With charcoal as among the primary components of Conte crayon, it is reasonable to think that it works or performs like charcoal.

Cont Sketching Carres crayons include a range of famous red-brown Sanguine colours, Grey and Bistre, plus white and 3 grades of black. Just twist it to use it again for coloring. You need to check whenever you buy new art supplies, but most of the Conte crayons on the market are non-toxic. Australian Dollar AUD $Brazilian Real BRL R$British Pound Sterling GBP Bulgarian Lev BGNCanadian Dollar CAD $Chinese Yuan Renminbi CNY CNCroatian Kuna HRK knDanish Krone DKK krEuro EUR Hong Kong Dollar HKD $Hungarian Forint HUF FtIcelandic Krna ISK IkrIndian Rupee INR RsIndonesian Rupiah IDR RpIsraeli New Sheqel ILS Japanese Yen JPY Malaysian Ringgit MYR RMMexican Peso MXNNew Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$New Zealand Dollar NZD NZ$Norwegian Krone NOK krPhilippine Peso PHP Polish Zloty PLN zRomanian Leu RON RONSaudi Riyal SAR SRSingapore Dollar SGD S$South African Rand ZAR RSouth Korean Won KRW Swedish Krona SEK krSwiss Franc CHF Fr.Thai Baht THB Turkish Lira TRY TLUS Dollar USD $United Arab Emirates Dirham AED. http://www.cathychoyce.com. It is okay to allow your child to color outside the lines in some cases. Prang crayons come in a good variety of colors in packs of up to 64 colors and are priced affordably. yes, they mix perfectly well with all sorts of soft pastels, but I would suggest you use them UNDER soft pastel rather than the other way around. Josephs art has been sold to collectors all over the world from the USA, Europe and Australasia. Also look out for my other pastel related posts below. Cont crayons are made of powdered graphite or charcoal mixed with clay. Click to reveal Those bundles will cost you around $52, depending on the brand. But here is another question: are the colors lightfast? They are my favorite pencil. This makes the medium waxier than soft pastels, and makes them suitable for more detailed work than drawing with pastels generally allows. Conte de Paris is the brand that makes the well known Conte Crayons, which are also called Carres on the box, which means squares. dont sound very lightfast even Sennelier uses same kind system. Because they are firm and square they give accurate and energetic strokes when the edges of the sticks are used, you can shape Cont Crayons to a chisel tip with sandpaper for detailed work, drag them flat on their sides for various shading techniques or to cover large areas and the sticks can be broken for easier use. The Faber-Castell pastel pencils are priced nearly the same as Derwent and Conte. Of course, I dont know whether they are or not. I like conte crayon better than charcoal. Frequently used for sketching and outlines, conte crayons, or conte sticks, are a mix of graphite or charcoal and wax or clay. ), because I dont think all conte contain graphite, and so then where is the distinction? I dont know. Their prices range from about five to twelve dollars. In the US, crayons are beginner mediums made from wax and pigment. Mistakes are not easily changed or erased. I have the Conte Crayons and I love them. To be safe for use, the crayons should be labeled as non-toxic. It is important for parents to check the packaging before buying. In the case of oil pastels, the binder is made from a mixture of wax and oil. First of all, let me say that I am thoroughly confused about the whole conte vs. pastel issue. These high quality artists' Cont Paris sketching crayons are rich, vivid colors that mix together beautifully. They are not the same as the crayons. Joseph Colella is a frustrated artist with over 40 years experience making art (who moonlights as a certified Business Analyst with over 20 years of experience in tech). This set of 5 Gel Crayons is great for light and dark surfaces. What is white Conte made from? Derwent Signature is a range of lightfast pencils, available in 60 colours. With their broad appeal, theres a wide range of quality crayons to choose from. Whenever I use it, I feel like a renaissance artist for some reason! Alright, thats enough for me. Another difference is that a Conte crayon is sometimes mixed with wax, making them hard and waxy. The Crayons are very hard so you can get line details instead of using pencils. Cont crayons are made of powdered graphite or charcoal mixed with clay. Problem is, I dont think they sell the pastels in the USA. Conte Color Carre Crayons are good performers as far as hard pastels go, top-notch really. Some packaging might contain words like chemical-free.. It is important to keep consistent pressure on paper using crayons to get a uniform look. Carre Crayons Precision, quality and vibrant colour give you a wide range of creative choices Charcoal Natural materials bring a deep richness and intensity to your work Pastels Exciting colours and high quality materials will bring your pastel artwork to life Sketching Let your inspiration flow easily on to the page with our sketching