Conté à Paris Sketching Carrés are traditional square-format drawing crayons made from a blend of natural pigments, kaolin clay, and a cellulose-based binder. Invented in France in 1795, these iconic tools have been used by generations of artists—including Delacroix, Degas, and Picasso—for their ability to produce expressive lines, subtle tonal shifts, and controlled shading.

The term Carré simply means “square” in French, referring to the shape of the stick. Each one has a 1/4" (6 mm) square profile that allows for both sharp linear work and broad side shading. Their dry, firm texture sits between pastel and chalk—more crumbly than Conté Colour Carrés, but less soft than traditional pastels—making them well-suited for high-rendering applications like life drawing, figure studies, and architectural sketching.

They apply cleanly across a variety of surfaces, including bristol board, toned and textured papers, and drawing sheets. The sticks produce minimal dust and layer well without becoming overly slick. Each one can be sharpened to a point using a sanding block or blade for more precise mark-making.

Sticks measure approximately 2-1/2" long × 1/4" square (63 mm × 6 mm) and are available in a focused range of earth tones, greys, and blacks—ideal for monochromatic studies and value-based work.

Matchbox Set of 4 Made from a blend of natural pigments, kaolin clay, and graphite, these pastel sticks provide particularly soft and smooth drawing. They are well suited for use on newsprint, bristol, toned paper or heavily grained surfaces. This convenient set features four popular Conte Crayons in a compact matchbox storage container with protective sponge insert. It includes one each of Sanguine, Bistre, Black and White 2B.