I don't think there is such a thing as an unbiased look at art supplies. We each like what we like, and there are always other pro artists who disagree completely and love to use what we don't like at all. The only possible way to know whether something works for you is to try it. Quality is nothing more than a very biased opinion based solely on how much you like it, on how well you can use it. I know several pro graphite artists who only use cheap Chinese art pencils. I thought they were just being cheap until I tried them. They weren't being cheap. Four brands of the pencils were as good as any of the name brands I own, and I own complete sets of all the big name brands but a couple, and I own incomplete sets of those. I'n not about to give up my General's, simply because I've been using them for decades and know exactly what I can and can't do with each pencil. That said, if I had to use one of the Chinese brands, it wouldn't bother me at all. But I guarantee many others would think using such pencils is silly, at best. Anyway, don't worry about bias. The only bias that matters is your own, and it is always right.
What I find most helpful about this is not the reviews of specific pencils, but hearing what you look for when evaluating them. Thanks for the video! :)
Your mum is lovely. I was told by an art teacher long ago that Da Vinci could paint a masterpiece with a toothbrush. He was the tool, the brush just an extension of him.
Very useful and enjoyable video! I love to hear personal experiences with different materials. I am curious to try the Pitt Pastel 199 now! You and your mom are so beautiful together 😍. I would like to see more videos like this! Thank you!
I watched this on my PC, and didn't get an ad. I am sure I would have seen two, at least, on my phone. I like this type of breakdown, and would personally like to see one on erasers.
I like the Staedtler Mars lumograph carbon black pencils. They are a good deep black without the graphite shine. They sharpen easily without breaking even the 8B
Just a few personal comments to add: I think the style, the time you spend, the size of your life drawing, and what paper you use matters quite extensively when deciding in material. In usually tries to change style and size for drawings I do. Changing materials goes hand in hand with that. And I experiment with what paper I can use with what pencil to accomplish a special style. Really, the choice of model may even make a difference in what style gives you the best result. During my own education in the US-for faster 1 to 30 min life drawings on 18x24” smooth newsprint (that has now 25 years later unfortunately turned brown and crumbled)-we used mainly Conté compressed charcoals sticks. The softest ones (4B) I think. They are blacker and softer than any of the other brands of similar compressed charcoal sticks I have tried (e.g. Cretacolor, Derwent, Faber-Castell). That we sharpened to a long, but somewhat parabolic, point. That way you could very easily vary the width or the line. Unfortunately I can’t find these Conté compressed chalks where I live, and the other brands just don’t “do the trick”. We also used the CarbOthello, but mainly for lines and details on longer charcoal studies on Ingres laid paper. And the “mythical” Ritmo pencil (the one made by FILA, not the current one with the same name). Now, for faster 1-5 min drawings, often use cheap A3 sized printer paper together with a Cretacolor 9B Monolith pencil that I shape to a similar point. The Cretacolor Monolith 9B is the darkest graphite pencil-currently manufactured-I have tried (when drawing on that paper… on some other papers, other graphite pencils get darker). It also is smooth and hence “speedy”. 30+ years ago, before art college, I used the Eberhard Faber “Blackwing” for 1-10 min letter/A4-sized figure studies on cheap printer paper. The pencil isn’t in production anymore. Very black and smooth, while still not too soft, graphite pencil. I also used a smooth pencil used by stenographers, the Faber-Castell “Copier”. Made me draw really fast. Also unfortunately not in production any longer. But I have one left since it doesn’t wear much. But since I now always draw at least A3-size, a pencil resulting is just a thin and not too dark line isn’t really appropriate.
Again so happy with the information you share! I love Love Life Drawing. So nice to see you and your mom interact. I have learnt so much from you in such a clear and pleasant way!!
Great breakdown of pencils, and it actually matches my own experiences with drawing tools pretty well. I've been gravitating towards pastel pencils because they're so easy to use! Like you say, the tools do matter up to a point, and I really enjoyed watching this. Love to see more reviews! I'd be curious about paper, and about different erasers on these types of pencils, because they're not all equally erasable, right? The one thing I missed from this selection is just a cheap, black colour pencil, I find them to be an accessible tool. I think even Loomis mentions using a colour pencil as an alternative? Great seeing Mayko again too! :)
Great video. I'll try the Pitt Pastel as a result. I've been using Conte 1710 B and I have to say that their quality seems to have improved. My pencil graveyard is gone, and I seem to be able to successfully get a long point with no breakage fairly consistently.
Was nice you two making this video together it was nice meeting your mom, in the video, thank you for this I've been searching for the "perfect ' pencil when it really is me that's making the difference ugh thank you for sharing this info with us
Seems more a talk about preference in weight rather than brands? Anyhow I think having a variety of weights from 4H to 4B helps. (You can go beyond that range, but it tends to be a good starter. The most common mid-range HB or 2B are a good generalist though.) Some choices can be made depending on paper and its tooth, along with the desired tonal key of the drawing. Also it helps to buy more of the softer pencils, the hard ones do tend to last that much longer due to the nature of how the lead wears. Then of course it's generally better to go from light to dark unless you're really confident in putting down lines. Then of course you can follow marks or areas filled with a softer (darker) lead again by a harder (lighter) lead to draw out the graphite from the previous filled areas. Sometimes that helps if doing really detailed work. (The soft leads don't hold a point like the hard ones do.) Other than that some leads are waxy, some seem to have a more ceramic(?) blend, and then there are some that are more charcoal or carbon. That can affect how much it clings to paper and whether you need fixative or having to be more careful in your work. That also has interplay with the paper type too, softer thin paper vs. harder Bristol board and high vs. low tooth. (And that also affects doing erasing too.) However working around those things seems to come down to preference and experience.
Yeah good comment. I think I should have specified I was really thinking about quicker and less rendered drawings which I think are the key for learning which is what we are focused on
I really dig it! Just recently found your channel, and I'm hooked! Signed up for the figure workshop, very excited! I would really like to see some stuff on watercolor... Sketches, full works, etc. Keep up the awesome work!
The problem I have with a colored pencil is that it does not give black as much as charcoal or pastel pencil and it is not easily erasable, it also does not leave good mark on a smooth newsprint. I used Faber-Castell brand, it is a great pencil though not for this exercise in my experience. I love General's Charcoal pencil and Faber-Castell Pitt-Pastel black #199. Pitt pastels do not break easily in the pencil sharpener, General' softer than 4b would break very easily in the sharpener, and I do not like to hand - sharpen.
