Conte, also known as Conte sticks or Conte crayons are a drawing and sketching medium that originated in France.

There are two types of conte sticks, natural and sanguine. Natural conte sticks are made from graphite and clay, while sanguine contes are made from charcoal and clay. The difference between the two is that natural contes tend to be smoother and darker, while sanguine contes are rougher and lighter.

Contes can be used for a variety of drawings, including sketches, portraits, landscapes, and figure drawings. They can also be used for adding shading and depth to drawings.

When using contes, it is important to keep a few things in mind. First, contes are not water-soluble, so they will not wash away with water. Second, contes can smudge easily, so it is important to be careful when using them. Finally, contes can be sharpened with a pencil sharpener or knife, but they should not be sharpened too much or they will break.