How to Sharpen Charcoal Pencils

Charcoal art pencils get sharpened a bit different than your average pencils. Here's how I do it!
Check out more pencil sharpening techniques in the full video linked under this Short's title.

[@GreenPixel-Moosie]

There it is :D *Presents a literal murder weapon*

[@ProkoTV]

Depends on the harness of the charcoal. You're not killing anyone with a soft charcoal core lol

[@GreenPixel-Moosie]

@@ProkoTV I'm sure you can if you try hard enough. Even if the charcoal breaks, you still have the wooden part... (Oh no, am I giving tips on how to murder people with pencils now? Great.)

[@angrygoose6324]

@@GreenPixel-Moosie😂

[@NolrizTheGamer]

@@GreenPixel-Moosie I love your thinking lmao

[@tutel9496]

**approved by John Wick**

[@pastorslant]

There it is. A prison shank.

[@tutel9496]

John Wick's be taking a note right now💀

[@ProkoTV]

He could kill a man with just the wood shavings

[@anamikakashyap9689]

Bro I'm in love with your pfp

[@tutel9496]

@@anamikakashyap9689 ...What

[@luxinvictus9018]

damn, right on time. Damn near lost my mind trying to sharpen a hard charcoal pencil yesterday which *refused* to give me a long sharp point

[@ayior]

Ah, I remember being in classical art school carrying bags full of pencils that made me look like a vampire hunter. Good times. I miss them.

[@u.n.k.n.o.w.n_k.n.o.w.n]

Wow.. I'll definitely try to use this method for my charcoal pencil

[@evanmitchell2188]

Highly recommend, u can vary lines so much more and its kinda relaxing as long as u dont slice ur finger lol

[@u.n.k.n.o.w.n_k.n.o.w.n]

@@evanmitchell2188 Thanks for the advice 🙂

[@evanmitchell2188]

@@u.n.k.n.o.w.n_k.n.o.w.n definitely take ur time sharpening tho an maybe practice on a cheap pencil, really wanna be careful once it starts to get long its super easy to break, one drop an u gotta resharpen

[@danielbugay4033]

Proko you are such an inspiration for me as an artist I just like to watch it Thank you for every single video!

[@ProkoTV]

Thanks for letting us be a part of your art journey!

[@MrDoom159]

Thanks, now I know how to properly sharpen my stylus

[@c_centers]

Thanks for the tip

[@lanceuppercut6168]

I've been doing wrong all along using a sharpener 😂

[@ProkoTV]

Sharpeners are a great way to get a sharp tip! This just gives us that extra edge to get varied line types with the overhand grip.

[@Mirashome]

Goodness charcoal! Thank you, I'm gonna try it

[@sanctumdark]

Sick!!! Thank you

[@ZIN74FF]

it should legally be called "Proko Pencil"

[@ProkoTV]

We have one of those in a Photoshop brush pack from Lane Brown 😉

[@lunk446]

Imagine dropping that on the floor after doing all this work

[@HiddenMistEnforcer]

I prefer using an x-acto knife. I feel it gives better control.

[@ProkoTV]

That also works!

[@Joshua_N-A]

Killer B: "Can I borrow that? Mine ain't pointy enough. Oh, it's notning. Just dealing with some Akatsuki weirdos."

[@cockenballtorture]

it's so funny watching traditional artists draw with their big long necked pencils. it's a good tool but it just looks so absurd

[@Daniel-xq6zh]

I'm left-handed, may I switch hands? 😂😂😂

[@ProkoTV]

Absolutely!

[@GuillaumeLeclerc]

Keeping a slight angle on the blade helps, think guillotine and kitchen knives. May seem scary at first but been sharpening my pens with a blade or pocket knife for decades and now it’s just second nature

[@maltisahay2050]

Jhon wick joined the chat

[@m0rla_]

What kind of razor is this? It looks like it has some kind of protection on one side. I've never seen this.

[@ProkoTV]

This is a pretty common one you'll find in most stores and on Amazon. As long as you don't buy them from the shaving section, most will come with that non-bladed side.

[@zorbius15]

I wish they would sell pencils that are already prepared like this.

[@ProkoTV]

But what would you do when the pencil gets dull? Each chance to sharpen is another time you practice it to get better!

[@Bearclawepic]

How do you draw muscles

[@ProkoTV]

You'll find a TON of videos about that on our channel!

[@Michael-qe8gb]

I'd probably break it within 2 seconds of putting it down on the paper LOL (also love ur vids man :) )

[@ProkoTV]

There's a learning curve but once you get the overhand grip down, this is a versatile way to use a pencil. Good luck!

[@gyrow1684]

Could you tell me the exact name of that charcoal pencil? And also, how do you have time to answer all the questions in the comments?

[@ProkoTV]

The pencil is Conte a Paris!

