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  • #983420

    Goodness, I’ve been away so long! Anyway, in the Dec 2002 issue of Artist’s Mag, there was an article by an incredible charcoal artist, Rexanne Chadwick. She demonstrated how to get incredible detail with charcoal. I put it aside but wanted to give it a try. Finally, I got around to it, and here are results of my first 3 trys. I didn’t quite get her method, so I did my own–with a paintbrush. These are done almost entirely with a soft paintbrush, dipped in No. 6B pencil charcoal dust, with use of a tortillon and a charcoal pencil for the finest details (eyes, nostrils). No prior sketching, just began with a paint brush. I used bristol, probably not a good support since you can barely/cannot erase once the charcoal gets in it. These are just from a mag for practice, about 9×12:


    Kinda fun!! Anyone tried this method?

    Shirl

    Shirl
    God created man....then He had a better idea.

    #1012449
    R_McLean
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        Hi Shirl,

        No, I haven’t tried this but I might just run out and get me some paintbrushes and charcoal powder and get started! These look really amazing – I like the different textures you were able to achieve (both shiny and soft) and such deep rich tones.

        How long did the head study take you?

        Becca

        #1012452

        This is really beautiful. Great technique, thanks for the info. Will have to give it a try.

        Would love to see more like this if you do them!

        Michelle

        #1012438
        limits
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            Absolutely gorgeous!! i wanna have a go now!! lol

            #1012451
            Cassiepeia
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                All three of these are AWESOME!! :clap: :clap: :clap: I’m with everyone else, I want to give it a go now. :D

                Cass.


                #1012444
                BIG-D
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                    Great job!!
                    I like the one at the top the best!

                    #1012428

                    Thanks all!–give it a try! I didn’t buy any charcoal powder, just scraped my 6B charcoal pencil on a piece of paper and dipped the brush into it. The brush is a small, goat hair type brush, very soft, one that I use for blending in oils. The bristle brushes, which she used, didn’t seem to work for me, they scraped the charcoal. She probably used a different paper. Odd, you can scrape your finger over these and I guess since they’re burnished, there will not be a smear. Very difficult to erase a mistake, too.

                    Becca, the head study took about 3 hours, just while watching TV.

                    Oh, by the way, using a tortillon on the bristol is like scraping your fingernails on the blackboard :D.

                    Shirl

                    Shirl
                    God created man....then He had a better idea.

                    #1012427

                    Yay!! :clap: Some work from Shirl! I just love seeing your work. I don’t get by here very often anymore, but I am so thrilled that I stopped in tonight and saw these wonderful creations. Sounds like a very interesting technique, must be messy though?

                    Shelly

                    #1012436

                    Those are so very cool, indeed!

                    I would’ve never thought to use a brush with charcoal dust.

                    THanks for sharing!

                    Dave

                    #1012447
                    Imaginee
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                        Hi Shirl:)

                        What fantastic portraits, i love horses and love these very much!!
                        Great technique, never heard of it, thanks for sharing the info!:):clap: :clap: :clap:

                        Take care
                        ~Linda

                        #1012433

                        Hi Shirl
                        I just had to add my 2 cents worth.
                        I picked up the same magazine because I was so impressed with the work by Rexanne.
                        The cover caught my eye, and then I was even more enthralled with the work that was demonstrated inside.
                        She is incredible.
                        I felt inspired to try my hand at charcoal after looking at her work.
                        (I am a dedicated pencil pusher, but I can appreciate other black and white media after seeing her work).
                        I haven’t made the move yet … but after seeing your efforts … i feel even more motivated to try this technique.
                        I think you have done great … if this is your first attempt, I would say try some more …. I love the lighting that you have achieved.
                        (I really appreciate the contrast that is possible with charcoal, compared to graphite … black really is black.
                        And the look is softer than graphite … I guess you sacrifice detail for atmosphere … but i think it’s worth it).
                        All I can say Shirl is … keep at it.
                        Richard

                        Facebook Page brownblackandwhite
                        artincanada.com

                        #1012429

                        Thanks Shelly, Dave, Linda and Richard!

                        Hi Shelly! Nice to see you again. Actually, no mess at all! I did these while watching TV in my $850 chair! Maybe because it’s burnished in and the only dusty charcoal was on a little 2×2 piece of paper.

                        You sound just like me Richard! First medium is pencil (am lousy with color) but I love the darkness of the charcoal. (You can get marvelous darks with the Cretacolor Nero pencils, but I spend most of my time sharpening them.) That Artist’s Mag cover really threw me for a loop too–and with charcoal! Don’t know how much time I’ll spend with charcoal tho. Okay, now it’s your turn–get with it :D.

                        By the way, here’s her web site and a few examples of her incredible work with charcoal:

                        http://www.artcrawl.com/cgi-bin/artcrawl/ac.es2?artist.code=4165

                        Shirl

                        Shirl
                        God created man....then He had a better idea.

                        #1012440
                        Petdevils
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                            argggh…. i checked a few libraries online and can get about 15 issues but not the dec 2002 one :( Is it possible someone could scan just the article on her as we can’t get it down here???

                            I guess it just takes the graphite blending with q-tip that one step further with charcoal with more precision. I assume its a dry brush, hardly worth asking but anwyay lol. Did you try using a kneaded eraser to correct mistakes? Don’t look as if there are any mistakes to me they your images are great.

                            Hope someone can help us aussies out??? thanks bye.

                            #1012442
                            Newwings
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                                Beautiful work! I’m always up for dramatic contrast, and the first pic literally took my breath away for a moment- But they’re all outstanding!

                                I use powdered charcoal in my work as well, applied with cotton balls and Q-Tips- the pointy ones my gf uses to apply makeup are great too- to add mist, skies and other background effects to my ink and graphite landscapes. I use soft or medium charchoal pencil rubbings on scrap paper or sandpaper, load the charcoal onto the applicator of the moment and, as Bob Ross said,
                                start having some fun :) I work small and tight, so I usually develop the charcoal passages with kneaded eraser, graphite pencil, more Q-Tip work, repeating the process as needed to bring them to the kind of finish I’m looking for.

                                Thanks for sharing the drawings- Again, great work!

                                Mark
                                http://www.newwings.50megs.com

                                #1012430

                                Thanks Petwings and Mark!

                                You know, Petwings, if I scanned the mag instructions in I bet I’d be breaking some sort of copyright law, so I’d better not. Yes, I use a dry brush, Blu-Tack for lightening and erasing (not easy to erase). I tried taking off some of the belly of the middle horse and I had to use an electric erasure. Does damage the paper somewhat and charcoal will not go over it well, over the Blu-Tack erasure either.

                                Wonderful work you do Mark! Such dreamy compositions. You did give me an idea for the larger areas requiring light value, by using a cottonball. The brush does not do large areas very well because as soon as the brush touches the paper it leaves a darker area and very difficult to be consistent. I had to use my fingers on the larger areas of the head study–not a good method :rolleyes:

                                Shirl

                                Shirl
                                God created man....then He had a better idea.

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