range You can shape Cont Crayons to a chisel tip with sandpaper for detailed work, drag them flat on their sides for various shading techniques or to cover large areas and the sticks can be broken for easier use. You should tell them to softly handle the crayon and dont apply too much force on the tips of the crayon while coloring. Crayons are a fun, easy medium to work whether theyre being used by preschoolers or professional artists. There is a technique for softening edges with hard over soft, I have seen a pro painter doing thisbut generally, it is not so easy to use hard over soft as the other way around. A ranking of 4 or 5 is generally regarded as highly lightfast. It is usually made in black, red, or brown and is used as a drawing medium in any combination of these colours. You can easily layer it to another Conte crayon and blend them out with your finger. Lightfastness issues is reason why i given they away and i dont also recommend chinese art supplies even less stuff makes dust.. they are currently made in China. Charcoal comes from burned wood (like old school pencils) whereas Conte can be made of all kinds of waxes and pigments that give you a wide range of colors. The paper is what makes the medium what it is and can vary greatly. Your IP: I was looking around for something that would fit my budget right now, and I came across a reasonably-priced set of 48 Conte Carres. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Artists also may color a ground, by adding colored pigments, so as to begin a drawing on a light to mid value surface; metalpoint marks create the mid to dark values; light values are rendered by heightening the image with white paint or chalk. Most products may be shipped via standard ground (delivered in 3-5 business days) or Expedited (1 business day). Learn more. The Cont Colour carr crayons come in a range of vibrant colours. Do they work well together with pastels? Natural graphite is used in many ways, from batteries to brake linings to pencils, of course. Conte is a traditional drawing medium. The rougher, the more pigment it can hold. That was part of my point about square pastels and conte carres possibly being qualitatively different things. Are Conte crayons lightfast? No, they arent as dry or brittle as chalk pastel sticks and have a waxy texture which I think is what people sometimes mistake for being hard. They also dont break easily so can be used by children. Conte crayons work great on rough paper or any sketch or pastel paper with a lot of tooth. Some brands also offer packaging in which crayons, colored pencils, and color markers come in a bundle. Some hard pastels are also labeled carres. These are a drawing medium made up of compressed charcoal or graphite with the addition of wax or clay mixed in for the base as well as natural pigments for color. Its simple difference but you will like the results. Some compare them to oil pastels due to their waxy features. The Conte a Paris Color carre crayons give accurate and energetic strokes when the edges of the sticks are used ; . Just set one direction in the start and follow that direction till the end to get a good look at the end. A kid with the age of 18 months can use crayons. Though it wasn't in direct bright sunlight, it was still a reasonably sunny room, so the fact there was no fading suggests that their lightfastness is at least reasonable (though I'd want to do a proper test with some swatches in my front window to confirm). This simple device helps to steady my hand while painting, allowing me to create straighter. The set includes finely ground pastels that provide particularly soft and smooth drawing. To return an item, the item must be new, unused and in its original packaging. Stockmar Crayons are a favorite choice for many parents because of their beautiful pigments thanks to a beeswax-based formula carefully blended and measured to ensure the best color. The Cont Colour carr crayons come in a range of vibrant colours.

, Brushes for Priming, Varnishing & Gilding, Cont Paris : Sketching Studio Box, Conte a Paris : Carres : Sketching Crayon : Sanguine 2450, Conte a Paris : Carres : Colour Crayon : Lime Green 50, Conte a Paris : Carres : Colour Crayon : Purple 19, Conte a Paris : Carres : Colour Crayon : Deep Yellow 62, Conte a Paris : Carres : Colour Crayon : Natural Sienna 18, Conte a Paris : Carres : Colour Crayon : Black 09. If anyone wants to look at what kind of art I . The lines they produce are strong and some say they are similar to charcoal but with a finer line. It seems you are right. About Contact Privacy Policy Disclaimer. Conte crayons or Conte sticks are a versatile drawing medium that can be used for sketches and initial applications and layers before dry pastels. Conte crayons are not pastels. Conte Carre Crayons are baked with kaolin clay and are firmer than soft pastels, which means they work well on smooth paper as well as textured surfaces. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved With a half-worn lead, the finish becomes more opaque as the pressure exerted on the pencil increases. Sharpen them to a chisel tip or drag them flat on their sides for various shading techniques. For now, I think I might get a set of Mungyo Gallery semi-hard pastels. The crayons come in the traditional crayon shape though theyre also available as large, sturdy coloring blocks. White charcoal on the other hand are actually chalk or titanium dioxide. As far as the quality of the pencils are concerned, the actual core of the Cont Pastel pencil, the quality and strength of pigment was excellent. I think I will indeed just order a few to try them. On the other hand, a lot of brands now offer modern Conte crayons that feature unique mixtures rather than clay and graphite or charcoal. You can expect to buy crayons within a price range of $6 to $52. But are they really the same? I remember using a pack of Conte crayons to create an art piece. Conte a Paris Crayons are square carre sticks which are made using a combination of pigments, clay and binder. Conte crayons were invented in the late 18th century and are a versatile art medium. The Cont Colour carr crayons come in a range of vibrant colours. It is best to buy crayons packed in plastic boxes because they are easy to organize and can be stored for later use as well. Because they are waxier than chalk pastels they produce far less dust and are easy to use. You must be logged in to reply to this topic. I never buy anything made in China, if there is any way I can avoid it. As an Affiliate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, we earn from qualifying purchases at NO additional cost to you. Additional components include wax and natural pigments such as titanium dioxide for the white pigment, carbon black, and iron oxides for the rust or reddish-brown tones. Cont (French pronunciation: [kte]), also known as Cont sticks or Cont crayons, are a drawing medium composed of compressed powdered graphite or charcoal mixed with a clay base, square in cross-section. These crayons are a little more fragile due to their softness but for older children they should work fine. These crayons are slightly chunkier, and they provide a more vibrant color without applying much pressure. In Europe, the Derwent Lightfast 12 set will cost 35.99, the 24 set will cost 64.99 and the largest 36 set will cost 109.99, also the individual Derwent Lightfast pencils will cost 3.20 Personally, I feel these are incredibly reasonable prices, taking into consideration, what ever set you purchase, every single pencil can be used . Yes, because some of my drawings made using Conte crayons have been sitting in a well lit room for years and I havent noticed any considerable fading. I use them with all of my soft pastels (Great Americans, Terry Ludwigs, Mt. These pastel pencils are richly pigmented, and nearly all the colours in the range have high lightfastness ratings. Some paper to look out for are Canson Ingres Sheets, UArt sanded paper, Canson Mi-Teintes Pastels Paper or any paper you would use for chalk pastels. They are soft in texture and intense in color and they blend easily. China! Here's a little sketch I did today with the Cont Crayons. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? Receive new product releases and brand promotions, plus material reviews, tips and techniques, and artist interviews. Copic Marker, Refills & Accessories; . Its just a big mess, to me at least. China! Try them for mixed media art, crafts, card making, and more. Sakura Colour Corporation of Japan started in 1921 as a crayon manufacturer and developed the innovative Cray-Pas range of oil pastels. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Tips on How to Use Pastels on Canvas it can be done! I thought about buying some open stock, but the problem is, I dont know what colors I need until I see them in front of me while Im painting. 185.6.9.159 Here's a little sketch I did today with the Cont Crayons. The price variation will be according to the brand you are going to buy and the number of crayons you want to buy. Trademark. His goal is to attend the Julian Ashton School of Art at The Rocks Sydney when he retires from full time work. They also work best on colored papers. This the age where a child is able to grip and hold objects. That is part of what I am hoping to be able to do. You can shape Cont Crayons to a chisel tip with sandpaper for detailed work, drag them flat on their sides for various shading techniques or to cover large areas and the sticks can be broken for easier use. Apply them dry and release the color with water from a brush or blender. With a sharpened lead, you achieve an accurate and delicate finish. I also thought they were made in France. Although even the best will result in some degree of color shift, these sprays are valued for their Conte crayons are made using a combination of natural pigments, binding agents and chalk so you dont need to apply any fixative to keep them on the paper