The rich, velvety darks of charcoal drawing combine with its versatile expressive power, ranging from subtle smudges to forceful energetic line work, to make charcoal an enduringly popular artistic medium. It can take time to get familiar with charcoal and to learn to exploit its unique characteristics. Willow and vine charcoal give subtle grays that you can erase with a touch, while compressed charcoal enables you to quickly develop dark values. If you are used to lightweight pencil drawing, the intensity of its line can seem unmanageable at first, but with perseverance you'll soon have this headstrong medium under control.