Drawing has traditionally been a part of the artistic process. From art students to professionals, the unique characteristics of charcoal have been appreciated for centuries. Many an artist used this medium for producing preparatory drawings. Contemporary charcoal artists, however, are using this medium in different ways and elevating this art form to new heights.
The drawings cover many different genres. There are those that are very realistic such as portraits created by referring to photographic source materials. There are drawings that share the exacting detail of zoological or botanical drawings. Some of these drawings are deceptively realistic but it is the unusual conceptual or visual juxtapositions that create intrigue. Others express the range and beauty of human movement. Then there are those that are mysteriously surreal.
There are some basic tools that are used by most professionals. Charcoal is found in various forms, some of which are more suitable for covering large areas and others for more detailed work. A stick is created by slow burning twigs like willow until carbon is formed. A compressed type is created by binding particles with gum. This type creates darker marks but is not spread or erased as easily as the vine form. The paper is usually carefully selected to properly hold the particles and various erasers are used. Other techniques like blending and spreading require tools like a blending stamp.
Canvas, paints, stretchers and turpentine are not needed. Despite the simplicity of the materials, they are very versatile. Shading, texture and different tones can be produced with experience. After all, this is how artists using any kind of media look at the world and seek to translate it.
Beginners may think that without being able to use color, it is difficult to capture true beauty. However, there is a subtlety to working with black and white that is sometimes only discovered by those with experience. Someone who is skilled can create variations in tone simply by slight variations in pressure applied. Many other methods of developing values are also used such as using a kneading eraser to remove some material or a blending with a blending stamp.
This medium is not permanent and this has advantages and disadvantages. It has a flexibility as it is easily erased, spread and blended. However, a fixative has to be used on completion to make it permanent. Various types of fixatives can be used, some of which are more permanent than others.
These artists keep pushing boundaries and thinking about new ways to express themselves. There is one such artist who is also a dancer and creates large scale drawings, mapping out human body movements. Another creates short animated films by shooting frame by frame showing the evolution of his drawings and creating narrative sequences.
Shopping for such drawings online allows one the opportunity to browse through many different genres to find exactly what you are looking for. It also enables you to source those that fit your budget. This artistic medium has survived for many centuries and will no doubt survive for many years more. It is loved for its versatility and its ability to capture a variety of tones and even emotions simply by using dark and light in intuitive ways.
The drawings cover many different genres. There are those that are very realistic such as portraits created by referring to photographic source materials. There are drawings that share the exacting detail of zoological or botanical drawings. Some of these drawings are deceptively realistic but it is the unusual conceptual or visual juxtapositions that create intrigue. Others express the range and beauty of human movement. Then there are those that are mysteriously surreal.
There are some basic tools that are used by most professionals. Charcoal is found in various forms, some of which are more suitable for covering large areas and others for more detailed work. A stick is created by slow burning twigs like willow until carbon is formed. A compressed type is created by binding particles with gum. This type creates darker marks but is not spread or erased as easily as the vine form. The paper is usually carefully selected to properly hold the particles and various erasers are used. Other techniques like blending and spreading require tools like a blending stamp.
Canvas, paints, stretchers and turpentine are not needed. Despite the simplicity of the materials, they are very versatile. Shading, texture and different tones can be produced with experience. After all, this is how artists using any kind of media look at the world and seek to translate it.
Beginners may think that without being able to use color, it is difficult to capture true beauty. However, there is a subtlety to working with black and white that is sometimes only discovered by those with experience. Someone who is skilled can create variations in tone simply by slight variations in pressure applied. Many other methods of developing values are also used such as using a kneading eraser to remove some material or a blending with a blending stamp.
This medium is not permanent and this has advantages and disadvantages. It has a flexibility as it is easily erased, spread and blended. However, a fixative has to be used on completion to make it permanent. Various types of fixatives can be used, some of which are more permanent than others.
These artists keep pushing boundaries and thinking about new ways to express themselves. There is one such artist who is also a dancer and creates large scale drawings, mapping out human body movements. Another creates short animated films by shooting frame by frame showing the evolution of his drawings and creating narrative sequences.
Shopping for such drawings online allows one the opportunity to browse through many different genres to find exactly what you are looking for. It also enables you to source those that fit your budget. This artistic medium has survived for many centuries and will no doubt survive for many years more. It is loved for its versatility and its ability to capture a variety of tones and even emotions simply by using dark and light in intuitive ways.
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