Koh-I-Noor 6 Gioconda Negro 5.6 mm Black Drawing Leads. 4345/2 Medium

That was my bad, I know. I had to look up the leads on Koh-I-Noor's website to figure out what they were made of after I received them today. After I doodled a little bit with the lead, I noticed that there was no graphite sheen, which prompted me to do some research. The box gives no clue about ingredients, except that the UPC code sticker says "black drawing leads" and has a product code. From the website I found out that the Negro leads are called "chalk". This is a dense black chalk with, I assume, a wax binder, similar to a colored pencil, but not quite the same. It lays down velvety, as opposed to creamy, color. In my opinion, it is like charcoal that only smudges a little bit.I made this review to clarify the difference for people, like me, who are not aware of the different types of Gioconda 5.6 mm leads. The actual graphite leads will say "graphite" and give you a degree of hardness in the description, while "negro" is another material- an "artificial charcoal", according to the company. Personally, I have a use for it, and I like it, so the error did not disappoint me. I had bought these leads to go in my new Art Alternatives Clutch Pencil, and they do fit in the holder just fine. Small, standard-sized pencil sharpeners will sharpen the lead, too, so you don't need a special pointer. I went ahead and ordered some Gioconda graphite lead after I realized my mistake, so no worries.If you enjoy drawing with different types of pencils, then this drawing lead would be a nice addition to your collection, but if you are strictly looking for graphite, make sure that the product label says graphite (2B, 4B, or 6B in this product line). The lead number for the Gioconda 5.6 mm graphite range is 4865, while the negro lead number is 4345/2 (this product that I am reviewing). From what I could make out on the images, all of the boxes look so similar that it is hard to tell them apart, so the number may be helpful.

These are the best black 5.6mm leads out there, and I've tried them all. Great smooth feel, very even lay-down of dark grey/blackish color. (The tone is deeper than graphite, but not as deep as compressed charcoal.)I would ONLY recommend using these with a 5.6mm lead holder. They are not a comfortable size to use with your fingers, and they break more easily because they are sort of like a thin chalk. Also, they will break if dropped, and it's not uncommon for one or two of them to be broken in two during shipping. But, if you use a lead holder, that really doesn't matter.

More than half of them arrived broken. Someone should check the box before opening them. I hold these without a clutch pencil and so they are useless to me.

These are rare things for me. almost difficult to find this in stationary shops. Like it.

GRAPHITE LEADS 2B INSTEAD OF THE GIOCONDA NEGRO 4345/2NOT QUALITY CONTROL ON THE SHIPPING AT ALL !!!!

These "leads" make very elegant lines when the marks are compared to all other drawing materials. I'm a big fan of graphite pencils (not wooden pencils but graduated hardness leads in a holder), but the very small bit of "slippery bite" from these leads produce a tactile sensation that cannot be gotten from graphite, compressed or vine charcoal or colored pencils. The drawn lines will also "age", develop a little brown tint, after a few years, and the entire drawing appears to soften as the marks bind further with the paper. Charcoal requires the paper's tooth and gravity to hold onto its surface until it is fixed in place. Graphite’s drawback is its sheen, if too much of it is laid down, but, a Negro lead doesn't need fixative or does it ever shine. When Negro leads are employed, the lines and blacks remain stable, no matter how many marks are made or how much of the paper is covered by the material. A “velvety” characteristic is easily achieved when the right paper is used. I generally draw on high-end printmaking paper (it also comes in slightly larger sheets) and rarely if ever erase - my technique is like silverpoint with built-up values - and the drawings seem to have an airiness that isn't quite the same with other materials. Palpable weight is the final “feel” factor associated with the leads, as the tool feels substantial and allows it to be held lightly in the hand.If one wants to draw "crudely", there are certainly better products for that, but if accuracy and a slow, sensitive drawing process is desired, nothing else is equal to these leads. One can easily imagine how Ingres’ sensuous lines felt as they were drawn. This lead nearly forces an “arm drawing” technique rather than one that relies on a tight “death grip” in the fingers, as it glides across the paper leaving relatively long and evocative lines. A very fine edge of a broken tip works very well when details are drawn, although sharpeners are available, they are not necessary. I’ve been using Negro leads for fifty years and can attest to the unique drawing experience they engender and can further state that no other drawing material is its equal.