Water-Soluble Graphite Putty: How to Use ArtGraf's Kneadable Graphite

Water-soluble graphite putty is graphite in a soft, kneadable form that you activate with water. ArtGraf is the best-known version. You can pinch off a piece and draw with it like a crayon, or add water and brush it on like paint, and the more water you add the darker and richer the graphite becomes. It works on watercolor paper, multimedia paper, or canvas, and it can be sealed with a fixative, which means it doubles as an underpainting material. In short, it is one of the most flexible, playful drawing materials you can put in your hands.

New art drawing materials. Those are three of the most exciting words you will ever hear as an artist, and the thrill of playful discovery is hard to describe. If the title threw you, you are in for a fun surprise. Graphite has a quiet, even boring reputation, so it gets overlooked, especially by painters. But this material opens up a whole world of possibility, and almost nobody has met the graphite pencil’s quirkier sibling: graphite putty by ArtGraf.

What is water-soluble graphite putty?

Water-soluble graphite putty is graphite in a soft, kneadable form, like ArtGraf, that you activate with water. The consistency is close to modeling clay, and it does dry out over time. The packaging it ships in does not really keep the putty moist, so it is smart to store it in a resealable bag or a small container. Treat it like a living material rather than a sealed tube, and it will stay workable for a long time.

What makes it different from a pencil is range. With a pencil you are mostly making line. With putty you can make line, wash, texture, and mass, all from the same lump. That flexibility is the whole reason it is worth a place in your kit.

How do you use ArtGraf graphite putty?

You use it two main ways: dry for line, or wet for paint. This graphite is a very customizable tool. Break off a smaller piece for details, or add water to a small chunk and apply it like paint. Using a brush to lay in patterns is genuinely easy, and the brush is also the simplest way to chase finer details once the graphite is wet.

Here are the working methods worth knowing:

1. Draw it dry. Pinch off a piece and use it directly, like a soft graphite crayon, for bold marks and gestural line.
2. Brush it wet. Add water to a chunk and apply it with a brush. It moves like paint and pools into washes.
3. Stamp it. Press the putty through stencils for clean impressions of a design. This is a perfect approach for abstraction because of its loose, impressionistic quality.
4. Knead it into shape. Because it is pliable, it is ideal for organic shapes and patterns, and it adds a perfectly imperfect look to your work.

A quick honest note: this is a messy material. It is worth considering gloves, though the mess is also part of the fun. And because it dries fairly fast, keep adding water to maintain that pliable, paint-like consistency while you work.

What surface works best for water-soluble graphite?

Use watercolor paper or multimedia paper, because the dampness of the product is enough to warp lighter papers. You can also work on canvas, which adds real interest to the painting process and lets the graphite behave more like a mixed material than a sketch. If you have ever leaned into texture painting techniques, this material will feel right at home on a primed surface.

The surface matters more here than with a regular pencil, because you are introducing water. Choose something that can take a wash without buckling, and the graphite will do everything you ask of it.

How do you control values with water-soluble graphite?

Water controls value. The more water you add to the putty, the darker the graphite becomes, so you get a wide range of values from one single product. A thin, watery mix gives you pale, silvery grays. A thick, concentrated application gives you deep, rich darks. It is so easy to add powerful depth to a piece this way, which is exactly the kind of tonal control good drawing depends on.

If you are still building that skill, the way you read and place values is the foundation of everything, and our guide to drawing fundamentals walks through it from the start. Practice a simple value scale with the putty and you will feel how much range lives inside that one lump of graphite.

Can you use graphite putty as an underpainting?

Yes, because graphite can be sealed with a fixative, which makes it usable in your underpaintings. You lay in your values with the water-soluble graphite, let it dry, seal the layer, and then paint over it in oil or acrylic. Since water already gives you a full light-to-dark range, you can establish your whole value structure before you ever touch color.

That is the same logic behind a tonal start in oils. If you want to see how a value-first underlayer makes a finished painting glow, look at subtractive underpainting, which builds luminous work from the same value-first idea. Graphite putty is simply another, looser way to get there.

Quick Answer

Water-soluble graphite putty is graphite in a soft, kneadable form, like ArtGraf, that you activate with water. Pinch off a piece for line work, or add water and brush it on like paint. More water means darker, richer values. Use it on watercolor paper, multimedia paper, or canvas, and seal it with fixative when you want it under oil or acrylic.

Why it is worth trying

Water-soluble graphite is an art drawing material that fully engages the senses. It is a perfect supply to use when you want to be free and play. Like artists, this supply is delightfully weird, strange, and unexpected, and it reminds creators like you that trying something new is worth it, that play is productive and life-giving.

So is it worth a try? It absolutely is. Even if it never becomes a go-to tool in your process, it has so much potential to lead you toward techniques that will. Think of it as both a silly and a practical investment. If you are stocking up on other materials too, our roundup of essential art supplies covers the tools every artist should have, and this one earns its spot as a happy surprise.

The fastest way to put any new material to work is to actually make something with it. If you want a guided, low-pressure way to start, our free Two Week Challenge gets a brush in your hand right away. And when you are ready to keep exploring materials and methods, the rest of the oil painting techniques collection is here for you.

Frequently asked questions

What is water-soluble graphite putty?

Water-soluble graphite putty is graphite in a soft, kneadable form, like ArtGraf, that you activate with water. Its consistency is close to modeling clay, so you can pinch off pieces for line work or add water and brush it on like paint. The more water you add, the darker and richer the graphite reads, which gives you a wide range of values from one product.

How do you use ArtGraf graphite putty?

Break off a small piece for detail and line work, or add water to a chunk and apply it with a brush like paint. You can stamp it through stencils, knead it into organic shapes, and build patterns with a brush. It dries fairly fast, so keep adding water to keep it pliable. Wearing gloves helps because it is a messy material.

What surface works best for water-soluble graphite?

Use watercolor paper or multimedia paper, because the dampness of the putty will warp lighter papers. Canvas also works well and adds interest to the painting process. For finished pieces you can seal graphite with a fixative, which is also why it works as an underpainting layer underneath oil or acrylic.

Can you use graphite putty as an underpainting?

Yes. Graphite can be sealed with a fixative, so you can lay in your values with water-soluble graphite, fix the layer, and paint over it. Because more water makes the graphite darker, it is easy to build a full value range before you ever add color, which is the whole point of a good underpainting.

How do you control values with water-soluble graphite?

Water controls value. A small amount of water gives you pale, silvery grays, and more water deepens the graphite toward rich darks. Work from light to dark by starting with a thin wash and adding concentrated putty where you want shadow. This gives you powerful depth and a wide tonal range from a single material.