LESSON 1: CHARCOAL
Grade 7/8/9
Unit 1: Drawing
2015
CURRICULAR OBJECTIVES
Art 7:
- Describing the internal and external boundaries of forms is one of the
purposes of drawing.
- Describing the planes and volumes of forms is one of the purposes of
drawing.
- Value in drawing is affected by the qualities of surfaces and the qualities of
light
- The skill of describing materials and techniques used in creating an image
is part of learning to talk about art
CURRICULAR OBJECTIVES
Art 8:
- Geometric and organic shapes can be used to create positive and negative
space.
- The size of depicted figures or objects locates those objects in relationship
to the ground or picture frame
- Value or colour can emphasize negative space over positive space.
- Identifying and describing materials and techniques used in creating an
image is part of learning to talk about art
CURRICULAR OBJECTIVES
Art 9:
- Careful observation of form and surface qualities is necessary for the
realistic recording of natural objects.
- The illusion of depth is created party by the kinds of lines and marks used
in creating an image.
- A considerations of balance and contrast may be applies to drawings that
depict forms in nature
- The skill of describing materials and techniques used in creating an image
is part of learning to talk about art
LESSON TIMELINE
Charcoal lesson: 40 minutes
Value Scale: 40 Minutes
General to specific drawing: 7 classes.
Drawing With Charcoal:
Tips And Drawing Techniques
INTRO
Charcoal is the classical medium in
the art of drawing. Amateur artists
seem to prefer pencil or pen drawing
which is quicker and easier to learn
than drawing with charcoal. However
charcoal is probably the most simple
and cheap and durable black and
white medium with the most
fascinating potential in expression
and variation.
WHAT IS CHARCOAL AND WHAT ARE
THE SPECIFIC PROPERTIES AND
ADVANTAGES AS DRAWING MEDIUM ?
Charcoal is organic carbon and
therefore something different than
graphite material. Charcoal is
produced from heated wood under
the exclusion of oxygen. What
remains in the process is more or less
pure carbon.
You can get charcoal as pressed stalk
charcoal pieces or so called artists
charcoal. The charcoal pieces can be
obtained in different sizes, lengths and
diameters and in different hardness.
The charcoal pieces tend to break easily
therefore it is convenient to break the
charcoal into smaller pieces already
before starting the drawing and to use
shorter pieces.
The carbon powder is also offered in
compressed form in other drawing tools
like pressed pieces or in form of carbon
pencils which can be handled similar to
graphite pencils.
THE OUTSTANDING PROPERTIES OF
CHARCOAL ARE:
1. you can create shades of black in endless
variations and gradations
2. the charcoal powder will change its appearance
depending on the paper you use. On papers with
some "tooth" i.e. open and irregular surface one can
create wonderful, subtle structures and values in
light and dark
3. it is possible to draw very quickly with charcoal
too, so it is a very good medium for quick sketches
4. charcoal allows to work in small and very big
formats
5. charcoal is very durable, there is almost no aging
or fading effect on the black of charcoal works.
CHARCOAL AND KNEADED ERASERS
THE BASIC DRAWING TOOLS
Natural charcoal sticks are my
favorite charcoal medium in
combination with soft kneaded
erasers and a soft cotton towl (or a
chamois) to wipe out wrong lines if
necessary.
Charcoal pencils tend to break when
you want to sharpen them. In order
to sharpen a charcoal pencil you
need to use an exacto knife.
POWDERED CHARCOAL
Powdered charcoal is used to:
•create tonal values
•usually over larger surfaces
•easily erases and can be
•darkened by adding layers.
COMPRESSED CHARCOAL
•Powdered with gum binder
•round or square sticks
•charcoal pencils.
VINE CHARCOAL
* Vine charcoal is willow or linden/Tilia twigs burnt into:
soft
medium
hard consistencies
PURE CHARCOAL
•Very soft
•Very dark tones
•Very messy!
ACCESSORIES
Kneaded eraser
Blending stump
Sandpaper block
Sandpaper block
Tortillons
Kneaded Erasers
EARLY RENAISSANCE
15th Century (1400-1500 A.D.)
Raphael, 1507
HIGH RENAISSANCE
16th Century
(1500-1600 A.D.)
Michelangelo, 1528
BAROQUE
17th to 18th Centuries
(1600 – 1700’s A.D.)
Peter Paul Rubens,
1610
MODERNS
Romanticists and Impressionists
Goya, 1795
ROMANTIC
18TH AND 19TH CENTURIES
Delacroix, 1821
IMPRESSIONIST
19TH CENTURY
Gaugin, circa 1890
REDUCTIVE CHARCOAL TIME
LAPSE
BEFORE WE GET STARTED
CREATE YOUR OWN VALUE SCALE
GETTING STARTED
Clear drawing surface
Layout paper
horizontal for landscape viewpoint
or vertical for portrait viewpoint
Have drawing supplies ready
Charcoal, kneaded eraser, tortillons (blend stick)
Paper towels may be used for blending large areas