DRAWING WITH CHARCOAL
my methods

some example in detail, explained

Since returning to Vienna, Austria in 2011, I began to work intensively again with my art, in particular with drawings. Some of the drawings were done in charcoal, a medium I used only sparingly before, except for sketching a lay-out on canvas for a painting, or in art class figure drawing studies. But these could not be considered refined finished pieces, but rather quick sketches in preparation for paintings, or quick studies such as 30 second gestural movements, for example.
What I like to show you here are charcoal drawings worked out in great detail, and the various methods I use.

^{for all images: right click and select 'open in new tab' to view larger size}
The above is a detail from my large drawing KRIX-KRAX SPIRIT GUIDE

here is another detail:

In this case, I used various charcoal sticks on gesso panel. Some sticks are flat and broad, others round, which are in a holder and sharpened for finer details. I also save the shavings from sharpening the sticks, which can be used to rub onto the support. For scumbling I use the usual stumps - and once they are really saturated, you can also sort of draw with them for softer tones, and stiff brushes, like a large stencil brush, for blending. I use a variety of erasers to work from dark to light. What works great with pencil also does, to some extend (but not as good), with charcoal: I use kneaded erasers to pick up textures (wherever I can find them - I have a cornucopia full if items I can use for that) and then dip them into the dark area of the drawing to lift away. Electric erasers are used extensively, as are various hard pencil erasers (typewriter or ink erasers). Some of those pencil erasers are hard to find, good ones, that is, and I was lucky that my friend Andrew Gonzalez, who also uses them in his airbrush paintings, gave me a few that he had found on Amazon.
A great way is also to sort of "paint" with charcoal: I use a spray of water to wet down an area covered with charcoal (see above, using the shavings) and then you can manipulate it with a brush, or with your fingers (rubber gloves). In a way this is somewhat similar to David Heskin's Mana Prima Method. You can also use a small balloon, foil wrap, crumpled newspaper, to achieve some textural effects. This dries rather fast. You can spray it again and again for further manipulation. Once dry, it is fairly stable and then you can work it again with erasers etc. I also use fine grain sandpaper to push back (lighten) certain areas. It is all up to experimenting and see what works.

this is what I mean:

and a detail thereof

Untitled Charcoal 1 - I had not published it on any of my websites yet.

Another piece I like to introduce to you is this:

NUBIAN CORE

here are some details from the unfinished work:

_{Nubian Kore, detail, in progress}

_{Nubian Kore, detail, in progress}

Particularly the KRIX KRAX SPIRIT GUIDE I actually meant to be the under drawing for a painting, but I got so carried away with working on the details, I though I rather leave it that way.

You see, there are successes and failures. And here below is a piece I worked on (and still am working on in stage 2 of the process) that only exists now as a photo copy of the finished drawing, since wanting to paint it over, when putting on the imprimatura, I had not adequately fixed it, so I sort of wiped out most of the detail I worked hard to achieve. I should have, after fixative a couple of times at least, also gently sprayed it with a acrylic glazing medium clear-coat. I know better now next time!
So here it is