Lane, the General´s 6B is like you said. I prefere the 4B (It´s strong and you have more control) - Along the Wolff´s (BUT the 6B) - try these. My goal to pencil is the Wolff´s... But all of them have bad copyes! LOL The Genera´ls bad copyes goes too Smudgy and soft, even in the 4B and Wolffs other way around, too hard! LOL I Love the Conté Pierre Noire 2B as well, but they are not versatile as the other ones (not so easy to blend and they get Bloby when you brush it over the same area), but they feel lovely while stroking. The bad point of pierres is that they are too sandy! They are not so clean, sometimes you have small sand pieces that GOD! Kills you when you do a stroke! LOL!! Hugs from Brazil!!
Kenzo and Mayko!!! So nice to see you do a video together. You should do more. You make a great video team; great juxtaposition of personalities. I love the review video on materials. It is especially interesting because it is not a biased opinion; I am so tired of watching review videos where the artist got the material for free or is being compensated by some company. I have turned those off; I find that I end up spending money on quantity instead of quality. If I want quantity, it should be quality items so I can learn what appeals to me when drawing, not what some company is having on sale. I wish you could make a video about pastel and how to handle storage: I love pastel; but, I feel about it like with charcoal. I think it is messy; hard to store; and I don’t want to use a fixative. I also find that the paper is expensive just for to practice gesture. I feel like I am missing out; so I just recently got some conte crayons; I haven’t tried them, but I’m hoping I can use them in a regular sketchbook and not worry about it like I do with graphite. Again, thank you for sharing your unbiased review on the materials you have tried out in your studio. Awesome job with the community! Keep up the good work. I learn soooo much from you.
signed up for the Ian Roberts class that is drawing with pencil mostly landscapes. I am an engineer that started in the time where you actually had to review designs with a blue print. I use to joke that to be a successful engineer a requirement is to be successful in kindergarten, color within the lines. Box of color pencils and color markers was standard equipment. For following wires the markers were better.
Thanks for the review, it was interesting to see your point of view. I also have a tendency to use more of the charcoal and pastel pencils and less of graphite/oil based. In addition to the brands you were showing - Derwent's hard charcoal pencils are halfway between the vine charcoal - which can be easily erased and General's charcoal pencils that are more permanent. Though they can be a bit messy and crumbly. Some artists get along very well with oil-based pencils like Polychromos or Lyra pencils - in which case you should use smooth cartridge paper, or other white papers, not newsprint. I’m interested what’s your take on the oil based ones? Also, maybe you should do a follow up on different brands of vine charcoal and what paper to use with them.
@@lovelifedrawing I don't have a specific brand to recommend, but I did notice that the lighter papers (about 120gsm) work best - the cheap ones you buy in big sheets
Very informative video and useful to me because I'm doing lots of drawings trying to understand the capabilities of different media. Started by doing a series of 100 drawings using all sorts of media, and then specialised. First up, 100 drawings with various strength Aquarelles, exploring shading techniques and brush washes, but somewhere along the way encountered a reminder from you that getting the form right was paramount, so I shifted focus to that aspect. Now on about my 25th Wolff's Carbon. I'm really seeing improvement in my drawings, particularly when I flipped through a couple of sketch books the other day. I date them all, identify the medium and technique and write notes about the session all over them. I'm loving this. Would love to see a video on pastels, even though it will be a while till I get to them. Cheers!
Your mama is so cute. I never really thought of going with a 6B. To me, that is associated with being dark rather than being soft and malleable. I guess we go for the harder pencils because they are lighter and we lack confidence.
Can you do videos on all the materials and medias you suggested at the end of the video? *gouache, pastels, digital, different papers, etc.* Nice insightful video, just like your other ones. You’re both doing a very thoughtful thing for viewers like myself. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and understanding and joy for life drawing! :)
the man who taught me jewelery design was, for 10 yeras, the Chief of Design for Tiffany & Co. He later went on to work for two of the worlds top designers. Peter taught me; "It takes ten years to learn how to use your tools. It may take ten more years to learn how to break the rules you learned in the first ten years. Very few people ever get to step #2." My point being that Master Kobo could most likley produce a masterpiece with a charcoal stick from a campfire, but such skills have been developed only after a lifetime of practice. For the rest of us....keep working
Thank you for this informal, unbiased video. I related to a lot of what you had to say. I am currently using conté pastel pencils and love their marks but find they do not have the value range. I am going to try the pitt pastel 199, as I too can be heavy handed with my lines. I love that you work so closely with your mum, she's adorable and very talented too. I have been following you for quite some time now and love receiving your emails. Keep up the fantastic work.😁
i wish there were more lead refill options for clutch pencils (i have terrible luck with wooden pencils. I always break the lead)... but i guess so few people own clutch pencils that the manufacturers dont bother :(
great video! no one talks about this. thank you! i don't use graphite much at all anymore (except for roughing in) because of the lack of tonal range. general's charcoal pencils are my tool of choice for figures now. i'd love to see some info on pencil / paper combos. i don't like newsprint as it is too slick for my tastes. maybe some pencils works better on newsprint than other types of paper for example. i've been a fan of your teaching methods, and now your mom too. ;)
+++ I loved your review. Ys PLEASE do one on pastels (my favourite medium, and alo what Japanese papers are great for pastels. Thank you for doing these. Gary From St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
Kenzo and Myako, thank you for the review! Please, if possible, include in your comparative paper review the Strathmore Artagain paper. I think it is the best paper for charcoal drawing, smooth enough for details and easily erasable. It will be great to know if there are other better papers for charcoal drawing. Thank you!
Really enjoyed your discussion of these pencils! I would definitely be interested in a review of papers, especially considering the difference between paper for practice and paper for art to be sold - I like drawing on newsprint too but worry it's not appropriate for selling because it might degrade quite quickly? I don't even know if I'm right about that though. Thanks for all the videos!
NO ADVERTS! How wonderful, thanks Kenzo and Maiko. I would like to know how to best sharpen pencils, say the Pitt Pastel 199, which I shall get. I have tried several sharpeners and either the holes don't fit the pencil or I can't get that long length of graphite/pastelthat I see you draw with.
