Square sticks with beveled edges give you drawing options that round crayons can't match. Use the corner for precise lines, the flat edge for bold strokes, or the broad side for sweeping tonal passages. This versatile geometry, combined with formulations refined over two centuries, explains why Conte crayons remain fundamental to figure drawing and portraiture. Break sticks into shorter lengths for better control during extended sessions.

Dense, waxy pigments deliver rich opacity that shows up beautifully on toned and dark papers, crucial for traditional trois crayons technique and contemporary mixed media work. White and black come in three hardness grades (HB, B, 2B) for different mark-making needs; sanguines and earth tones match B hardness. The sanguine range offers nuanced warmth: Natural reads lightest, XVIII deepens slightly, Watteau adds more red oxide, and Sanguine Medicis appears darkest and most saturated. Bistre provides deep, earthy brown. Gray sits at middle value.

Sharpen sticks with sandpaper to achieve chisel tips for detailed passages, or work with broken edges for varied line quality. These crayons handle the aggressive mark-making that figure studies demand while maintaining enough control for considered portrait work. The four-stick matchbox sampler includes white, black, bistre, and sanguine, core colors for classical drawing approaches.