Charcoal drawing is quite well known. Professional looking black and white portraits can be done with a piece of charcoal and an eraser. It's like creating abstract photos without the help of a PC. The charcoal technique is a good way to learn how to blend grays and apply shading. However, many wonder how to give charcoal images that beauty that distinguishes them.
Steps
Step 1. Prepare your workstation
Charcoal draws on virtually any type of paper. But remember that it can be a bit messy. It spreads on the skin easily and to avoid dirtying the table, put some newspapers or other under the drawing paper.
Step 2. Take a charcoal and fill in a whole white sheet
You don't have to draw anything. Simply color the entire sheet black. Don't leave anything white.
Step 3. Find a black and white photograph
Choose a portrait, even if you are a beginner. Place it in front of you by turning it upside down. By doing so, you will not have an exact image of what you are playing and therefore you will be drawing something unique. Aim for some salient features of the face - you don't have to copy the exact image.
Step 4. Take a piece of rubber and erase the equivalent of the face outline
Basically, you will draw with the eraser.
Step 5. Start with the eyes, which are the whitest points on the face
Don't make them right at the top of the image because you'll have to take the hair into account as well. Also, consider the eyeballs and lights: once you have the basic profile of the eye, take the eraser and draw a slight rounded line inside. Now, those eyes are really realistic.
Step 6. Look at the photograph and find new areas of white
Take the eraser and erase those parts as well, defining them. Apply less and less pressure as you move away from white. Then use your fingertips and rub those same areas to blur the edges, making the drawing more realistic.
Step 7. Go to details
You will need to use the charcoal again to draw some outlines. You can also take the eraser and erase other parts.
Step 8. Try drawing the hair
Take the eraser and draw lines along the black background. Now with the charcoal make them thinner. Follow the pattern of the image you have chosen as a reference.
Step 9. Erase the black background
Take the eraser and erase everything behind the portrait. Fill the outline that was white with the charcoal. Make it subtle.
Step 10. Turn the portrait over and admire the work
It was just an exercise of course. It will not be a perfect portrait and very similar to photography (but at least it will look human!). If you want, you can start again to practice. Once you think you've got the hang of creating the shades of gray, you can move on to the next level.
Step 11. Draw a still life
Get some fruit, a vase (perhaps with flowers) and place them on a chair or table. Pay close attention to the light and shadows, then with the same portrait technique, reproduce the images on paper.
Step 12. Move on to more difficult things
Find a window and draw what you see: trees, streets, houses. Always remember to note the lights and shadows. Try to master new techniques.
Step 13. When done, spray a fixer to prevent smudging
Try hairspray, although in some cases it can ruin the job.
Advice
- After working with charcoal you will probably have black hands and face (yes, face too; it's not clear how, but the charcoal comes there too). Don't worry: it washes with a little soap.
- Although you can use regular eraser, it is preferable to choose the eraser, it is specially designed for charcoal. Bread gum is soft like wet clay. You can give it the shape you want. It's not found everywhere, so here's how to make a substitute (but the original is better): take a small piece of bread and roll it into a ball until it appears to be without holes; try to make it solid in texture, then cut a tip to make it look like a pencil, so you can use it to carefully blend the drawing. If you need to erase a wider part, use a regular eraser (or make the eraser wider).
- Charcoal can be found in fine art stores.
- If you need to blend something to create the shading or highlight, use the bottom of the palm. Use this solution as a last resort, as you will get completely dirty and could ruin the drawing.
Warnings
- Always work in a well-ventilated room. You don't have to breathe in too much charcoal dust.
- Do not touch the drawing once finished, unless you have washed your hands or you would ruin it with smudges.
- Always wash your hands after using charcoal. Never put them in your mouth or nose without cleaning them.
