Wednesday, July 30, 2014

The Drawings Of Contemporary Charcoal Artists

By Sharron Cantu


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.

The tools used basically consist of various forms of charcoal, paper, erasers and blending stamps. The charcoal comes in various forms from sticks to powder. Willow twigs are slow burned to form carbon from wood and used in stick form. A powdered form is used for spreading over large areas on a drawing. A compressed form created by binding particles with gum. This type is more difficult to erase and spread but it produces darker marks.

These materials may appear very simple but they are also extremely versatile. With some experience, a wide range of different tones and shades can be produced. Far from being restricted by using only shades of black and white to create drawings, an experienced artist can be stimulated to increased depth and perception by this.

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.

These drawings are not like those created with paints in that they are impermanent. A fixative is needed to give them permanence and this is applied once the drawing is completely. There are many different kinds available today.

There are people using this medium today who continually push the boundaries of what has been attempted before. One such artist is a dancer and she draws on a large scale, capturing body movements on paper. Another artist shoots short films, capturing his drawings frame by frame in a sequence to show their evolution.

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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