Last year I decided to take a drawing course, I felt like it would improve my painting if I had a steadier hand at sketching. We started in charcoal and unfortunately that's as far as I got before life got in the way and I was not able to pursue further classes. However, I was able to obtain some wonderful knowledge about shadowing, form, and reflection.
Things started out pretty rough...I learned very quickly that charcoal hates me. The feeling was mutual for a while until I learned a few tricks and rules.
Rule #1:
You must have the proper tools to work with charcoal. Your best friends will be a good kneadable eraser and a set of smudging sticks.
Rule #2:
Take your time...Charcoal art is a several layer process. There is no rushing it!
Charcoal is one of those mediums that provides such a realistic outcome...It is totally worth the intense patience it requires to master. I am personally, a long way off from mastering it. However, I enjoy it and the skills it requires translate beautifully to other mediums.
All artwork contained in this post was created by me using charcoal on canvas and paper.
I found out the same things recently, it's a difficult medium to work with if you don't understand working in layers and smudging...I use erasers a lot! The woman and hanging cloth are my favorite.
It is definitely a challenge! Thank you!
Very nice work! I really like the last one, the cloth - excellently done! And you are completely spot on with your 2 rules for working with charcoal.
I am far too impatient to work in graphite and charcoal. Sometimes I'm even too impatient for my ink to dry ;) I'm looking forward to following your work and seeing more of your creations!
Thank you very much! I'm pretty impatient too...I think that's why I like working in acrylics as my primary medium. It's so much more forgiving and really there isn't a lot of down time for drying or layering.
I think I was a freshman in high school the last time I used acrylic, but the painting I made (a portrait from a photo of my friends) was pretty simple to complete because it is forgiving, definitely.
Comparing materials always gives me a broader creative perspective. Plus it's always fun to experiment :)
i like this work a lot
Thank you!