[@girlboss5305]

​@@ProkoTVtyssmmm

[@KRACK.561]

Which grit sand paper is best

[@ProkoTV]

The one shown in this video is 150

[@user-zn9vc8ss3j]

Do you use the grafite on sand paper

[@ProkoTV]

I don't try to reclaim the charcoal I grind off on the sandpaper since it has wood in it as well. But some people in the comments have talked about making use of it.

[@evanmitchell2188]

Im the one art kid that brought a filet knife to school for this purpose

[@thydoctah]

Ah yes the old masters prison shank

[@raze.enjoyerr]

what if i dont have sandpaper?

[@ProkoTV]

You can try to make due with just blade and wearing the graphite down a bit on paper. But a little sandpaper is recommended.

[@raze.enjoyerr]

@@ProkoTV thanks man

[@Nabeel8910]

What is the name of the blade

[@ProkoTV]

Just a "razor blade". You can look up "box cutter refills" too but they should both get you there with online shopping.

[@Eren_Yeager_140_30]

I do the same but my charcoal pencil tip is broken 💔 the size of the pencil is became smaller 😢💀

[@user-le6di4ky3f]

It's because of maybe the sandpaper try softer one and maybe the charcoal is so soft like general 6B I always make the tip smaller and less pointed

[@sena5040]

When I sharpen the pencil conte, it keeps breaking. Is the Knives the problem!

[@ProkoTV]

You might be applying too much pressure on the process. You don't have to push down at any part of this. Just let the tools do the work. It's a learning curve at first.

[@rosa97509]

why dont u use a cutter?

[@a--er]

this is for the better line pressure and more comfortable grip. also you don't have to sharpen your pencil every five minutes when you sharpening with a knife.

[@rosa97509]

@@a--er ty :)

[@zoomgallygally]

Why does it break so much easier than a graphite pencil

[@ProkoTV]

Because charcoal is a more brittle material

[@mvpdeath69]

Hey,but dosent that make a huge mess. Isnt there any "non-messy" Way

[@ProkoTV]

Charcoal is a pretty inherently messy medium. Even if this sharpening process was totally clean, you're going to make some mess while using it. It's just the nature of the charcoal!

[@mvpdeath69]

@@ProkoTV ohh btw I was thinking about starting that's why I asked. Thanks

[@ProkoTV]

@@mvpdeath69 Good luck with it!

[@albertrovinmathew443]

Isn't using a sharper easier?? I just want to know what you think about it as an artist.

[@ProkoTV]

A sharpener is a great tool for something you just want a fine point on. With charcoal pencils, we use the side and tip interchangeably so we need to have that long side as well

[@albertrovinmathew443]

Thank you dude, i learnt something now@@ProkoTV

[@lordofnines2167]

Is there a reason to do this?

[@ProkoTV]

Yep! This allows you to use the long, exposed side of the charcoal with the overhand grip. That lets you make thin and thick marks interchangeably, without adjusting your hand.

[@CalliArts]

Its the same as you would with a normal pencil

[@ProkoTV]

I don't normally use much more than the sharpener for a graphite pencil. For charcoal pencils, you want the longer exposed edge to make a variation of line types/thicknesses

[@fzmohammed8903]

Ok I'm not an artist, can anyone explain why this is preferred over just using a pencil sharpener?

[@ProkoTV]

Having the longer exposed side allows you to make both thin and very thick or even feathered lines all with the same tool

[@m0rla_]

You obviously have more length of usable material (the exposed charcoal), that gives you more line variation and you can also use it to achieve broad extensive flats e.g. a rectangle with one stroke, like using a brush instead of it being achieved by putting multiple lines side by side. You also dont have to sharpen as often.

[@luxinvictus9018]

put simply: artists need pencils to be more versatile, especially because we hold it like a spoon and draw with the side when we sketch. Plus, these types of pencils are usually more expensive to normal ones. You don't really want the amount of waste that comes with sharpening, and a sharpener just gives a small sharp tip which can't do much and lasts a only a short time. Bear in mind that soft lead and charcoal pencils are thicker and softer than the hard lead pencils you write with. You COULD make a very long sharpener I guess, but imagine how much you'd waste trying to get a sharp edge, which can be achieved a lot more efficiently with a blade.

[@lizardltd]

I took away some wood but now it doesn't work 😔

[@vaulz_]

*breaks in 37 pieces with the slightest touch*

[@ProkoTV]

You've got to practice your grip if that's happening that often!

[@vaulz_]

@@ProkoTV any tips from you on how to grip it correctly?

[@kolyonutt]

naww it looks like that one wednesday addams 😭

[@artbymiwsher]

I just use a knife tbh

[@J-zq3oz]

snort the charcoal again for the funny

[@axeltroysugiarto5473]

It looks very brittle

[@mr.v1442]

And then after 20 minutes when you got that perfect, pin point sharp, long nice charcoal you start do draw and your work looks shitty and pencil gets broken and its all wasted

[@derpleyew]

Wtf

[@marjhuncantago9476]

yes, beautiful but what a waste.

[@-runswithbeer-8075]

Buy a knife.