Wednesday, February 24, 2010

About Conte Crayons

Invented in France in 1795 by Nicolas-Jacques Conté especially for drawing and sketching, Conté Crayons are made from a blend of natural pigments, kaolin clay, and graphite. The Conté crayon has been used by many of the world’s greatest artists, including Picasso, Delacroix, and Degas.

The rich, vivid colors of Conté Crayons mix together nicely, and a range of effects can be consistently produced. They are well suited for use on newsprint, bristol, toned paper or heavily grained surfaces. Their rich opacity makes them ideal for work on darker papers and their quality ensures the longevity of drawings. Conté crayons are waxier and much firmer than soft pastels, so they produce little dust and are easy to control.

Sharpen Conté Crayons to a chisel tip with a sanding pad for detailed work or drag them flat on their sides for various shading techniques on large areas. The unique shape allows the sticks to be broken for easier use.

Examples of conte crayon from contemporary blogs and artists' websites

Ivor Hele

Wiring Slope

1952

red conte and charcoal on paper

























Christina Cho
White conte and charcoal on gray paper














Amelia Reiff Hill
White, sanguine and black conte on brown paper














Paul Heaston
Sanguine and white conte on yellow paper




















Patricia Powell Kessler
White, sanguine, brown, green and black conte on brown paper













Colin Harbut
Idle Man
White, sanguine and black conte on paper

















Frank McCabe
White conte on black paper


















figure 9

www.andrew.cmu.edu

Cross contour study in sanguine conte on brown paper


























Elizabeth Spooner
Self Portrait
White and black conte on gray paper



















eyesonmywork.com
White, sanguine, brown, black and red conte on white paper













Marianne Gnandt
White and black conte on brown paper












Ari Brown
White, sanguine and black conte on cream paper

More examples of drawings in conte crayon from the art historical canon

Untitled (30 December 1968) Paul Resika 1968




























Charles Sheeler, 1883-1965

Totems in Steel

1935



















Jean François Millet

The Sower

about 1858


























Gillian Jagger

The Deer

1996


























Seurat, Georges-Pierre 1883 - 1884

Sidewalk Show



























Jean Francois Millet

Peasant Girl with Two Cows

1863


























Mary L. Macomber, 1861-1916

My Angel



























Jean François Millet

Farmyard by Moonlight

1868





















Raphael Soyer, 1899-1987

Farewell to Lincoln Square

1959
























Anita Joy
John Currin
2001



















Aman-Jean

Georges Seurat, French

1882-83



























Monday, February 22, 2010

Examples of drawings in conte crayon from the art historical canon



(left) Trombonist (study for Circus...)
Georges Seurat
1887-88
Conte crayon on gray paper

(above)
Peasant Girl with Two Cows
Jean Francois Millet
1863
Conte crayon on tan paper