A black pigment prepared from the porous black residue left after the destructive distillation of wood. Charcoal black has been used as a pigment since ancient times. The best charcoal black is produced from willow, bass, beech, birch, maple or other even-textured wood. The residue is ground then washed to remove any potash. Charcoal contains about 80-98% carbon with some ash and moisture. The grey-black powder is porous and light, but it has poor covering properties and is seldom used in paints. Charcoal black has been used for preliminary sketches, cartoons, pouncing and underdrawings It produces a soft, easily smudged drawing that is often sprayed with a fixative to prevent smears. Charcoal black was also used as a pigment in English house paints. See also carbon black, charcoal, and charcoal crayon. Synonyms: peach black; vegetable black; vine black; birch black; blue black; soft black; willow black; Pigment Black 8; CI 77268; charcoal grey. Ellis (1999); Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (2000). [J. Cassar, R. de Angelis]