PRO ART - 3078 Pencil Set Sketch & Draw, 9.38" x 9.38" x 0.25", Graphite & Charcoal

This is a great little set for a pretty good price. I've been out of the art scene for close to a decade now and after crying over the complete regression of my skills I decided I needed a new set up to get back into the swing. Being that I'm not diving into full-scale pieces or anything just yet, I didn't need a serious set with enough stuff to last me 5 years or with so much it'd be overwhelming while I'm brushing up on my basics all over again. Different pencil types, an eraser, and a charcoal is perfect, enough variety to get different tones and finishes but not so much that I can't decide what to pick up and when or have my stuff scattered all over my little workspace. The kneaded eraser is A+++ and absolutely necessary for anyone, I've always been a bit heavy handed with pencils and the white eraser can't always get rid of my harsh lines but the kneaded knocks out everything (and I've always thought they were just super pleasant to squish too, it's comforting!), the charcoals are bold, and the pencils are very sturdy. Again, I'm heavy handed, and these guys are not breaking on me at all. This really is a professional grade set!That also what makes this set great for any beginning artists! It's not only very affordable but it's excellent quality and exactly what someone new and just starting out should be aiming for at the start line. Enough to have variety and find your footing but nothing all that fancy. Nothing is more frustrating to me than when I see new artists being pushed to buy huge loadouts when they're probably not going to know what to do with half of it for a while. It can be overwhelming, confusing, and honestly a waste of money for a beginner. Keep it simple; a handful of pencils, a few charcoals (if you like them, some don't and that's okay!), some paper, and an eraser is all you really need and this set takes care of everything but the paper.I absolutely recommend this set to anyone considering it. You won't regret it.

It came in perfect condition! Nothing broken or cracked, and on Christmas I'll open it up and try it out. I will then give a full review on it!UPDATE:Amazing. These are very good quality pencils. My sketching pencil is nearly down to a stub. Made some amazing drawings.Tips: Draw with your HB pencil first, then trace over it with a darker color when satisfied. Charcoal 6B is great for shading, but try notto press down too hard on the paper with the pencil, because it being a charcoal pencil, it is hard to erase. Which is why you start with the HB pencil. Some pencils are almost exactly the same shade, although some of them have different textures. Not that all shades are the same, some of them just look similar. Blending stumps aren't really necessarily. You can blend with your fingers or tissue paper. I prefer to shade with my fingers. You can shade with pencil, and blend it in by rubbing it with your fingers. It's easy. This kit is not only for beginners, but also professionals. The charcoal sticks are great, but I don't recommend taking your charcoal drawings and placing them in a folder for a very long time, because eventually the charcoal may smudge and it'll look faded. The sketch pencil is what I recommend for you to sketch with first. Hence the word "sketch" when saying "sketch pencil". Although you might think it's just like a regular #2 pencil, when you compare the way it feels to write with, and how much better it looks on paper, it's so much more different! If you have a young artist, a teen in high school, or you ARE an artist, I truly and honestly recommend this! Along with a link to a sketch pad on amazon. It has 100 pages, but the pages are 80 pounds, which means that the papers are thick. Permanent marker and water color paint don't leak through it. The price is worth it!Here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003V1DJNU/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3GV4E65TPRC6U

I'm aware that there are some who claim to be knowledgeable about art supplies that these aren't the highest quality, or that the selection is inadequate. I imagine that these are the same people who go to a fast-food restaurant and complain that they don't serve a good Chateaubriand.This is clearly a student/starter set and I don't think the makers intend this to be a comprehensive set. It's offered at a very attractive price point and is a good entree into using higher-quality art supplies. You get a selection of pencils and charcoals, along with specialized erasers and sharpeners. You get several variations on each medium, ostensibly to provide an affordable way to find the one--or at least something closer to--you'll prefer to use. This set is about exploring your options. You will notice immediately that these are far superior to using office supplies for drawing. They will also help you find a style.Right now, I'm exploring my artistic tastes and talents and this set is part of the equipment I've acquired to do so. So, from a novice point of view, this set is great.