How to draw with charcoal and what is needed for this?

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Drawing in charcoal is one of the oldest techniques for depicting composition and fixing important events. Ancient people used burnt tree branches to capture life scenes on the stone vaults of their dwellings. And at present, charcoal has not lost its relevance as a means of drawing.

Types of coal

How to draw with charcoal? To answer this question, you need to figure out what kind of coal you can create artistic images. This material as a graphic tool is a burnt stick or charcoal pencil. The stick is made by hermetic roasting of grape, willow or beech twigs in a special kiln. This tool is similar to a regular pencil, but inside it has a charcoal lead that has different degrees of hardness (from hard to soft).

There is also compressed charcoal. It is produced from residues after the coal processing process. The resulting coal chips are pressed and mixed with an adhesive havingplant base. Charcoal sticks created in this way differ from those made by firing in that they are denser. Drawing with such a tool is more accurate, less prone to shedding. The basis for drawing with all types of charcoal is a special paper that has a rough surface. You can also use watercolor sheets, even plain wrapping paper. Smooth paper is not suitable, as the charcoal will crumble actively. As a result, the picture will become faded and inexpressive.

How to draw with charcoal step by step?

First of all, it should be noted that charcoal drawing requires additional items. These include a nag and a retainer. A klyachka is a special eraser with which excess coal is removed from a sheet. Instead of a nag, you can use a regular bread crumb or a soft cloth. A fixer is a special spray for fixing a pattern. For these purposes, you can use regular strong hold hairspray.

Thus, the first step is to prepare the tools: special paper, charcoal sticks, pressed charcoal, nag and fixative.

Painting process

How to draw with charcoal? For beginners, one more important nuance should be noted. This is the left hand rule. It says that when drawing with charcoal it is very easy to leave extra prints and dark spots on paper, so the left hand (the one that the artist does not work with) should always be kept clean so as not to inadvertently spoil the composition.

How to draw with charcoal? Composition should be createdjust like a regular pencil. From the whole to the particular, and from the particular to the whole. Charcoal is convenient in that, with varying degrees of pressure, it is possible to make interesting semitones and transitions. There are two main techniques for this process.

Charcoal drawing techniques

The first one is very suitable for introducing children to charcoal. It lies in the fact that a sheet of paper is completely shaded with a charcoal stick. Next, a drawing is made with a nag. After that, the main elements are highlighted with a charcoal pencil or charcoal stick. A striking example of this technique is a painting depicting frosty patterns on a dark window or drawing a winter landscape against the night sky.

The essence of this technique is very simple. The working plane should be carefully shaded with a charcoal stick. After that, rub the coal dust with a soft cloth. The result is a solid dark background. Further, with a nag, you can display the silhouettes of snow-covered trees, stars, snowflakes. If there is no nag, then you can use a regular eraser. In the same way, you can depict a frosty window, a night river with a moonlit road, a mountain landscape and much more.

If desired, in addition to charcoal, in drawing winter landscapes, you can use ordinary white chalk, which put down highlights and make accents. The combination of chalk and charcoal gives a special contrast to the drawing, allowing you to highlight the compositional center. When we draw with charcoal with children, it should be remembered that this working tool tends to leave marks not only on the work surface, but also on hands and clothes. Therefore, it is better to create in a special apron and sleeves.

Line drawing technique

When performing work in this technique, charcoal is used first as a pencil, and then shading is performed with it. The drawing is applied in the usual way. Here it is better to combine the use of charcoal sticks, charcoal pencil and pressed charcoal. The drawing should start from the center of the composition so that the surface of the sheet is covered gradually and preferably in one layer. This is necessary to avoid unnecessary stains. Shadows and penumbra can be done using the shading technique. Depth of tone is easier to achieve using charcoal sticks. Drawing details and nuances is better when using pressed charcoal. The texture of the depicted object is preferably done with a charcoal pencil. This technique can be used with both charcoal and chalk, which is ideal for creating bright highlights.