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AreteEirene โ
Charcoal Reduction Tutorial
Published: 2007-05-06 22:46:48 +0000 UTC; Views: 34236; Favourites: 480; Downloads: 731
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Description
GASP! Thank you `znow-white for the DD!
All my charcoal works can be found here: [link]
I've had a bunch of people ask me to make a tutorial on how I go about my charcoal works. So here's a write up of how I make them.
If you've still got questions or think something isn't clear enough, just let me know. I consider this a 1.0 version and I'm sure I'll hack into the file to edit it at some point. And please check for typos. I checked a bunch of times, but I'm sure I missed something here or there.
If you're interested, you can see the finished artwork here: [link]
All charcoal works in my gallery were made using this technique. I have anime fanarts, cartoon fanarts, game fanarts, animals, realistic portraits, and still lifes. I have pieces that use only charcoal and pieces that incorporate a lot of pastels as well.
The fullsized 1000 pixel wide version is on download. So click download if you want that version.
Some examples:
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Comments: 195
As regards your questions...
I don't know about acrylics. I assume you mean paints? You can't really erase acrylic paint. 
If you have a few dollars charcoal is one of the cheapest art supplies out there. You can get a package of condensed charcoal from just about any art store for less than $3, and they'll last for quite a few projects. The essentials (condensed charcoal, kneaded rubber eraser, fixative), can be had for about $10.
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not a problem :3
> w < eep, I did mean color pastels, not sure where acrylics came from x. x ; sorry about that. but its good to know that it will work with them and the acrylic pastels :3
hai, I do have some charcoal~
though I will probably need to get more~
thank you so much~
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You're welcome
If you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask.
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Tina, the best ...use gloves before doing the charcoal
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Goodness no... that defeats the whole purpose of getting my hands dirty. And I can't stand rubber gloves. 
Actually, I often get charcoal up and down my forearms as well, so I'd need surgical gloves or sumfin'. Little ones wouldn't be of much help.
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ZOMG teh sketchbook rihgt next to me is the one in the tutorial.... so creeeeppppy.
well I'm going to take it but I wont like re post it up (like art theft) I just...need tutorial heeeeeeeeeelp
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I will let you know I WILL
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thats very cool. great tut. I'll fav this.
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Thank you! So glad you like it
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Interesting! I always wondered how you did your charcoal reduction works. :3 I knew you blackened the paper and erased, but there's a lot more to it than that! I might try this some time when I get the supplies.
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I hope you do
You can just erase, or primarily erase, without layering on more charcoal or colors. It comes out like this: [link] Just depends on the look you want to achieve.
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yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes!!!!!!!!! ^^ hehehe. great tutorial! very detailed and comprehensible, unlike some tutorials ive seen out there which can leave out small details. 
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aha.. ok i will. is it expensive?
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It isn't here. A new package of condensed charcoal is usually around $2.50, a kneaded eraser around .79ยข, a package of white charcoal around $2.00, and the fixative around $5.00. Together they'll last for quite a few projects.
Pastels, though, can be expensive. I think the box of 96 my mom bought me was $64.
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whoa.. well i reckon charcoals themselves should be enough if i ever want to get em.
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You have to have the fixative. If you don't fix charcoal, not only will it get everywhere, it will keep smudging until you eventually loose most of it off the page.
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WOAH! I had no clue that that was how pple charcoaled! I have never really tried charcoal w/ a black background! Very nice!
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Well, I don't know if other people use charcoal this way, but it's how I do, anyway. Most people actually use charcoal in the positive, but I end up smearing it everywhere anyway, so I like starting in the negative.
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Well love it!
If charcoal wasn't so messy, and I wasn't so lazy...I would try it sometime!
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But that's why I love it - because it's messy! That's why I'm not so keep on digital work. Can't get my hands dirty doing it.
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Awesome tutorial! 
I just remember after every class, everyone would crowd around the one sink in the classroom to wash their hands
But awesome job! I actually have black charcoal paper and white charcoal sticks...plus a set of 12 Nupastels. Maybe I should try a charcoal picture again someday. Once I buy I camera...cause that won't go anywhere NEAR my scanner
I really need to finish that tutorial on how to draw canines
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Thanks! I did get started by doing these in the art class I took last year. Luckily, we had a double sink to crowd around to wash our hands!
I don't recommend scanning a charcoal piece, no. 
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very cool! it's a new one for me. almost like scratchboard but messier and easier to make repairs if something is too light
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Thanks! I've never used a scratchboard, so I can't say there. But here if you mess up you just blacken it in again and start over (which I have done on numerous occasions). And it definitely is messy. But I like messy.
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heh, sounds like me and painting. can't go wrong with messy
scratchboard is tricky cause it is black ink over a waxy paper. you "scratch" away the ink with an xacto knife to reveal the white underneath. if you take too much or texture everything it is completely messed up. even if you try to replace the black with ink or marker you can still see it ><
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I probably wouldn't like scratchboard then. I'd get all stressed out about messing up.
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ah yeah. plus you have to make sure you don't cut yourself with the knife. i do that a lot ><
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Ouch! Nope, just get covered in black gook and have to pick it out from under fingernails for a week
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heh fun. working with oil paints is really bad. the terpentine stinks like crazy and gives you a headache
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nice
very detailed tutorial
if i ever use charcoal to make pics, i'll come back here
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