How to Draw With Charcoal

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Set up your workspace.

   Charcoal can draw on almost any type of paper meant for drawing.
   
   Remember, though, that coal is also very messy.
   
   It comes off your skin very easily, but to avoid your table becoming all black, put some newspapers or other papers under your workspace.
2. 2

   Step 2: Take a charcoal crayon and fill an entire paper up with black.

   You don't need to draw anything yet.
   
   Just turn the white paper black.
   
   Don't leave any blank, white spots. , Try a portrait, even if you are a beginner.
   
   Put it in front of you and turn it upside down.
   
   If you do that, you do not have exact imagination of what you are drawing and your image will be unique.
   
   Aim for some basic highlights of the human face; you do not need to copy the image exactly. , That's right, you will be drawing with an eraser. , Do not place them all the way on top of the image, since that's where you will draw hair.
   
   Also, consider eyeballs and the shines:
   Once you have the basic eye outline, take eraser and slightly make a rounded line inside of the eyeball.
   
   Now, your eyes really look realistic. , Now, take your eraser and erase those areas out.
   
   Apply less and less pressure as you go out of the lighted area.
   
   Now, take your finger and rub those areas.
   
   That blends the gradient and makes it more realistic. , You might want to take the charcoal again and make some outlines.
   
   Also, you can take eraser and erase other, additional areas out. , Take eraser and make lines along the black area that is supposed to be hair.
   
   Now, take the coal and make the lines thinner.
   
   Be sure to follow patterns shown on the photo. , Take eraser and erase everything besides the portrait.
   
   Then take the charcoal and fill in the outline that used to be white.
   
   Make the outline thin. , But realize that that was just a start up exercise.
   
   Your image is probably not the best and looks nothing like the photo (but it looks like human!).
   
   If you want to, you can start all over again to get more practice.
   
   Once you think you've mastered making gray gradients, you can move on. , Take some fruit, vase (maybe with flowers) and place them on a chair or table.
   
   Pay close attention to lighting and shading and use same techniques as you used in portrait to bring the image to your paper. , Look out your window and draw what you see:
   Trees, streets, houses.
   
   Again, notice all the shading and lighting.
   
   Try to learn new techniques. , You may also try hairspray, but in some cases this may ruin the piece.
3. 3

   Step 3: Find a good black-and-white photo.

4. 4

   Step 4: Take a piece of eraser and erase out the outline of the head.

5. 5

   Step 5: Start with the eyes

6. 6

   Step 6: since they are the whitest spots on your face.

7. 7

   Step 7: Look at the photo and start finding the areas that are lightest.

8. 8

   Step 8: Start working on the details.

9. 9

   Step 9: Try to shape the hair.

10. 10

    Step 10: Erase the black background.

11. 11

    Step 11: Turn the portrait over and admire.

12. 12

    Step 12: Draw a still life.

13. 13

    Step 13: Move on to even harder stuff.

14. 14

    Step 14: When finished with a drawing

15. 15

    Step 15: spray it with a fixative to prevent smudging.

Detailed Guide

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