Can someone tell me what these are?

[16ga]

I have this box of 12 sticks. Are they actually charcoal or are they charcoal colored pastels? Or just some mix of the 2?

I bought them expecting charcoal but the sticks inside are uniform and remind me of soft pastels.

 

[Marksmomagain]

Probably compressed charcoal. Compressed charcoal has a binder mixed into it. It is normally smoother to apply, but also a bit more difficult to erase. Works well with graphite and dry pastels. I use compressed charcoal regularly, with graphite and dry pastels, however, I've never used the Blick brand...

 

[P. Barrie]

Compressed black pigment of some sort, not necessarily charcoal, mixed with binders.
I find vine charcoal much more touch sensitive and more “brushlike”, offering a greater range of values when working quickly.

 

[16ga]

Thanks. I did a search on compressed charcoal and that appears to be what they are.
Would they be safe to use under oil paint?

 

[Marksmomagain]

I've never tried that, I sketch out with thinned oil paint.

 

[Artyczar]

I'm pretty sure they would bleed in oils like a soft pencil, but I'm not sure.

 

[E.J.H.]

Compressed black pigment of some sort, not necessarily charcoal, mixed with binders.
I find vine charcoal much more touch sensitive and more “brushlike”, offering a greater range of values when working quickly.

I find when you combine them with vine charcoal you extend your range of value; compressed charcoal gets darker than vine ime.
I like to use them after being done with the vine, and very certain about where I want the darkest value, unlike vine charcoal it´s very difficult to remove...
Man, I am way overdue getting my fingers dirty again with this stuff....

 

[stlukesguild]

Compressed charcoal would be difficult to use under oils. Indeed, the first layer would be heavily discolored by the charcoal pigment. I tended to use conte (sanguine, burnt sienna, Tuscan red, or a similar color) under my oils... and only after spraying this with fixative. I still use similar colors for the drawing in my mixed media (acrylic, pastel, etc...) paintings. Even then I paint over the under-drawing with a reddish-brown. This helps unify the painting as a whole, provides a nice ground for the pastel and keeps the under-drawing from bleeding through. Black is just too strong.

 

[16ga]

Thanks. I'll look into getting a few to try.

 

[FloatingDove]

Vine charcoal is easy to make, all you need is foil, vine, fire and 30 minutes.

 

[E.J.H.]

Vine charcoal is easy to make, all you need is foil, vine, fire and 30 minutes.

Can confirm. I used willow branches (remove the bark), a tin with a lid with a tiny hole punched in it, and a small woodfire on an old barbeque. I now have enough to last me years. (Don't open the tin immediately after taking it out of the fire, if you don't allow it to cool, poof, you produced a heap of ashes...)

 

[16ga]

Thanks. I have a shipment on the way that has some in it so I wont need for awhile.
But for the future any idea how wild grapevine would do?

 

[E.J.H.]

I don't see why it wouldn't, and obviously, there is an easy way to find out

 

[FloatingDove]

Can confirm. I used willow branches (remove the bark), a tin with a lid with a tiny hole punched in it, and a small woodfire on an old barbeque. I now have enough to last me years. (Don't open the tin immediately after taking it out of the fire, if you don't allow it to cool, poof, you produced a heap of ashes...)

I have enough for years too, lol. There are many vids on how to make it, and what I like is the oil paint covers it because it is without additives. I tested it with white oil paint and it disappears. There are plenty of wild grapevines out there, I also have some in my garden.