Thanks for another great video. I miss your life drawing together. Is there a way to know if your pencil is broken inside before you buy it or is it a matter of luck? I would like to see more videos about watercolor erasers and paper would be great thank you
Sadly I had the same experience with the Conté pencils. Allthough I definitely loved them in the beginning - when thy had the issue with breaking it simply got too exensive to throw every second one into the bin. Haven't used them in the last 2 years, but maybe will try them again. Hopefully Conté will solve this issue, because IF the pencil is usable and doesn't break while sharpening it's one of the most wonderful charcoal pencils ever ;) From General's I use the Peel off ones. they're quite ok. However Wolff's Carbon 6B are to me the best alternative to Conté 1710 B. Pitt Pastel and Carbothello I didn't know yet, so I will try them out. Thank you for the tipps!
I sill have some old ones (”gold” engraved letters) and they are fine. Later bought some with white (or silver) letters that weren’t good. Especially there were some granular stuff in the leads that spoiled them if you were in to detail work (I most often used them for more “rough” techniques, so it wasn’t as much if an issue). This could possibly be the reason to why the leads also “crumbled”. To my understanding Conte had outsourced the production, and that’s then possibly why the problems appeared. Also, make sure the seller are packaging pencils in a appropriate manner if you order. I find most don’t if you don’t contact them to specify how they must be packaged. Otherwise they aren’t the only brands and model of charcoal pastel and carbon pencils that break easily. (The different charcoal pencils by Faber-Castell and Cretacolor were the worst in my experience… especially the soft ones.) Now the information from Conte specify that the lead paste has been filtered. So possibly the problem has been more or less solved. But haven’t tried any newer ones.
Thanks for the review, that gave me a couple new options to try out! I generally love the Pierre Noir, but those little sand grains are SO annoying when I'm trying to practice nice flowing strokes. The Pitt Pastel does it all for me, but in my experience the tip runs down really fast, so I often don't get the line control I'd like to have. May be just my technique, though. Can't make up my mind yet :) Would love to see more material reviews in the future! Personally, I'm currently most curious about digital - achieving a good sketching experience with the iPad isn't easy, and there's different software, brushpacks, screen protectors,...
Thanks Kolja! That's a great point about the Pitt Pastel and something I haven't noticed until you mention it. I am forever resanding. I will definitely do a video on digital, but i first need to learn a lot more. Btw I'm loving the stuff you post in our community area :)
this is great. I love your mom! She can't help being a mom haha! anyways, would like a review of everything you mentioned. I was having trouble following through the process because your drawing is so mesmerizing! ...and it jolted me silly when you said to throw away your quick sketches into the bin!
Very useful video. I tend to flip between different pencils and willow charcoal but I may now try and stick to one. Do you use ink wash at all. I'd like to give it a go but don't know where to start. A video on ink would be great. Thanks again!
I use generals 4B and 6B also Staedler Mars graphite 6b. The Wolffs carbon I have they are a little scratchy on the paper but no mess and still have a charcoal look I feel. Enjoyed this video very much ,good to see Mako and you doing this together. The Paper we use for practice and for finer work might be a direction to go for a product review. tom U S A
just made the mistake of sketching for my color pastel drawing with an HB. almost looks good but the proportions are off because that pencil just doesn't encourage correction imo. damn next time.
Fantastic vid guys. Have you done a video on how to sharpen a charcoal pencil so nicely? And also, how often during a, say, one hour drawing session you would have to resharpen your charcoal pencil.
I made one about pencils before that included how to sharpen them, but there are other videos on youtube too. during a one hour session i might just resand a bit a few times
@@lovelifedrawing Cool, thanks for your response. I shall go forth and investigate... and make sure to take my sanding paper with me to my next drawing session!
Thank you so much! I found this video so informative! Your content is incredibly helpful. (I saw no ads, btw.) Are you using a particular brand of smooth newsprint or are they all pretty much the same? Is it very important to use smooth instead of rough, or is that just a matter of personal preference?
Thanks Ariana! Great question. I personally find a big difference between smooth and rough newsprint. I only found one smooth one here in the U.K. however, if you see our pdf checklist guide or watch our roadmap videos, you can see that for me line quality is a concern later in the learning process and until that point I don’t think it matters. I used to use various papers early on hoping it would make a difference, but I needed my foundational skills in place for it to make a difference
Thanks for the review, and it's interesting to hear about the Pierre Noire breaking. I got one to try, and while I liked it at first, after a while it started breaking up. I thought I must have dropped it at some point, but sounds like it's pretty common for them to break up like that. Disappointing!
I've made practically ALL of my art and gesture drawings with HB pencils...... I'm not entirely sure how to feel now lol I'm not sure if my HB ones are hard ones but maybe I should try 4B ones
HB is generally pretty hard, yeah. But I used them for a long time, only recently started using softer leads and other kinds of pencils. I think it's worth trying a softer grade pencil at least. :)
Oh sorry Liam! hehe i think the grades very a lot by brand and product, so your HB may produce a great tonal range and marks. to be honest, most of the lessons to be learned in life drawing, especially earlier on, can be practised with an HB pencil too but as you progress, you may want a bit more power there
@@lovelifedrawing Oh , I see Also thank you, I very much appreciate your advice on this!! I've tried a 4B pencil yesterday and it felt so soft to draw with, it was kind of shocking seeing the difference honestly. I think I might try doing some life drawings with it and the usual kind of art I make with it too and seeing how I fair.
