Today I want to take a look at the Pierre Noire Pencils from Conté a Paris. In my eyes it is a charcoal pencil but actually that is not quite the case I believe. Conté a Paris also has the Natural and the Compressed Charcoal in their core range so why should this be the same? It draws like a very hard charcoal but it does not erase like charcoal, that is been my experience anyway.
The recipe is a well kept secret as I have not been able to find out a straight answer what's it made from. There are two explanations I come across. The first talks about a mix of charcoal and wax but I think it feels different then that. The second says that Pierre Noire" is NOT charcoal, but a natural rock material that has naturally high levels of organic matter. In France, it is found in certain limited areas, such as Brittany and the Pyrenees. In English it is known as "Torbanite" or "Boghead Coal". Its organic origin might explain it’s slightly silky/oily texture. They say it was widely used in the Renaissance and until the 18th century, but eventually gave way to charcoal and graphite. This explanation sounds plausible because on the site of Conté they speak of Black Stone, but … it remains a mystery what it exactly is, Conté will probably be able to tell more about it, but apparently that is precisely the secret they want to keep secured.
In any case, the Pierre Noire pencils are a relief to draw with. Beautiful black and it stains much less than regular charcoal. It is almost impossible to erase, so start thin and add thicker/darker layers later.
Most people sharpen these pencils with a sharp knife and sand them with sandpaper. They are available in different hardnesses from H to 3B. De different hardnesses are not really notable in there color/darkness, but in the hardness of the lead and how easily you can apply the lead to the paper and there saturation when applied. Personally, I can definitely recommend them to draw with to get high contrast drawings.
Add comment
Comments