Conte has been manufacturing the finest artists' materials available for more than 200 years. Many of the world's greatest artists, including Picasso, Delacroix, and Degas, have created world famous drawings with Conte crayons. You will be pleased with the unbounding beauty that can be achieved with the consistent quality of these fine drawing materials. Conte Crayons are specifically formulated and designed for drawing and sketching. They are made in a unique shape and can be broken for easier use. Conte Crayons can be sharpened to a chisel tip with a sanding pad for more detailed work, or can be used on its side to shade larger areas. The rich opacity of these crayons make them ideal for work on darker papers. The quality ensures the longevity of drawings. The white and black crayons are available in 3 hardness degrees including HB, B, and 2B. The other colors are equal to a B in hardness. The gray is a middle shade of gray. Bistre is the darkest, most earthy brown in tis group. Sanguine medicis is the darkest of the sanguines, sanguine watteau is a shade lighter and a little more red oxide. Sanguine XVIII is a shade lighter than the watteau but with the same amount of red oxide and the natural sanguine is the lightest shade with the same red oxide as watteau and XVIII.