@@liambarrak6217 I remember how that felt, trying a softer pencil for the first time. Couple of years ago, I decided I was sick of the way I was drawing and started trying out different pens and pencils, just experimenting and seeing what they could do. Pretty soon I could draw the same things I'd always drawn with just about any tool I could get my hands on, it was such a greet feeling. If you want to branch out just a little bit, I'd encourage you to try a black colour pencil, not going to cost you a lot, and I'm sure you'll see the difference in the marks it makes right away. I still love my Fixpencils, and there's nothing wrong with graphite, but there's just so many other types of pencils out there, and they have all sorts of things to teach you! :)
That Generals Carbon Sketch pencil is great quality materials with a black opacity that is fulfilling to one’s work. But, I find the core to be brittle when sharpening… . The core of this pencil needs to be modified to be more sturdy. Thanks Love Life!🧑🎨♾️✍️
Great video, it's fun seeing you and your mom interact. Is there any like.... RUclips contacts we can petition on your behalf as far as ads go? Ads are the pits but y'all deserve to get paid for the work you do. Alternatively (preferably?) letting us join as members so we can contribute some small amount every month would also be good
Thanks Nicholas! Really appreciate the support. Yeah I like the fact ppl don’t need to sit through ads, although i did hear the algorithm prefers vids with ads which concerned me a bit. To be fair to RUclips tho, our videos do fine for views even without ads. We make a living from our excellent course, and it’s not megabucks or anything but enough to pay the bills and do this as my job, which I absolutely love, so I feel very lucky. Really appreciate your support man :)
I have a little better luck with the Conte's not breaking as much by buying them a box of a dozen at a time so they don't jostle and break as much during shipping. Still happens, but not as much.
I'd be interested in a video on paper. I'm pretty happy with my work on smooth paper but it's challenging when I switch to grain paper. What's the best pencil media for different types of paper?
@@lovelifedrawing thanks for replying! More finished drawings. I do my learning drawings with graphite pencil on scrap printer paper and have been pretty happy with some. I'd like to produce something more finished but find im almost back at the beginning when I switch to grain paper with charcoal or pastel pencil, the texture from the grain just doesn't look as good and the drawings stiffen up.
Yeah the apple pencil is great! Definitely versatile and not messy. I guess one possible issue is whether even the 12.9 ipad allows a good range of movement in your arm, which is useful when you're learning. then of course there's the issues with being too easy to adjust and correct endlessly, which is useful for learning but also not great for mindset, so combining it with ink on paper practice can be a good combo
Your mother is delightful. You're lucky to have her in your life. There's an old saying, "It's a poor worker who blames the tools". and it's true. I use General's graphite and charcoal pencils as my everyday pencil only because this was the brand I stumbled onto way back when I was first learning to draw, and I've found no reason to change brands. I have sixteen brands of graphite pencils, and I don't even know how many brands of charcoal pencils and pastel pencils, plus compressed sticks of everything, thanks mostly to friends and family who think pencils are always the perfect gift for an artist. They are right, of course. Of the sixteen brands of graphite pencils, there are only three brands that I wouldn't want to use at a professional level. Honestly, I decided a long time ago that the best pencils in the world always have been, and always will be, the ones that a given artist likes the most. It's just that simple. Some of the most beautiful graphite drawings I've ever seen were done using HB stubs and scrap paper, often remnants of butcher paper left on the rolls, and even wrapping paper, the artists pulled from the city dump. Don't underestimate the HB pencil. The HB is far, far from just a writing pencil. The reason it's so common as a writing pencil is because of its range. Sitting in the middle of the range as it does, a quality HB can cover anything from a 4H to a 4B, and this allows students at every grade level to write, AND do artwork with the same pencil. The HB is the best all around pencil made. I've known graphite artists who used the HB for everything, and others who used the HB, and one charcoal or carbon pencil for the very dark tones.
"It's a poor worker who blames the tools", but it's a poorer mind that makes a tool of itself by repeating fallacious sophisms. There's a reason you don't see many surgeons using blunt scalpels, or race car drivers driving broken cars to prove their skill
Hi! I'm just staring out life drawing more seriously and wondering what the general recommendation for prncils and paper you would give? From this video I would guess maybe Pitt Pastel or Wolff's carbon pencil would be good options?
Love this unbiased look at different materials..and loved the interaction between you and your mother. No ads appeared….
Agree 100%
I don't think there is such a thing as an unbiased look at art supplies. We each like what we like, and there are always other pro artists who disagree completely and love to use what we don't like at all. The only possible way to know whether something works for you is to try it. Quality is nothing more than a very biased opinion based solely on how much you like it, on how well you can use it.
I know several pro graphite artists who only use cheap Chinese art pencils. I thought they were just being cheap until I tried them. They weren't being cheap. Four brands of the pencils were as good as any of the name brands I own, and I own complete sets of all the big name brands but a couple, and I own incomplete sets of those. I'n not about to give up my General's, simply because I've been using them for decades and know exactly what I can and can't do with each pencil. That said, if I had to use one of the Chinese brands, it wouldn't bother me at all.
But I guarantee many others would think using such pencils is silly, at best. Anyway, don't worry about bias. The only bias that matters is your own, and it is always right.
Your mum is so cool and lovely. Thank you for all that you put out here. Watching these videos is like a meditation for me.
What I find most helpful about this is not the reviews of specific pencils, but hearing what you look for when evaluating them. Thanks for the video! :)
Your mum is lovely. I was told by an art teacher long ago that Da Vinci could paint a masterpiece with a toothbrush. He was the tool, the brush just an extension of him.
He was certainly a tool!
@@reginaldforthright805 Lol.
I loved this video. Introduced me to a stack of pencils I've not heard of and your mum's input gives a lovely counterpoint.
Beautiful mom and son interaction 😇
Muy interesante platica madre e hijo buenos consejos gracias 🙏 muy lindo compartir su sabiduría del arte de dibujar!
Very useful and enjoyable video! I love to hear personal experiences with different materials. I am curious to try the Pitt Pastel 199 now!
You and your mom are so beautiful together 😍. I would like to see more videos like this! Thank you!
I watched this on my PC, and didn't get an ad. I am sure I would have seen two, at least, on my phone.
I like this type of breakdown, and would personally like to see one on erasers.
Pastel beginner here. I would love to see hard or soft pastel videos. 💖
You two were great in this video. Thank you.
I like the Staedtler Mars lumograph carbon black pencils. They are a good deep black without the graphite shine. They sharpen easily without breaking even the 8B
Alright! Thanks the both of you ! I have been listening to Love Life Drawing and feel and education in all I’m shown by you.
There’s always such a kind vibe to this channel. Thanks for the helpful discussion
Just a few personal comments to add:
I think the style, the time you spend, the size of your life drawing, and what paper you use matters quite extensively when deciding in material. In usually tries to change style and size for drawings I do. Changing materials goes hand in hand with that. And I experiment with what paper I can use with what pencil to accomplish a special style. Really, the choice of model may even make a difference in what style gives you the best result.
