit covers the formats you actually use (vine, willow, compressed, or pencil).
What type of charcoal is best for drawing?
Charcoal pencils are the most versatile type of charcoal for drawing because they sharpen to a point, fit in a pencil roll, and let you lay down both detail lines and broad shading. Vine or willow charcoal is best for initial sketching and blocking in compositions because the marks erase cleanly with a kneaded eraser. Compressed charcoal is best for deep blacks, finished shadows, and expressive mark making. Most artists keep at least two types in their kit.
Is vine or willow charcoal better?
Vine and willow charcoal are very similar — both are burnt twigs that lay down a soft, light grey mark ideal for sketching. Vine charcoal (made from grape vines) is typically the softest and erases the cleanest, which makes it the better choice for the very first sketch on a fresh sheet. Willow charcoal (made from willow twigs) is slightly firmer and a touch more pigmented, which is helpful for longer sketching sessions. For most drawing purposes either works, and many artists use whichever is available.
Is charcoal hard to draw with?
Charcoal is not hard to draw with, but it behaves very differently from graphite. Charcoal is messier (more dust on your hands and the page), more fragile (leads snap easily if you press too hard), and less erasable than graphite once you have committed to a dark mark. Beginners who switch to charcoal after working in graphite usually find the first session messy and the second session addictive, because charcoal gives you deeper blacks and smoother midtones than graphite ever can. Use a kneaded eraser and a paper with real tooth, and charcoal rewards you fast.
What is the best charcoal sketchbook?
The best charcoal sketchbook for most artists is the Strathmore 400 Series Drawing Paper, which has enough tooth to grip compressed charcoal and lifts cleanly with a kneaded eraser. For toned paper work where you sketch in white charcoal over mid-grey, the Strathmore 500 Series Toned Tan and Toned Grey sketchbooks are excellent. For atelier-style work, Fabriano Tiziano and Stonehenge are popular choices, both with the right amount of texture for charcoal. Avoid smooth Bristol sketchbooks — they are too slick for charcoal to grip.
Final Verdict: Which Charcoal Set Should You Buy?
If you want one charcoal set that does everything, the Castle Art Supplies 40-Piece Drawing Set is the best charcoal set for artists in 2026. It bundles charcoal pencils, willow sticks, blending stumps, sharpeners, a kneaded eraser, a sandpaper block, and a 20-page guide book in a portable zippered case, and the 11,000+ verified reviews match my experience: this kit punches above its tier. For the tightest budget, the MARTCOLOR 19-piece charcoal set gives you a full grade range plus white charcoal at a fraction of the cost. For a near-complete starter kit with everything in one box, the GETHPEN 27-piece set is hard to beat.
Pair whichever set you choose with a Strathmore 400 drawing pad and a quality kneaded eraser, then block in your first drawing with willow charcoal and finish with a soft compressed pencil. Within a few sessions, charcoal will become the medium you reach for first.