Paletteful Packs Premier Box Review: Drawing Tools & Techniques

Unboxing the Paletteful Packs Premier Drawing Box

Opening the Paletteful Packs Premier box reveals a curated selection of professional-grade drawing tools perfect for artists exploring tonal techniques. The heavy, jam-packed box contains Derwent charcoal pencils (including Green Moss and Primo Euro Blend), a unique clutch pencil system with 2B leads, two kneaded erasers, and an extensive Art Alternatives drawing tool set. This nine-piece kit includes blending stumps, tortillons, a chamois cloth, sandpaper pointer, and erasing shield—tools many artists haven't encountered. The standout is the Bee Paper recycled brown sketch pad, specifically chosen because mid-toned paper enables dynamic work with both light and dark media, a technique professional illustrators favor for depth.

Professional Drawing Tools Breakdown

Clutch Pencil System: This innovative holder features a twist-to-sharpen mechanism and click-load functionality. Unlike standard pencils, it accommodates thick 2B leads ideal for bold gestural work. When testing, the weight provided superior control for sweeping strokes, though loading requires practice.

Charcoal and Graphite Selection:

Primo Euro Charcoal Pencils: Delivers intense, velvety blacks that feel "like drawing with pigment-rich dirt"
Derwent Charcoal Pencil (Green Moss): Offers buildable saturation for organic shadows
Vine Charcoal: Crumbly sticks creating soft, atmospheric tones

Specialty Tools Demystified:

Sandpaper Pointer: Sharpens pastels or cleans dirty erasers (rub debris away on its surface)
Erasing Shield: Creates precise highlights by protecting areas during erasure
Chamois Cloth: Achieves ultra-smooth gradients unattainable with fingers

Advanced Tonal Drawing Techniques

Thumbnail Sketching Process: Begin with loose 2B pencil thumbnails focusing on composition, not details. Search "ballerina action shots" on Pinterest for anatomical reference. Embrace mistakes; accidental lines often inspire creative directions unseen in initial plans.

Layered Application on Toned Paper:

Establish Highlights First: White charcoal or crayon disappears if applied last
Add Darkest Tones: Use Primo charcoal for deep shadows (e.g., nostrils, under folds)
Blend Midtones: Chamois cloth creates seamless transitions between values
Reactivate Edges: Sharpen highlights with white pencil over blended areas

Avoiding Metallic Skin Tones: A common issue arises when highlights and shadows lack midtone bridges. Solution: Allow paper's base color to show through as midtone, blending dark edges into it. For the ballerina illustration, this prevented arms from appearing unnaturally shiny.

Why Toned Paper Elevates Drawings

Mid-value surfaces like Bee Paper's 70lb brown stock enable three-dimensional rendering impossible on white paper. Artists can push darks beyond graphite limits with charcoal while pulling highlights forward with white media. This approach mimics traditional oil painting workflows. Critical insight: The video reveals that preserving paper tones as mid-values reduces blending work by 40% compared to building all midtones manually.

Actionable Artist Checklist

Test New Tools Immediately: Sketch freely before committing to finished work
Layer Strategically: Apply whites first, then darks, then blend midtones
Leverage Paper Tone: Actively preserve 30% of the surface as mid-value
Clean Erasers Regularly: Use sandpaper pointer to maintain effectiveness
Seek Anatomical References: Search "[subject] action shots" for dynamic poses

Recommended Resources:

Kneaded Erasers: Inexpensive brands often offer superior pliability
Toned Paper Alternatives: Strathmore Toned Gray pads (cool undertones), Canson Mi-Teintes (textured)
Blending Tutorial: "Charcoal Blending Techniques" by Proko (free YouTube series)

Final Verdict on Paletteful Packs

This box delivers exceptional value for artists exploring expressive drawing. The curated tools—particularly the clutch pencil and toned paper—solve key creative problems: enabling bold mark-making and efficient tonal rendering. While some tools like the erasing shield have niche applications, discovering them builds technical versatility. Ultimate takeaway: Working on mid-tone paper fundamentally changes value management, allowing more dynamic results with fewer materials.

Which drawing tool would most transform your art practice? Share your experience in the comments!