During my own education in the US-for faster 1 to 30 min life drawings on 18x24” smooth newsprint (that has now 25 years later unfortunately turned brown and crumbled)-we used mainly Conté compressed charcoals sticks. The softest ones (4B) I think. They are blacker and softer than any of the other brands of similar compressed charcoal sticks I have tried (e.g. Cretacolor, Derwent, Faber-Castell). That we sharpened to a long, but somewhat parabolic, point. That way you could very easily vary the width or the line.
Unfortunately I can’t find these Conté compressed chalks where I live, and the other brands just don’t “do the trick”.
We also used the CarbOthello, but mainly for lines and details on longer charcoal studies on Ingres laid paper. And the “mythical” Ritmo pencil (the one made by FILA, not the current one with the same name).
Now, for faster 1-5 min drawings, often use cheap A3 sized printer paper together with a Cretacolor 9B Monolith pencil that I shape to a similar point. The Cretacolor Monolith 9B is the darkest graphite pencil-currently manufactured-I have tried (when drawing on that paper… on some other papers, other graphite pencils get darker). It also is smooth and hence “speedy”.
30+ years ago, before art college, I used the Eberhard Faber “Blackwing” for 1-10 min letter/A4-sized figure studies on cheap printer paper. The pencil isn’t in production anymore. Very black and smooth, while still not too soft, graphite pencil.
I also used a smooth pencil used by stenographers, the Faber-Castell “Copier”. Made me draw really fast. Also unfortunately not in production any longer. But I have one left since it doesn’t wear much. But since I now always draw at least A3-size, a pencil resulting is just a thin and not too dark line isn’t really appropriate.
Very insightful! Your mom is a joy!
Again so happy with the information you share! I love Love Life Drawing. So nice to see you and your mom interact.
I have learnt so much from you in such a clear and pleasant way!!
Great breakdown of pencils, and it actually matches my own experiences with drawing tools pretty well. I've been gravitating towards pastel pencils because they're so easy to use! Like you say, the tools do matter up to a point, and I really enjoyed watching this. Love to see more reviews! I'd be curious about paper, and about different erasers on these types of pencils, because they're not all equally erasable, right?
The one thing I missed from this selection is just a cheap, black colour pencil, I find them to be an accessible tool. I think even Loomis mentions using a colour pencil as an alternative?
Great seeing Mayko again too! :)
Great video. I'll try the Pitt Pastel as a result. I've been using Conte 1710 B and I have to say that their quality seems to have improved. My pencil graveyard is gone, and I seem to be able to successfully get a long point with no breakage fairly consistently.
Ah good to know Eric! your drawing progression is something to behold :)
Great review. Please do continue the review series with other components of drawing and painting (paper, pastels, watercolour, etc.). Thank you both.
Was nice you two making this video together it was nice meeting your mom, in the video, thank you for this I've been searching for the "perfect ' pencil when it really is me that's making the difference ugh thank you for sharing this info with us
Seems more a talk about preference in weight rather than brands? Anyhow I think having a variety of weights from 4H to 4B helps. (You can go beyond that range, but it tends to be a good starter. The most common mid-range HB or 2B are a good generalist though.) Some choices can be made depending on paper and its tooth, along with the desired tonal key of the drawing. Also it helps to buy more of the softer pencils, the hard ones do tend to last that much longer due to the nature of how the lead wears. Then of course it's generally better to go from light to dark unless you're really confident in putting down lines. Then of course you can follow marks or areas filled with a softer (darker) lead again by a harder (lighter) lead to draw out the graphite from the previous filled areas. Sometimes that helps if doing really detailed work. (The soft leads don't hold a point like the hard ones do.)
Other than that some leads are waxy, some seem to have a more ceramic(?) blend, and then there are some that are more charcoal or carbon. That can affect how much it clings to paper and whether you need fixative or having to be more careful in your work. That also has interplay with the paper type too, softer thin paper vs. harder Bristol board and high vs. low tooth. (And that also affects doing erasing too.) However working around those things seems to come down to preference and experience.
Yeah good comment. I think I should have specified I was really thinking about quicker and less rendered drawings which I think are the key for learning which is what we are focused on
thank YOU both!!! I saw no ads!! I'd love it if you talked about pens that you might use
I’m loving pens and ink recently so will do :)
Really appreciate your videos guys, thank you.
Love this video, really helpful! I'd love a similar one on conté pastels and pencils. Didn't see any ads on the video by the way.
Great pencil/pastel recap.😊 A quick recap at the end would be helpful. Thanks for your continuing generosity!
Thank you Susy!
I really dig it! Just recently found your channel, and I'm hooked! Signed up for the figure workshop, very excited!
I would really like to see some stuff on watercolor... Sketches, full works, etc.
Keep up the awesome work!
I loved this format! You both are so nice! My best regards to you and your mother!! (No ads in the video)
Thanks so much!
The problem I have with a colored pencil is that it does not give black as much as charcoal or pastel pencil and it is not easily erasable, it also does not leave good mark on a smooth newsprint. I used Faber-Castell brand, it is a great pencil though not for this exercise in my experience. I love General's Charcoal pencil and Faber-Castell Pitt-Pastel black #199. Pitt pastels do not break easily in the pencil sharpener, General' softer than 4b would break very easily in the sharpener, and I do not like to hand - sharpen.
That was interesting.Unbiased reviews, not easy to find thank you. Love the interaction between the both of you, very endearing.
What about sanguine pencil?
Lane, the General´s 6B is like you said. I prefere the 4B (It´s strong and you have more control) - Along the Wolff´s (BUT the 6B) - try these. My goal to pencil is the Wolff´s... But all of them have bad copyes! LOL The Genera´ls bad copyes goes too Smudgy and soft, even in the 4B and Wolffs other way around, too hard! LOL I Love the Conté Pierre Noire 2B as well, but they are not versatile as the other ones (not so easy to blend and they get Bloby when you brush it over the same area), but they feel lovely while stroking. The bad point of pierres is that they are too sandy! They are not so clean, sometimes you have small sand pieces that GOD! Kills you when you do a stroke! LOL!!
Hugs from Brazil!!
Thank you Mayko and Kenzo. I will buy a Pitt pastel pencil and give it a go.