or to prevent smudging. All products contain extensive know-how and are especially known for its intense colors, a rich and soft upstroke as well as excellent lightfastness ratings. As a top-quality crayon, Caran d'Ache offers lightfast pigments with concentrated colors great for professional artists and students. Cont Sketching Carres crayons include a range of famous red-brown Sanguine colours, Grey and Bistre, plus white and 3 grades of black. What are hard pastels? water over watercolours to help blend colours or to dissolve water soluble media such as the watercolour pencils and crayons from Derwent and Caran d'Ache. Here's a little sketch I did today with the Cont Crayons. That was part of my point about square pastels and conte carres possibly being qualitatively different things. What Type of Paper to Use with Conte Crayons. However, this offset by the fact theyre long-lasting and dont need to be replaced as often as standard crayon brands. Ideal for use on emery paper, heavily grained surfaces and pastel paper. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7c0a61190968d94b Though it wasnt in direct bright sunlight, it was still a reasonably sunny room, so the fact there was no fading suggests that their lightfastness is at least reasonable (though Id want to do a proper test with some swatches in my front window to confirm). You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Its a simple process that can be done by adding white gouache paint to your watercolor. Once again, they are not. More of a soft pastel than a crayon, Caran dAche Neocolor II Artists Crayons are expensive with individual crayons costing about the same as a 12-pack of childrens crayons. You can also break the sticks into smaller pieces that are easier to handle. Conte; Koh-I-Noor Toison D'or; Koh-I-Noor Gioconda; Pastel Accessories; . If your child wants to do the best coloring using crayons, then you should tell him or her the following best tips: The first and important rule for your child when doing coloring crayons is to move the crayons in one direction. It is similar to charcoal and pastel in the way that is behaves on the surface. But still do teach your child that they should always do the coloring within the boundary of a diagram. 2023 Art New York. Back many years ago when I was in college, the Conte Crayons came in only black, white and a few shades of brown. Most people will pick up any brand of crayon or look for the cheapest box on the shelf. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. Buying open stock may cost a bit more, but you can order only the colors you want. This gives them the opportunity to add colors to drawings created by them. Ideal for use with opaque, metallic, interference and neon colours or great with pastels. Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 24 total), This topic has 23 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated. If the Conte have a similar feel, I will like them. I do like to frame my pastels, chalks and Conte with glass once I am done. Though it wasn't in direct bright sunlight, it was still a reasonably sunny room, so the fact there was no fading suggests that their lightfastness is at least reasonable (though I'd want to do a proper test with some swatches in my front window to confirm). These crayons are also available as a 240-count school pack with 20 sets of 12 colors each. This mixture explains their rigid structure that delivers minimal dust or debris in every application. The cont crayon is an especially hard pencil, made of an admixture of graphite and clay that can be varied for different degrees of hardness. This paves the way for color studies and a wider range of color gradients and depths. Are Conte crayons lightfast? After reading your post, I looked again and found this official chart, which was released a couple of years ago: http://www.conteaparis.com/telechargement/A_TELPDF_2012072015463218.PDF. Yes, it is true carre just means square. However, we dont want to disappoint anyone, so please feel free to use code USA10 for 10% off your first order on any other brand. Graphite can be blended through buffering, smudging, and in some cases erasing. In the 1980's Sakura widened their interests into ink and developed the sub-micron pigments required for dispensing waterproof and lightfast drawing ink through the narrowest of nibs structures. If you have used this product and would like to share your experience with other artists, please Sign In to leave a review. Drawings made with pastel pencils in the lightfast range will last for many years with very minimal or no fading. I hope What are Conte crayons made of? Works on poster board, foam board, regular paper, and construction paper. The binder, which could be beeswax, grease or oil are quite natural as well as being non-toxic. Mahl Stick Alternative: Easy Solution Right Here. Heres a little sketch I did today with the Cont Crayons. No because all wax colors contain some degree of pigment that