Cretacolor Black and White Box Set Review: A Focused Monochrome Kit for Charcoal and Chalk Artists

Introduction

Cretacolor is an Austrian art supplies company whose individual sets have a habit of looking far more interesting than the brand’s low profile suggests. The Black and White Box Set is one of those products: a curated collection of black and white chalks, charcoals, and pencils aimed at artists who work in monochrome or want strong contrast tools to complement a larger pastel set. Worth noting before you buy: Cretacolor also sells a second black and white box featuring a skull on the front, marketed as a limited edition, but the contents are exactly the same set. Don’t assume you’re looking at two different kits.

Packaging and Build Quality

This is where the set makes its first impression. The outer sleeve opens to reveal a well-constructed inner box with a magnetic seal, and inside sits a small white box bearing the Cretacolor name along the top edge. The attention to detail extends to a thick layer of hard foam pressed over the contents, which keeps every pencil and stick locked in place. Tipping the box upside down confirms it: without that foam layer, the contents would scatter and, over time, some pieces could break.

It’s a level of care that matches what the set costs and makes it feel like a considered gift option as well as a working tool.

What’s Inside the Box

The white side of the set includes two graded white chalk pencils, a white chalk oil pencil that behaves much like a standard white colored pencil, a very thin oil-based stick with strong white pigment, and three pastel-style white sticks of varying thickness and opacity. The thin square white blocks proved noticeably more opaque than the larger one. A small plastic sharpener is included, which the brand recommends specifically for charcoal and chalk pencils, along with a needed eraser.

The black side is more generously stocked, and in practice that balance makes sense since you’ll spend most of your time working in black and reach for white mainly for highlights. It contains two thick black chalk blocks, two thin black sticks in different strengths, three round chalk-like sticks, Nero pencils in extra soft and medium grades, three charcoal pencils graded soft, medium, and hard, and a black chalk pencil in a maroon barrel that is exceptionally dark and a genuine pleasure to use. The swatches reveal clear tonal differences between the grades, giving you more value control than you might expect from a monochrome set.

Performance on the Right Paper

One honest note: the first attempt at a demo piece, a glass study on toned gray paper, didn’t come together. At that point the set seemed to lack enough range of value to stand entirely on its own, and it felt more like a natural companion to a larger pastel or chalk collection than a complete standalone kit.

Switching to tan toned mixed media paper changed everything. The warm tone of the paper does much of the midtone work, letting the black chalks and charcoals build shadow while the white pencils and sticks pick out only the brightest highlights. A jug study on that paper came together in roughly 45 minutes and turned out to be a favorite finished piece, which says a lot about what this set can do when the surface plays to its strengths.

That’s a fair warning for any monochrome medium: results depend heavily on paper choice and on your own headspace. Even the best materials feel flat if you’re not in the right frame of mind when you sit down with them.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The set carries noticeably more black material than white, which the proportions justify in everyday use but which matters if you work mostly in white. The plastic sharpener is a common inclusion in sets like this and works, though dedicated charcoal sharpeners may serve you better over time. And if you already own Jerry’s Artarama colored pencils, you’re effectively already using Cretacolor pencils, since the two companies have an open collaboration where Jerry’s carries the Cretacolor pencil line as its own.

Buying Advice

This set works best on toned or tinted paper, where the tan or warm midtone carries the middle values and the black and white tools handle the extremes. On plain white or gray paper, the tonal range can feel limiting. As a complement to a larger pastel or chalk collection, it slots in beautifully; as a standalone monochrome kit, it shines most when you embrace toned surfaces and lean on the paper itself as part of the value range.

If you sketch still lifes, figures, or dramatic value studies in charcoal and chalk, this set rewards you with well-graded tools, solid construction, and packaging that protects everything between sessions.

Conclusion

The Cretacolor Black and White Box Set delivers a carefully organized range of black and white drawing tools in packaging that shows genuine care. Its tonal range is deeper than a first glance suggests, especially once paired with toned mixed media paper. It’s a strong pick for monochrome artists and a smart companion piece for anyone building out a broader chalk or pastel collection.