Kenzo and Mayko!!! So nice to see you do a video together. You should do more. You make a great video team; great juxtaposition of personalities.
I love the review video on materials. It is especially interesting because it is not a biased opinion; I am so tired of watching review videos where the artist got the material for free or is being compensated by some company. I have turned those off; I find that I end up spending money on quantity instead of quality. If I want quantity, it should be quality items so I can learn what appeals to me when drawing, not what some company is having on sale.
I wish you could make a video about pastel and how to handle storage: I love pastel; but, I feel about it like with charcoal. I think it is messy; hard to store; and I don’t want to use a fixative. I also find that the paper is expensive just for to practice gesture. I feel like I am missing out; so I just recently got some conte crayons; I haven’t tried them, but I’m hoping I can use them in a regular sketchbook and not worry about it like I do with graphite.
Again, thank you for sharing your unbiased review on the materials you have tried out in your studio. Awesome job with the community! Keep up the good work. I learn soooo much from you.
Excellent advice and wonderful examples of using the mediums while discussing the pencil and charcoal applications. Thank you .
what a lovely video! and very informative on top of that, too 😊
signed up for the Ian Roberts class that is drawing with pencil mostly landscapes. I am an engineer that started in the time where you actually had to review designs with a blue print. I use to joke that to be a successful engineer a requirement is to be successful in kindergarten, color within the lines. Box of color pencils and color markers was standard equipment. For following wires the markers were better.
Thank you so much for all of your videos! They are incredibly helpful 💌
Thanks so much. Battling with being too heavy handed so great to hear your perspective Kenzo. Will give the Pitt 199 a try. (And no ads btw).
Enjoyed hearing your perspectives and discussion. Thank you “
Thanks for the review, it was interesting to see your point of view. I also have a tendency to use more of the charcoal and pastel pencils and less of graphite/oil based.
In addition to the brands you were showing - Derwent's hard charcoal pencils are halfway between the vine charcoal - which can be easily erased and General's charcoal pencils that are more permanent. Though they can be a bit messy and crumbly.
Some artists get along very well with oil-based pencils like Polychromos or Lyra pencils - in which case you should use smooth cartridge paper, or other white papers, not newsprint. I’m interested what’s your take on the oil based ones? Also, maybe you should do a follow up on different brands of vine charcoal and what paper to use with them.
Yeah I really want to try the combination you described. is there a specific smooth cartridge paper product you can recommend for that approach?
@@lovelifedrawing I don't have a specific brand to recommend, but I did notice that the lighter papers (about 120gsm) work best - the cheap ones you buy in big sheets
Excellent show, very well done. Would enjoy more analog and digital based content both. Thanks very much.
Very informative video and useful to me because I'm doing lots of drawings trying to understand the capabilities of different media. Started by doing a series of 100 drawings using all sorts of media, and then specialised. First up, 100 drawings with various strength Aquarelles, exploring shading techniques and brush washes, but somewhere along the way encountered a reminder from you that getting the form right was paramount, so I shifted focus to that aspect. Now on about my 25th Wolff's Carbon. I'm really seeing improvement in my drawings, particularly when I flipped through a couple of sketch books the other day. I date them all, identify the medium and technique and write notes about the session all over them. I'm loving this. Would love to see a video on pastels, even though it will be a while till I get to them. Cheers!
Nice one John! Sounds like you're doing lots of great practice
Your mama is so cute. I never really thought of going with a 6B. To me, that is associated with being dark rather than being soft and malleable. I guess we go for the harder pencils because they are lighter and we lack confidence.
Can you do videos on all the materials and medias you suggested at the end of the video? *gouache, pastels, digital, different papers, etc.*
Nice insightful video, just like your other ones. You’re both doing a very thoughtful thing for viewers like myself. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and understanding and joy for life drawing! :)
Always useful. Thanks.
the man who taught me jewelery design was, for 10 yeras, the Chief of Design for Tiffany & Co. He later went on to work for two of the worlds top designers. Peter taught me; "It takes ten years to learn how to use your tools. It may take ten more years to learn how to break the rules you learned in the first ten years. Very few people ever get to step #2."
My point being that Master Kobo could most likley produce a masterpiece with a charcoal stick from a campfire, but such skills have been developed only after a lifetime of practice. For the rest of us....keep working
Thank you for this informal, unbiased video. I related to a lot of what you had to say. I am currently using conté pastel pencils and love their marks but find they do not have the value range. I am going to try the pitt pastel 199, as I too can be heavy handed with my lines. I love that you work so closely with your mum, she's adorable and very talented too. I have been following you for quite some time now and love receiving your emails. Keep up the fantastic work.😁
Thanks so much Rachel!
Forgot to say, I'd love to see a video on the different papers and which pencils/ pastels you'd march them with.
I would love it if you did this with pastels and maybe paper, too. Very much appreciated this review. TY
My mum is definitely the person to review pastels!
i wish there were more lead refill options for clutch pencils (i have terrible luck with wooden pencils. I always break the lead)... but i guess so few people own clutch pencils that the manufacturers dont bother :(
great video! no one talks about this. thank you! i don't use graphite much at all anymore (except for roughing in) because of the lack of tonal range. general's charcoal pencils are my tool of choice for figures now. i'd love to see some info on pencil / paper combos. i don't like newsprint as it is too slick for my tastes. maybe some pencils works better on newsprint than other types of paper for example. i've been a fan of your teaching methods, and now your mom too. ;)
thanks Michael. I always stick to the same paper, so to do paper review i will need to branch out!
Digital for beginners would be useful 👍🏼
+++ I loved your review. Ys PLEASE do one on pastels (my favourite medium, and alo what Japanese papers are great for pastels. Thank you for doing these. Gary From St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
Kenzo and Myako, thank you for the review! Please, if possible, include in your comparative paper review the Strathmore Artagain paper. I think it is the best paper for charcoal drawing, smooth enough for details and easily erasable. It will be great to know if there are other better papers for charcoal drawing. Thank you!
Interesting thanks Dimitri. I will have to get some and try but i can only seem to find black artagain paper when i look online here
Lovely to see Mayko!
