Conte

Conté a Paris Art Supplies have been used by some of the world’s greatest artists. Degas, Picasso and Delacroix all created their masterpieces using Conte’s innovative crayons. Conté owes its success to Nicolas Jacques Conté: a chemist, artist, inventor and soldier as well as a hot air balloonist. In 1794 the scarcity of English graphite during the war between England and France prompted the Comite de Salut Public (Committee for Public Safety) to commission Nicolas Jacques Conté to invent a new pencil lead using a French raw material. Conté developed the first modern pencil lead by combining graphite with kaolin clay and by altering the proportions of each the hardness of the lead could be varied for the first time. In 1795 a pencil factory was opened and Conté continued developing drawing materials. His focus was on creating colours that were “fixed and unchangeable” and his artist quality materials were born. Professional and amateur artists worldwide use Conté a Paris crayons and pencils for their purity and light fastness.

Pullingers stock a wide selection of Conté a Paris Art Supplies. Try the world renowned Conté Carres Crayons. Waxier and firmer than soft pastels yet more blendable than pencil they produce little dust. The Conté Soft Pastel has a smooth application and excellent covering power. Our selection of Conté Sketching Pencils includes the popular Drawing Pencil with traditional colours ideally suited to portrait and life drawing. For drawing, sketching and pastel work choose Conté a Paris.

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