Free Art Lessons #6: How to do Charcoal Portraits?

 I have visited my uncle's wake and I was reunited with my cousins.  As we did some catching up with one another, I shared my blog.  It was great to hear encouragement from families.  Along our journey as artist or learning to become one, we may encounter challenges which may bring your enthusiasm down.  Don't be!  Find friends and family members to share your passion for arts.

When I arrived home, I searched for raw materials that I have edited and worked on it.  So here goes our free lesson on art -- How to make charcoal portraits?

Here are the materials that you will need:

• Granite pencil (HB or even ordinary pencils will do)
• Drawing paper (The thicker one. I uses a sketch pad 160 g/m2
• Charcoal pencils
• Sand paper
• Kneaded eraser
• Dry brush with medium soft bristles
• Paper Stump Spreader

Step 1.  In the following video, you will see that I already made a sketch using granite pencil.  Start drawing first the feature of the face as have been taught on previous topics. 

Step 2.  When you already have a sketch of the face, we will proceed with shadowing using the paper stump spreader and a powdered charcoal pencil.  First, prepare the powdered charcoal.  Get a sand paper and rub on it the lead of the charcoal pencil.  You don't need to transfer the powder on new containers.  What I do is once there's enough powder on the sandpaper, you may start shadowing by dipping your paper stump on the powder lightly.

Step 3.  With light pressure, you may start spreading the charcoal using the paper stump spreader. My tip is that you start with the main features like the eyebrows, eyes, nose, and lips, then work your way out to the shape of the face.  Don't start with the hair yet because it will need a lot of charcoal and you may mess up your drawing as the charcoal sticks to the palm of your hands.

Step 4.  For the lighter parts of the face, use dry brush to spread charcoal coming from what you have placed on the drawing.  I don't dip my brush on the powder charcoal.  I just use it to spread what has been placed on the paper.

Step 5.  For highlights, use your kneaded eraser to lift off some lead from the drawing.  You can shape your kneaded eraser to create finer details.  Do not rub heavily so as not to destroy the paper.

Step 6.  For wider parts and less detailed parts of your portrait, you may use your fingers to spread the charcoal.  Do it lightly and do not rub it heavily on the paper.  Also, make sure that your hands are clean and free of oil or water.

Step 7.  For the final details, for parts that must be well defined, you may use your sharpened charcoal pencil to draw over finer lines i.e. lashes or nose line.

Watch the video above for the demo.  It is in Filipino but there's an English subtitle.  

If you liked this article, please like or share to your friends and families.  Or if it is not of much trouble, please like my youtube channel.  You may also send your comments in the comment section or send me your request for more featured art tutorials or art lessons.  

Have a great day!

It's S-ART-urday!!! (Basic requirements in painting - Brushes)

Hello young artists, art enthusiasts, fellow artists and art aspirants.  I hope you are looking forward to another creative Saturday Art activity.

I have to work on two (2) paintings, one commissioned and the other is already purchased.  I just wanted to improve the latest before delivery to its new home.   I started cleaning my corner studio (because it is just a mini space in our garage) and got inspired by a hashtag I've thought of at the spur of the moment ---  it is #sARTurday.

WELCOME TO MY MICRO-STUDIO! 😝

As many of my friends know, I have a regular work from Monday to Friday and it's only during weekends and holidays that I get to do my painting.  Since the pandemic, I was not able to devout time building on the first initiative that we started when we had our CartWheel exhibit.  Now that the pandemic has been lifted, I see hope to continue this endeavor so that we can share our talents.

So now, every Saturday, we will have art moments.  Maybe I can start sharing lessons learned every Saturday, and how I pursue my art interest.  If you wish to join me, you can subscribe to my blog and you'll receive updates below.  We can also have 30 minutes #sARTurday sessions or art classes via zoom.  I'll prepare my studio, the lessons and the time so that it'll be at the most convenient time.  We invite Filipino children, as the medium of our classes would be in "Filipino" or "Tagalog".  Are you joining?  If yes, please send me a message using the "contact form for inquiries" found at the bottom of this page.

I am continuously learning as an artist.  I watch videos that would help me improve.  For today, let me  share this video by Kevin Hill, which I think would be helpful in starting up as an acrylic painter.  Then later, I will share as well what I did so that you can apply it at a smaller scale.  You've already seen my studio above as I shared with you my space which serves as my studio, my collection of brushes, and acrylic paints.  You don't need a large area to become an artist.  We need our hearts to be bigger that our excuses.  

If you don't have adequate time to complete this video, you may click on the timestamp below to watch where you left at.  

1:17 oils vs acrylics - 3:40 Difference in bristles - 5:20 Easels - 6:30 Palettes - 7:34 Colors explained - 8:55 Spending time learning - 9:35 How to setup - 11:40 plein air painting - 12:00 Cleaning - 14:45 Mediums - 17:28 Varnish - 18:02 Palette knife - 18:19 Underpainting techniques - 19:05 Sketching - 19:50 acrylic over oil paint - 20:30 Canvases - 23:43 Not making mud - 25:20 Complementary colors & warm & cool colors colors - 26:58 Color mixing practice - 28:00 mistakes - 29:10 painting ideas - 30:27 perspective - 31:35 selling paintings - 32:50 the biggest challenge

ACRYLIC BRUSHES

At 3:40 of the video above, we have seen the different bristles. Let me share the brushes I use in doing acrylic painting.

Flat Blender Brush

I uses this flat blender brush for layering and blending soft acrylic paints.  Sometimes, keeping it dry, I uses it for softening top paint and for glossing mists and fogs in landscape painting. 

Flat Brushes

There are two (2) kinds of flat brushes I use.  One is with soft bristle and the one on top is with stiff bristle.  I uses this to create natural textured paint on landscapes or still life.  You can use these in spreading, and tapping paint on canvas.  Sometimes I uses the one above as dry brush for blending acrylic colors.

Pointed Rounded Brush

These brushes are ideal for creating petals, leaves, and even fine edges for trees or houses.  It stores a lot of paint on its bristles, thus ideal for tapping and pulling paint over the canvas.

Fan Brush

I have two (2) different sizes of fan brushes.  When working on large paintings, I uses the larger one.  But most of the time, I uses the smaller one.  Usually, I uses these for creating textured grasses.  It is originally designed to create texture.  However, when it is too wet, it clumps together.  Just ready a rag to wipe out excessive liquid when clumping happens.

Angled Filbert Brush

These brushes are suited to create close-up tree leaves, flowers, tall grasses, tree limbs, etc. Its angled bristles can be used to create many different angles, for almost endless brush stroke possibilities. 

Mop brush (black fibre) and stiff flat brush (green)

The Mop brush has larger bristles with a rounded edge for broad soft paint application as well as for getting thinner glazes over existing drying layers of paint.  By using this, it will not damage the lower layers of paint.  The flat stiff brush is ideal for creating thinner lines when run using the thinner side, or larger flat spread of paint.

Micro fiber filbert brushes

These are the smallest fibre brushes which I use for detailing.  These are perfect for final touches, example detailing close up tree leaves to flowers, seascapes and just about anything else. 

Custom Liner

The custom liner creates fine lines.  I usually use these when creating barks or branches of tree or pulling lines to create benches, walls, or just anything.  It carries a lot of paint and doesn't splatter when used.

Watch this to see how brushes are used.

Did you learn something today?  I hope you did!  Please do share your thoughts and keep our passion burning! 

    Rose Gob