doesnt stand up well to direct sunlight. Here's a little sketch I did today with the Cont Crayons. What is the best graphite pencil brand? A Conte crayon is composed of two primary elements: powdered charcoal or graphite and clay. These crayons are manufactured using natural pigments (iron oxides, carbon black, titanium dioxide). Follow the below the buyers guide to get your hands on the best products: Crayons are one of the first art supplies that go directly into the hands of children. CRETACOLOR has a wide assortment of products and supplies to work with a great variety of different techniques and to achieve creative diversity. I only wish they were available to purchase in open stock as they are pretty small and there are a majority of colors that I have gone through quickly, like the Earthtones. The crayons come in 126 colors, offering individuals a. I like to say they are what you would get if you mixed hard chalk pastels and oil pastels but the end result is even better. With conte crayons you can also make the colored picture. Erasers can reclaim lighter tones and define sharp highlights. Though it wasn't in direct bright sunlight, it was still a reasonably sunny room, so the fact there was no fading suggests that their lightfastness is at least reasonable (though I'd want to do a proper test with some swatches in my front window to confirm). While Conte crayons produce the best effects on coloured paper with lots of tooth you can experiment on whatever paper you have for pastels and see if you like the end result. They are produced from a highly rigorous choice of pigments, clay and a binder. The PITT pencils sharpen very well in many standard pencil sharpeners due to the . Conte crayons are made by compressing natural pigmented chalk (originally it was either iron oxide, titanium oxide or carbon black but now come in many colors), a fine clay (kaolin the same stuff used in makeup), powdered graphite, mixed with gum and a little bit of grease or beeswax for a binder. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Learn more. Why is Raymond Pettibon no title classified as a drawing and not a painting? 6+. 2023 Michaels Stores. Protect your charcoal, chalk, graphite, and pastel drawings, and more, by using a fixative spray. Though it wasn't in direct bright sunlight, it was still a reasonably sunny room, so the fact there was no fading suggests that their lightfastness is at least reasonable (though I'd want to do a proper test with some swatches in my front window to confirm). Your IP: The longer they are baked the harder they get. These crayons are made to handle the two biggest problems. They are then baked after being extruded and dried. These crayons will add shimmers to draw once you move the paper. For this packing, you will have to pay more. I think that if you're going to spend this much on hard pastels, your only decision is between the Faber-castell Polychromos and the Conte, but the former line seems like it's shrinking every few years. If you really try hard and you apply a lot of Conte crayon then you can actually smear and smudge the crayon but it needs to be an effort rather than accidental. $70 PREMIUM ELITE CRAYONS VS $1 CRAYOLA CRAYONS: Which is worth the money? The only thing that could make them unsafe is due to their size and hardness they need to be kept away from children under 3 years of age as they could be a choke hazard. Here's a little sketch I did today with the Cont Crayons. Though it wasn't in direct bright sunlight, it was still a reasonably sunny room, so the fact there was no fading suggests that their lightfastness is at least reasonable (though I'd want to do a proper test with some swatches in my front window to confirm). They are harder than chalk and while originally found in black, browns and reds they now come in a wide variety of colors. Sorry, an error occurred while trying to load the basket popup. Developed in France at the end of the 18th century by Nicolas-Jacques Conte, these popular, lightfast, square shaped pastels are harder and waxier than traditional soft pastels. Are Conte Crayons the Same as Chalk Pastels? These high quality artists' Cont Paris sketching crayons are rich, vivid colors that mix together beautifully. Silver Brush Ltd- Black Velvet Collection; Princeton 4750 Neptune Collection; Princeton 7050 Siberia Collection Artnyfair.com is reader-supported. Unison Colour Soft Pastels, Cretacolor, Conte Carre, Jakar, Steadtler, Winsor & Newton, Daler Rowney and . Crayons! Tips and Tricks for Fixing Mistakes! Sticks are 63mm 6mm. Caran D'Ache Neocolour ; Caran D'Ache Watersol Crayon ; Charcoal Sets ; Childrens Crayons & Chalk ; Conte Carre . Some artists, moreover, use these colors to make sketches while others use Conte crayons as their primary medium to create an entire painting in monochromatic hues. The crayons are also water-soluble meaning they can either be used dry like traditional crayons or treated with a wet brush like paints or watercolor; even when