Artgraf Graphite Putty: a drawing material unlike anything else

There is a small category of art materials that do not fit neatly into any existing description — materials that require a little explanation before they make sense, but that immediately make sense the moment you put them in your hands. Artgraf Graphite Putty is firmly in that category.

It is graphite. It is water-soluble. It comes in a small jar as a soft, pliable putty that you mould with your fingers into whatever shape your drawing requires. It is none of the drawing materials you already know, and yet it feels immediately intuitive the moment you begin working with it.

Artgraf is made by Viarco, a family-owned company in northern Portugal that has been producing premium drawing materials since 1907. The Graphite Putty was developed from Viarco's deep experience with graphite manufacture and represents a genuine innovation in how graphite can be used as a drawing and painting material. It has attracted a devoted following among artists interested in unconventional mark-making, expressive drawing, and the particular luminous quality that graphite produces when freed from the constraints of a pencil casing.

We stock the Artgraf Graphite Putty at Craft and Canvas at £12.75.

What it actually is

The Artgraf Graphite Putty is compressed water-soluble graphite in a soft, pliable putty consistency. You reach into the jar, take out as much as you need, and shape it with your fingers. That is the entire setup process.

The material can be formed into any shape. Press it flat between your fingers for a broad drawing surface that lays down wide, soft areas of tone. Roll it to a point for more controlled mark-making. Break off a small piece and roll it finely for detail work. Flatten it and stamp it onto paper for a textured impression. The shape of your drawing tool is entirely under your control, which is the point — rather than being constrained by the fixed geometry of a pencil or stick, the putty adapts to what the drawing needs at any given moment.

Used dry

Used without water, Artgraf Graphite Putty produces rich, deep graphite marks with a velvety, slightly silky quality. The coverage is considerably more substantial than a standard pencil — more graphite is deposited per stroke, making it particularly effective for tonal work, large areas of shadow, atmospheric backgrounds, and expressive gestural drawing where speed of coverage matters.

The dry marks blend exactly as any graphite does — with a finger, a paper stump, or a soft cloth. They can be erased partially with a putty rubber, though lifting is not as complete as with a standard pencil. The marks can also be carved back into using a harder eraser or a point, which opens up subtractive drawing approaches — working from a field of tone back towards light — that are particularly effective with this material.

Because you can shape the putty into whatever form suits the mark you want to make, the range of dry marks achievable is considerable. A broad flat piece dragged across paper produces a wide tonal field in a single stroke. A rolled point produces something closer to a pencil mark, though with more graphite. The edge of a flattened piece produces a clean, decisive line. Each adjustment of the putty's shape produces a fundamentally different mark — which is what makes it so interesting to explore.

Used wet

Used with water, the putty dissolves to produce a fluid graphite wash — an application of liquid graphite that settles on paper with a characteristic silver shimmer as it dries. This is the quality that most surprises artists encountering it for the first time: dried wet graphite has a luminosity that dry graphite marks do not, a slight reflective quality that gives tonal work a depth and richness that is quite unlike any other drawing medium.

There are several ways to work with water. A damp brush dragged across putty already applied to paper lifts and disperses the graphite into a soft wash at the edges of the dry mark. Dissolving a piece of putty directly into water in a small container and applying the resulting liquid with a brush produces a more controlled, painterly approach — the concentration of the mix determines the tone, from very pale transparent grey to deep, near-black graphite. Water can also be applied to the paper first and the putty drawn or stamped directly into the wet surface, producing soft, feathered edges as the graphite disperses.

The range of tones achievable from a single piece of putty — through varying the amount of water, the concentration of the mix, and the technique of application — is remarkably broad. A full tonal scale from near-white to deep black is easily achievable, and the transitions between tones have a natural, organic quality that is part of what makes graphite washes so distinctive.

What to make with it

Tonal drawing and portraiture. The ability to build up rich, deep tones quickly, blended smoothly with a finger or stump, makes Artgraf Graphite Putty excellent for tonal portrait drawing and figure work. The combination of dry putty for structure and wet washes for soft skin tones and atmospheric backgrounds is a particularly effective approach.

Landscape and atmospheric work. Wet graphite washes are naturally suited to sky, water, and mist — the soft, flowing quality of dissolved graphite in water produces atmospheric effects that are very difficult to achieve with dry drawing alone. A wash of wet putty for the sky, dry putty dragged across for texture in the foreground, and pencil for fine detail is a productive combination.

Expressive and gestural drawing. The immediacy of the putty — no sharpening, no setup, just mould and draw — suits artists who work quickly and expressively. Large gestural marks made with broad pieces of putty, then partially dispersed with water, produce an energy and spontaneity that conventional drawing tools rarely match.

Mixed media. Artgraf Graphite Putty works well alongside pencil, ink, watercolour, and charcoal. The graphite shimmer of wet washes against the flatness of other media creates visual interest and contrast. Because the wet graphite is relatively stable once dry, subsequent layers of other water-based media can be applied over it without disturbing the graphite significantly.

Printing and texture transfer. The putty can be pressed onto a textured surface — fabric, bark, stone, embossed paper — and the resulting coated piece used to print that texture onto drawing paper. The graphite transfers with the texture, producing a facsimile of the surface structure that is both precise and atmospheric.

Practical notes

The putty does not dry out quickly in the jar, but keeping the lid tightly closed between sessions preserves it well. Any putty left on a palette or surface will harden over time but can be rehydrated with a small amount of water if it begins to stiffen. Washing hands after use removes the graphite easily — the water-soluble formulation means it does not require solvents for cleanup.

Most papers work with Artgraf Graphite Putty, but heavier papers handle the wet applications better. Watercolour paper at 200gsm or above is the best starting surface — it takes the water without buckling and the tooth of cold press paper produces particularly attractive results with both dry and wet applications. Smooth hot press paper gives cleaner, crisper wet washes with less texture.

Frequently asked questions about Artgraf Graphite Putty

Is it the same as a graphite stick or pencil?
No — the putty consistency and mouldable form make it a fundamentally different tool from either. A pencil or stick has a fixed shape and a fixed range of marks. The putty adapts to whatever shape you make of it, which is what makes it so versatile.

Can it be used with watercolour?
Yes — wet graphite washes and watercolour are natural companions. Apply the graphite wash first, allow to dry, then paint over with watercolour. The graphite remains stable under the water-based paint and the combination of the metallic graphite shimmer with the colour of the watercolour produces results that neither medium achieves alone.

Can it be erased?
Dry marks can be partially lifted with a putty rubber. Once the graphite has been activated with water and dried, it is more resistant to erasure — a firmer eraser or electric eraser will reduce it but complete removal is more difficult. Plan the wet areas of your drawing with this in mind.

Does it smudge?
Like all graphite, dry marks smudge easily and should be fixed with fixative spray on finished work. Wet marks that have been fully dried are more stable but can still be disturbed if rubbed firmly. A light coat of workable fixative between dry and wet stages protects earlier work.

How long does a jar last?
This depends entirely on working scale and frequency, but Artgraf Graphite Putty is an economical material — a small amount goes a considerable distance, particularly for wet wash work. A jar used regularly should last many months.

Shop Artgraf at Craft and Canvas

We stock the Artgraf Graphite Putty at £12.75 at Craft and Canvas in Hebden Bridge and online at craftandcanvas.co.uk.

Craft and Canvas | 3 Carlton Street, Hebden Bridge, HX7 8ER | craftandcanvas.co.uk