Here’s a portrait I recently completed of a beautiful Black woman strong, graceful, and full of quiet presence. She’s wearing a simple orange shirt, and her dark brown hair flows gently around her face, soft but confident. There’s something about the way she holds herself that feels calm, yet powerful like she doesn’t need to say much for you to feel her energy.
I created this piece using charcoal pencil and crayon. The charcoal helped me bring out the depth in her features the softness of her expression, the shadows that give life to her eyes. The crayon added warmth, especially in the orange shirt, which brings such a nice contrast to her skin tone.
I didn’t want the lines to be perfect I wanted them to feel real. I wanted you to see her, not just as a subject, but as someone who carries her own story. Her beauty isn’t loud it’s in the stillness, the details, the way she feels familiar, like someone you’ve seen before but can’t forget.
This piece reminds me of how powerful simple tools can be when there’s feeling behind every stroke. Just charcoal and crayon and yet, somehow, she came alive on paper.
progress works
Below are my progress works
