Invented in France in 1795 by Nicolas-Jacques Cont© especially for drawing and sketching, Cont© Crayons are made from a blend of natural pigments, kaolin clay, and graphite. The Cont© crayon has been used by many of the worlds greatest artists, including Picasso, Delacroix, and Degas.

The rich, vivid colours of Cont© Crayons mix together nicely, and a range of effects can be consistently produced. They are well suited for use on newsprint, bristol, toned paper or heavily grained surfaces. Their rich opacity makes them ideal for work on darker papers and their quality ensures the longevity of drawings. Cont© crayons are waxier and much firmer than soft pastels, so they produce little dust and are easy to control.

Sharpen Cont© Crayons to a chisel tip with a sanding pad for detailed work or drag them flat on their sides for various shading techniques on large areas. The unique shape allows the sticks to be broken for easier use. Sticks are 2½ long — ¼ square (63 mm — 6 mm). Each box contains 2 or 12 crayons of one colour, except for the colour sets.