Charcoal and graphite both produce stellar black-and-white artwork, but they’re different mediums. When comparing the two, keep an eye out for the following:
- The dark blacks: Graphite tends to have a shiny quality to it with the deeper blacks, while charcoal achieves darker tones without the sheen. Dark charcoal drawings are easier to take photos of and make scans or print copies, while copying dark graphite may be a trickier process.
- Erasability: Charcoal erases much easier than graphite, but both have their own advantages. Using charcoal means artists can erase their mistakes as they go, but it’s equally easy to accidentally erase portions of the artwork by mishandling it. Graphite stands up better to handling but leaves less room for error for the artist. Depending on how hard the graphite pencil is pressed into the paper, some mistakes may be erased but still leave visible indents on the page.
- Details: While it is possible to achieve fine details with both graphite and charcoal, graphite holds a fine point longer, making it easier to achieve highly detailed drawings. Charcoal requires frequent sharpening on a sanding block or excess paper, so finding a highly detailed charcoal pencil drawing is extra special.
