The approach you will learn in this free course may be a bit different to your previous experiences with charcoal.
I will introduce you to a method that relies on using the point of sharpened charcoal (more like a pencil) and chalk. This style allows for a great deal of detail and ends up looking a bit more like an etching than a typical charcoal drawing. We will be working on a mid-toned paper to get the most out of our charcoal and chalk.
As with any art style, you can experiment with this approach to your heart’s content. I love seeing the novel ways that students manage to incorporate new techniques into their own work.
This course is suitable for all levels including complete beginners and includes:
- 2 Hours of fully narrated content.
- Reference Image
You can view the 'Materials' PDF in the curriculum below to see a recommended materials list for this course.
Blocking-In
You will start by blocking-in the general proprtions of the head and features.
Separating Light and Dark
You will then divide the subject into areas of light (using the white chalk) and dark (using charcoal) to create a sense of solid form and structure in the painting.
Refining
The final stage of the course will focus on developing more subtle details across the subject.
Course Curriculum
- Introduction, materials and blocking in the big proportions of the head (18:18)
- Adding the features and finding the shadow shapes (20:33)
- Refining the shadow shapes and adding darker halftones (14:32)
- Adding reflected light and variations in the shadows (15:54)
- Smoothing out the shading and adding highlights with white chalk (18:06)
- Rendering the forms (21:32)
- Adding the final details and conclusion (20:10)