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Traditional Pathway Target 2 – Charcoal

Introduction

Graphite and charcoal seem to be natural bedfellows and the best second target. As before, I’ve been doing drawings in charcoal to get a feel for the target itself.

For me the key is not really to use charcoal like I would a pencil but to learn the differences and then lean into charcoal’s strengths.

1. Choose subject

Initially, I’ve gone for skulls because of the black and white nature of it. After that, I will revert to faces and parts of faces to practice.

MM's Pinterest : Skulls

Some reference images from Pinterest.

Click here

2. Main target

Focus: get used to the charcoal to achieve control in the same or similar way as pencil/graphite.

Step 1 – try to use like a pencil

Step 2 – move away from using it like a pencil

Step 3 – work to charcoals strengths

 

The three steps are quite nebulous but actually reflect my own process ie I tried to draw like it was pencil then realised that I needed to lean into it being charcoal.

3. Signs of Success

This is difficult but I think it can be split into a number of ways:

  • Not treating the charcoal as pencil: you start this way but should end up understanding the differences
  • Understanding the differences between a pencil and charcoal – powder like substance, deeper blacks, greater coverage and more gradients in values
  • Working towards charcoals strengths: compositions are different with the same reference but with less detail, and you can have larger drawings quicker


The second and third bullets points could be a single bullet point really.

4. Personal experience

I’ve been using charcoal for about two weeks at the date of this target and only done 5 drawings in charcoal. This is what I’ve learnt from that as well as watching a few videos:

  • Either go from dark to light or light to dark though I think the former is easier
  • Use of willow first to do outline and block-in
  • Place big dark values first and work out from those
  • Use eraser to get lighter elements and highlights
  • Getting the right paper and right size (A3 is better for whole images but A4 is better for smaller parts)
  • Keep a sheete of paper to lean on as you draw to stop those parts being smudged