I learned so much from this! Please review more. I love books if you have a few recommendations
I see your other video thank you
Really enjoyed your discussion of these pencils! I would definitely be interested in a review of papers, especially considering the difference between paper for practice and paper for art to be sold - I like drawing on newsprint too but worry it's not appropriate for selling because it might degrade quite quickly? I don't even know if I'm right about that though. Thanks for all the videos!
Great question Luke. we will do a video on paper at some point for sure
NO ADVERTS! How wonderful, thanks Kenzo and Maiko. I would like to know how to best sharpen pencils, say the Pitt Pastel 199, which I shall get. I have tried several sharpeners and either the holes don't fit the pencil or I can't get that long length of graphite/pastelthat I see you draw with.
Thanks for another great video. I miss your life drawing together. Is there a way to know if your pencil is broken inside before you buy it or is it a matter of luck? I would like to see more videos about watercolor erasers and paper would be great thank you
You are amazing kenzo
Sadly I had the same experience with the Conté pencils. Allthough I definitely loved them in the beginning - when thy had the issue with breaking it simply got too exensive to throw every second one into the bin. Haven't used them in the last 2 years, but maybe will try them again. Hopefully Conté will solve this issue, because IF the pencil is usable and doesn't break while sharpening it's one of the most wonderful charcoal pencils ever ;)
From General's I use the Peel off ones. they're quite ok. However Wolff's Carbon 6B are to me the best alternative to Conté 1710 B.
Pitt Pastel and Carbothello I didn't know yet, so I will try them out. Thank you for the tipps!
I sill have some old ones (”gold” engraved letters) and they are fine. Later bought some with white (or silver) letters that weren’t good. Especially there were some granular stuff in the leads that spoiled them if you were in to detail work (I most often used them for more “rough” techniques, so it wasn’t as much if an issue). This could possibly be the reason to why the leads also “crumbled”. To my understanding Conte had outsourced the production, and that’s then possibly why the problems appeared.
Also, make sure the seller are packaging pencils in a appropriate manner if you order. I find most don’t if you don’t contact them to specify how they must be packaged. Otherwise they aren’t the only brands and model of charcoal pastel and carbon pencils that break easily. (The different charcoal pencils by Faber-Castell and Cretacolor were the worst in my experience… especially the soft ones.)
Now the information from Conte specify that the lead paste has been filtered. So possibly the problem has been more or less solved. But haven’t tried any newer ones.
Thanks for the review, that gave me a couple new options to try out! I generally love the Pierre Noir, but those little sand grains are SO annoying when I'm trying to practice nice flowing strokes. The Pitt Pastel does it all for me, but in my experience the tip runs down really fast, so I often don't get the line control I'd like to have. May be just my technique, though. Can't make up my mind yet :) Would love to see more material reviews in the future! Personally, I'm currently most curious about digital - achieving a good sketching experience with the iPad isn't easy, and there's different software, brushpacks, screen protectors,...
Thanks Kolja! That's a great point about the Pitt Pastel and something I haven't noticed until you mention it. I am forever resanding. I will definitely do a video on digital, but i first need to learn a lot more. Btw I'm loving the stuff you post in our community area :)
@@lovelifedrawing Thank you, Kenzo! It's such a friendly and helpful environment you are providing there. Looking forward to next Figuary already :)
this is great. I love your mom! She can't help being a mom haha! anyways, would like a review of everything you mentioned. I was having trouble following through the process because your drawing is so mesmerizing! ...and it jolted me silly when you said to throw away your quick sketches into the bin!
Hey thanks Anthony! Yeah I throw most of it away - i find that's good for my mindset, at least at this stage of my learning
very informational video. like your interaction... and yeah no ads so far
Good to know!
Very useful video. I tend to flip between different pencils and willow charcoal but I may now try and stick to one. Do you use ink wash at all. I'd like to give it a go but don't know where to start. A video on ink would be great. Thanks again!
I’m also learning about ink recently, so we can make a video at some point :)
No ads on this one
Thank you!
I use generals 4B and 6B also Staedler Mars graphite 6b. The Wolffs carbon I have they are a little scratchy on the paper but no mess and still have a charcoal look I feel.
Enjoyed this video very much ,good to see Mako and you doing this together.
The Paper we use for practice and for finer work might be a direction to go for a product review. tom U S A
Loved the video and the two of you commenting together
Thank you Sarah! Hoping to do more with my mum soon, and possibly bring back draw along club
just made the mistake of sketching for my color pastel drawing with an HB. almost looks good but the proportions are off because that pencil just doesn't encourage correction imo. damn next time.
We will do more on pastel in future :)
Thanks Kenzo. Really helpful.
Thanks Danuta, hope you have been well :)
Fantastic vid guys. Have you done a video on how to sharpen a charcoal pencil so nicely? And also, how often during a, say, one hour drawing session you would have to resharpen your charcoal pencil.
I made one about pencils before that included how to sharpen them, but there are other videos on youtube too. during a one hour session i might just resand a bit a few times
@@lovelifedrawing Cool, thanks for your response. I shall go forth and investigate... and make sure to take my sanding paper with me to my next drawing session!
Thank you for sharing this message.
Thank you so much! I found this video so informative! Your content is incredibly helpful. (I saw no ads, btw.) Are you using a particular brand of smooth newsprint or are they all pretty much the same? Is it very important to use smooth instead of rough, or is that just a matter of personal preference?
Thanks Ariana! Great question. I personally find a big difference between smooth and rough newsprint. I only found one smooth one here in the U.K. however, if you see our pdf checklist guide or watch our roadmap videos, you can see that for me line quality is a concern later in the learning process and until that point I don’t think it matters. I used to use various papers early on hoping it would make a difference, but I needed my foundational skills in place for it to make a difference
Thanks for the review, and it's interesting to hear about the Pierre Noire breaking. I got one to try, and while I liked it at first, after a while it started breaking up. I thought I must have dropped it at some point, but sounds like it's pretty common for them to break up like that. Disappointing!
Great video. Especially the two of you. Thanks
Paper! Please?
I've made practically ALL of my art and gesture drawings with HB pencils......
I'm not entirely sure how to feel now lol
I'm not sure if my HB ones are hard ones but maybe I should try 4B ones
HB is generally pretty hard, yeah. But I used them for a long time, only recently started using softer leads and other kinds of pencils. I think it's worth trying a softer grade pencil at least. :)
Oh sorry Liam! hehe i think the grades very a lot by brand and product, so your HB may produce a great tonal range and marks. to be honest, most of the lessons to be learned in life drawing, especially earlier on, can be practised with an HB pencil too but as you progress, you may want a bit more power there
@@lovelifedrawing Oh , I see
Also thank you, I very much appreciate your advice on this!!