blended with water these colors retain their smooth, vivid feel. Ive heard that the colour carres no longer have graphite in them. Fingers, tortillons, stumps, chamois, and soft brushes are used for controlled blending and shaping of grays. This amplifies the neutral tones of your art, which is why many artists prefer using these crayons or sticks as initial and supplementary layers before working with pastels. Conte crayons can be used in a linear way for graphic effect and can give a paint like effect especially when smudged. Why is metalpoint not widely used today? You can get it in packs of 8 for adding more brightness to a picture. Graphite isnt as messy as charcoal, so it is less likely to smudge and much easier to protect (requiring very little, if any, fixative). White charcoal is actually chalk or titanium dioxide. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. Besides their composition, I will show you the similarities and differences of Conte crayons from other art media as well as how you can use them. Here's a little sketch I did today with the Cont . Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. I most definitely do not want Nupastel due to the lightfastness issues. There are different types of crayons made for different drawing purposes. He is a trusted source for reliable art and copyright/fair use advice and is committed to helping his readers make informed decisions about making them a better artist. If your child wants to give his or her drawing a striking look, then you should definitely buy these neon series for them! . How do you use it to elevate the quality of your artwork? Receive new product releases and brand promotions, plus material reviews, tips and techniques, and artist interviews. It is safe to say that they are. It is a well-known company that has expertise in creating the best crayons in the market. Their opacity means they give good coverage on dark papers. But what is a Conte crayon? This will assist them in mastering the pencil-holding technique as well. Just use a little sandpaper to sharpen the stick to a chisel point. Fitting them into a single class of pastels would be misleading as they are unusual compared to the rest and borrow a thing or two here and there. With such elements, no wonder Conte crayons are exceptionally pigmented. A quick search of their website shows that they are two different products with their pastels being round. Are oil pastels crayons? 5.252.230.173 Australian Dollar AUD $Brazilian Real BRL R$British Pound Sterling GBP Bulgarian Lev BGNCanadian Dollar CAD $Chinese Yuan Renminbi CNY CNCroatian Kuna HRK knDanish Krone DKK krEuro EUR Hong Kong Dollar HKD $Hungarian Forint HUF FtIndian Rupee INR RsIndonesian Rupiah IDR RpIsraeli New Sheqel ILS Japanese Yen JPY Malaysian Ringgit MYR RMMexican Peso MXNNew Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$New Zealand Dollar NZD NZ$Norwegian Krone NOK krPhilippine Peso PHP Polish Zloty PLN zRomanian Leu RON RONSingapore Dollar SGD S$South African Rand ZAR RSouth Korean Won KRW Swedish Krona SEK krSwiss Franc CHF Fr.Thai Baht THB Turkish Lira TRY TLUS Dollar USD $United Arab Emirates Dirham AED. The set includes finely ground pastels that provide particularly soft and smooth drawing. and i dont know if Conte is lightfast they give some colours only one star form four. Water Soluble Artist Crayons; Clutch Pencils; Illustration Inks; Studio Supplies Rulers; Portman Advanced Colored Pencils; . Though it wasn't in direct bright sunlight, it was still a reasonably sunny room, so the fact there was no fading suggests that their lightfastness is at least reasonable (though I'd want to do a proper test with some swatches in my front window to confirm). If your Michaels purchase does not meet your satisfaction, you may return it within two months (60 days) of purchase. Erasing becomes more difficult if you use a broad range of colors. Please refresh your browser and try again. They also produce less dust than chalk pastels so you are less likely to be breathing in any of the pigments or other materials that make up a Conte crayon. However, Conte crayons are not the same as oil pastels. Faber-Castell Beeswax Crayons - Best Crayons Overall, Stockmar Beeswax Stick Crayons - Runner Up, Caran d'Ache Neocolor II Artists Crayons - Best Crayons, Experiment with the Simplicity of the Best Watercolor Paints, The Best Art Markers for Vibrant, Bold Brushstrokes, The Best Art Pencils for Doodles and Projects. Yes, because some of my drawings made using Conte crayons have been sitting in a well lit room for years and I haven't noticed any considerable fading. Classic or original Conte crayons are simply pigmented sticks of powdered graphite and clay that do not dissolve in water. Carre, I think, simply means square in French. Don Thanks for the link. Cont Paris Pastel Pencil Performance As far as the quality of the pencils are concerned, the actual core of the Cont Pastel pencil, the quality and strength of pigment was excellent.