Sketching set

Esquisse Conté pencils and Carrés in Paris guarantee the widest possible variety of drawing techniques and effects.

Used by the greatest masters, but also by amateur artists, beginners and professionals in the Fine Arts, they are a benchmark in the field. Versatile, this Sketch set can be used for a wide variety of lines and graduations designed for sketching.

These carrés and pencils are made from natural pigments (iron oxide, carbon black, titanium dioxide), clay (kaolin) and a binder (cellulose ether). The rich pigment content gives a unique soft texture and intense finish.

This set contains: 1 Crayon Sanguine, 1 Blanc, 1 Crayon PIerre Noire 2B. Also 2 Pierre Noire B Squares, 2 Pierre Noire 2B Squares, 1 Pierre Noire HB Square, 1 White Square. Also 1 Carré Sanguine, 1 Carré Sanguine XVIII, 1 Carré Sanguine Watteau, 1 Carré Sanguine Médicis, 1 Carré Bistre and 1 Carré Gris.
Finally, 1 stump, 1 tortillon and 1 breadcrumb eraser.



The leads of the Carrés Sanguine, Bistre, Noir and Blanc Conté à Paris are slightly softer than those of the pencils. As their name suggests, these Conté à Paris squares can be used to create a simple sketch or an entire monochrome or polychrome work.

They are used in the same way as the Sanguine, Bistre and Noir squares, although they are intended to be used to modify the colours of the work or for negative drawing (white square on black paper, for example).



The graduations range from H (Hard) for hardness to B (Bold) for softness. The higher the number, the harder or softer the pencil.



Sanguine is commonly used for sketching the body. For more elaborate work, it is advisable to add Pierre Noire to accentuate contrasts and Crayon Blanc to highlight areas of light on the body.

Its colour is a deep red, varying from rusty. The Médicis Sanguine pencil has a darker hue, reminiscent of Renaissance sanguines, and adds diversity.

The XVIIIth century Sanguine pencil is particularly intense and luminous, with a hint of orange.



Pierre Noire pencils can be used in all shades of black, and are intense, indelible and matt.

Complete set for sketching

Leads rich in pigments

Made in France

Explore the creation of backgrounds by playing with the edges of the square, or create fine, detailed lines with its edges. The harder you press down on the square, the denser the resulting material.

Perfect for sketches, portraits or studies of movement, carrés and pencils can also be combined with other techniques such as charcoal or ink.

This assortment allows unlimited creativity. The sanguine shades are ideal for portraits and natural sketches, the greys and blacks for shadows, and the white for gradations, subtle highlights or light strokes on colour.

Carrés Conté à Paris can be sharpened with a utility knife, but it is often preferable to file them with sandpaper or a nail file.

For more tips, go to the Tutorials tab.

Set