I've tried a 4B pencil yesterday and it felt so soft to draw with, it was kind of shocking seeing the difference honestly. I think I might try doing some life drawings with it and the usual kind of art I make with it too and seeing how I fair.
@@liambarrak6217 I remember how that felt, trying a softer pencil for the first time. Couple of years ago, I decided I was sick of the way I was drawing and started trying out different pens and pencils, just experimenting and seeing what they could do. Pretty soon I could draw the same things I'd always drawn with just about any tool I could get my hands on, it was such a greet feeling. If you want to branch out just a little bit, I'd encourage you to try a black colour pencil, not going to cost you a lot, and I'm sure you'll see the difference in the marks it makes right away. I still love my Fixpencils, and there's nothing wrong with graphite, but there's just so many other types of pencils out there, and they have all sorts of things to teach you! :)
@@liambarrak6217 Also. Won't you come on the Love Life Drawing community and show some of your drawings? :)
Just a sidenote, your mom's earrings are amazing!!
Thanks for the review
That Generals Carbon Sketch pencil is great quality materials with a black opacity that is fulfilling to one’s work. But, I find the core to be brittle when sharpening… . The core of this pencil needs to be modified to be more sturdy. Thanks Love Life!🧑🎨♾️✍️
yeah i've had some snap, or just have chunks come out, so i know what you mean
Great video, it's fun seeing you and your mom interact. Is there any like.... RUclips contacts we can petition on your behalf as far as ads go? Ads are the pits but y'all deserve to get paid for the work you do.
Alternatively (preferably?) letting us join as members so we can contribute some small amount every month would also be good
Thanks Nicholas! Really appreciate the support. Yeah I like the fact ppl don’t need to sit through ads, although i did hear the algorithm prefers vids with ads which concerned me a bit. To be fair to RUclips tho, our videos do fine for views even without ads. We make a living from our excellent course, and it’s not megabucks or anything but enough to pay the bills and do this as my job, which I absolutely love, so I feel very lucky. Really appreciate your support man :)
I enjoyed the video a lot gave me a different look at lots of different pencils btw no ads
Thank you Keith!
Master Kobo as any master given a little time could make a master piece using chalk on a driveway, finger painting on butcher paper.
Another great video. 👍
I have a little better luck with the Conte's not breaking as much by buying them a box of a dozen at a time so they don't jostle and break as much during shipping. Still happens, but not as much.
Thanks!
I'd be interested in a video on paper. I'm pretty happy with my work on smooth paper but it's challenging when I switch to grain paper. What's the best pencil media for different types of paper?
It’s a great question Lindsey. Are you thinking more for longer and more rendered drawings, or quicker drawings focused on learning?
@@lovelifedrawing thanks for replying! More finished drawings. I do my learning drawings with graphite pencil on scrap printer paper and have been pretty happy with some. I'd like to produce something more finished but find im almost back at the beginning when I switch to grain paper with charcoal or pastel pencil, the texture from the grain just doesn't look as good and the drawings stiffen up.
Thanks for this. Very helpful.
Graphitone? I like the look of sanguine and white on toned paper.
digital and pastel please
Mayko!!!!
hey do you have a tutorial with tips to how to sharpen the pencil? or at least can you recommend one? lots of kind regards.
i'm planning a proper tutorial on this soon!
What about the Apple Pencil 2? Quite versatile and not very messy.
Yeah the apple pencil is great! Definitely versatile and not messy. I guess one possible issue is whether even the 12.9 ipad allows a good range of movement in your arm, which is useful when you're learning. then of course there's the issues with being too easy to adjust and correct endlessly, which is useful for learning but also not great for mindset, so combining it with ink on paper practice can be a good combo
Your mother is delightful. You're lucky to have her in your life.
There's an old saying, "It's a poor worker who blames the tools". and it's true. I use General's graphite and charcoal pencils as my everyday pencil only because this was the brand I stumbled onto way back when I was first learning to draw, and I've found no reason to change brands. I have sixteen brands of graphite pencils, and I don't even know how many brands of charcoal pencils and pastel pencils, plus compressed sticks of everything, thanks mostly to friends and family who think pencils are always the perfect gift for an artist. They are right, of course. Of the sixteen brands of graphite pencils, there are only three brands that I wouldn't want to use at a professional level.
Honestly, I decided a long time ago that the best pencils in the world always have been, and always will be, the ones that a given artist likes the most. It's just that simple. Some of the most beautiful graphite drawings I've ever seen were done using HB stubs and scrap paper, often remnants of butcher paper left on the rolls, and even wrapping paper, the artists pulled from the city dump.
Don't underestimate the HB pencil. The HB is far, far from just a writing pencil. The reason it's so common as a writing pencil is because of its range. Sitting in the middle of the range as it does, a quality HB can cover anything from a 4H to a 4B, and this allows students at every grade level to write, AND do artwork with the same pencil. The HB is the best all around pencil made. I've known graphite artists who used the HB for everything, and others who used the HB, and one charcoal or carbon pencil for the very dark tones.
"It's a poor worker who blames the tools", but it's a poorer mind that makes a tool of itself by repeating fallacious sophisms. There's a reason you don't see many surgeons using blunt scalpels, or race car drivers driving broken cars to prove their skill
@@christofthedead ?
Hi! I'm just staring out life drawing more seriously and wondering what the general recommendation for prncils and paper you would give? From this video I would guess maybe Pitt Pastel or Wolff's carbon pencil would be good options?
Are you guys gonna do a 2022 figuary?!? Im looking forward to it!
we won't be doing a figuary but we will be doing a fantastic drawing challenge Chris - see you then :)
What? I love to draw with HB pencil but only in my sketchbook and usually landscape. Never used it for figure drawing.
But I bought a set of willow charcoal already :((((
don't worry - it's really good to have some willow charcoal too, and it can be combined with charcoal pencils (e.g. for covering larger areas)
@@lovelifedrawing 👍
Do you guys don't have discord?
Can't you super glue a broken lead back in?