The drawing begins with a loose contour line sketch using a charcoal pencil. But don't worry, you will get better with time. Most people are already used to drawing with a pencil, so it may take some time to become accustomed to charcoal. Charcoal drawing is different than drawing with a pencil.
Learning how to draw with charcoal is just like learning how to draw with any medium. Hairspray can be used in place of fixative but it can darken the surface so it is not recommended. The best way to do this is in a well-ventilated area with the spray can held about a foot away from the artwork. Most artists, like myself, chose to only use workable fixative, since you may chose to go back to drawing and work on it at a later time.įixative comes in a spray can and is applied by spraying it onto the artwork. There is also final fixative, which is used when the drawing is finished. There is workable fixative which allows for some work to done on the artwork after it has been "fixed". Because charcoal drawings are often very dusty, this is a common practice. When charcoal drawings are finished, the artist may chose to "fix" the charcoal in place.
This allows you to make marks using your shoulder and elbow instead of with just your wrist.įor detailed marks, a charcoal pencil can be used and held just like a traditional pencil. More on grips for holding a pencil can be found here. Vine charcoal and compressed sticks should be held differently in your hand than a drawing pencil. It will vary from artist to artist, but my suggestion is to hold the charcoal with your thumb and forefinger with your palm facing the surface of the paper. You will also want to have a kneaded eraser. When using charcoal to draw, a few tools will need to be at your disposal. First, you may need a variety of different types of charcoal- vine, compressed, pencil form. This is the case with white compressed charcoal. Compressed charcoal may come as a round stick, a square stick, or in a pencil. (Vine charcoal is almost always a round stick.) Some compressed charcoal is pigmented. As a result, it is harder to erase, harder to smudge, but makes a darker mark.
(Which may be a benefit.)Ĭompressed charcoal is held together by a gum binder and is darker than vine charcoal. As a consequence it is generally makes a lighter mark when you draw than compressed charcoal and easily smudges. Vine charcoal is easily spread on a surface and is very easy to erase. Vine charcoal usually consists of burnt willow wood.
These types of charcoal include "vine" and "compressed". There are a few types of charcoal used by artists to create a drawing. Well technically speaking, charcoal is burnt organic material. We can help you find the set best suited to your needs browse our picks below.What is Charcoal and How to Draw with Charcoal? Buying charcoal implements in a set is a nice option, giving you tools for an array of effects from the get-go. There are also delicate charcoals made from burning willow twigs and grape vines. Charcoal pencils are similar to graphite pencils they’re often used to render crisp, detailed drawings. Compressed charcoal is a soft block or stick, often created from burned birch, clay, and black pigment. There is a wide variety of artist’s charcoals on the market, each with its own unique set of properties and ingredients. Each sweep of charcoal offers intense black color and easy blending for preliminary studies, lush landscapes, or photorealistic portraits. If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, we may receive an affiliate commission.įrom early cave painters to Pablo Picasso to Roberto Longo, artists have long loved the expressive potential of a soft charcoal pencil or crayon.