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jadecillustrationsMzzAzn's Charcoal Tutorial

Published: 2010-12-22 18:31:27 +0000 UTC; Views: 24217; Favourites: 377; Downloads: 243
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Description As I stated above, charcoal used to scare me to death (literally) - and then after working with it a bit, I've found out how awesome it actually is. This is just a little tutorial on how I created one of my assignments for class. I know it's not "OMG, it's so perfect and so freaking realistic" - but it's nice to share tips with everyone. I hope it helps it you're interested in charcoal work.


Charcoal allows you to have a great range of value. You can easily have noticeable highlights, as well as, dark black values with charcoal. I love it because you can get quite realistic with your drawings and create super expressive lines with them. It's easy to blend once you get the hang of it, and it's easy to correct mistakes with. I've only begun working with charcoal around three months ago, so bare with me! These are just things I've learned as I worked with it!

My other charcoal work from the past few months or so:



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Places where you can buy art materials online:
[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]

Just use your handy dandy google search engine to find more places and also to researching rendering and the five value system.


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Artistic Quotes
An artist cannot fail; it is a success to be one. ~Charles Horton Cooley

All art requires courage. ~Anne Tucker

God is really only another artist. He invented the giraffe, the elephant and the cat. He has no real style. He just goes on trying other things. ~Pablo Picasso


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if you find an error and it bugs you, please note me about it. We shall blame any mistakes on my empty stomach and lack of 10hrs+ of sleep


Thanks for the view & support everyone. It means the world!
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Comments: 79

jadecillustrations In reply to ??? [2013-03-14 17:06:56 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!!

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HailstormTheAssassin [2013-02-03 16:57:08 +0000 UTC]

This was very helpful, thanks so much!!

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jadecillustrations In reply to HailstormTheAssassin [2013-03-14 17:07:00 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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HailstormTheAssassin In reply to jadecillustrations [2013-03-15 11:07:14 +0000 UTC]

Np!

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mackieG13 [2012-01-15 04:10:30 +0000 UTC]

I have no chamois, so could I use model rocket tissue? (It's to ignite it)

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jadecillustrations In reply to mackieG13 [2012-01-15 04:11:44 +0000 UTC]

I'm afraid I'm not too familiar with it but perhaps you can try

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mackieG13 In reply to jadecillustrations [2012-01-15 04:28:34 +0000 UTC]

Well, let's have science combine with art!

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moosewingz [2011-03-15 03:21:22 +0000 UTC]

Oh, this is amazing - I've been wanting to find a good way to use charcoal for ages!

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jadecillustrations In reply to moosewingz [2011-03-15 03:47:22 +0000 UTC]

I'm SO glad it serves useful to you!

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moosewingz In reply to jadecillustrations [2011-03-16 18:49:09 +0000 UTC]

Yay! Thank you!

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KrazzyEditz [2011-01-30 06:37:08 +0000 UTC]

OMG why dont you post your work on dA?
and how do you sharpen a charcoal pencil? I heard you need some like sand paper and what not..

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jadecillustrations In reply to KrazzyEditz [2011-01-30 16:36:54 +0000 UTC]

i do lol.
Youtube has some videos on that.

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KrazzyEditz In reply to jadecillustrations [2011-01-31 06:28:15 +0000 UTC]

Weres all your like charcoal stuff. Its not in your gallery?

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jadecillustrations In reply to KrazzyEditz [2011-01-31 13:38:38 +0000 UTC]

It's in the traditional folder.

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KrazzyEditz In reply to jadecillustrations [2011-01-31 23:32:53 +0000 UTC]

I knew that... shheeeshh

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FantasyStock [2011-01-05 04:08:14 +0000 UTC]

Happy 2011!!1!!1!!
Congratulations on your Daily Deviation!! As a result, you've been featured in December 2010 Resources DDs .

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jadecillustrations In reply to FantasyStock [2011-01-05 04:11:25 +0000 UTC]

You make me feel so honored ^O^!!!! Thank you!

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FantasyStock In reply to jadecillustrations [2011-01-18 21:04:42 +0000 UTC]

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TamsosPadaras [2011-01-04 08:56:54 +0000 UTC]

Wow... this is really amazing O.O

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jadecillustrations In reply to TamsosPadaras [2011-01-04 16:40:36 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much!

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straw-hat [2011-01-04 05:57:41 +0000 UTC]

Are you by chance a student at the Academy of Art University? I can recognize these sort of assignments from analysis of form and beginning figure drawing...

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jadecillustrations In reply to straw-hat [2011-01-04 16:40:30 +0000 UTC]

Yes, I was at least. I am on a break now.

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straw-hat In reply to jadecillustrations [2011-01-09 02:55:08 +0000 UTC]

Cool! Me too. (Well, you probably guessed that.)

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SoulCathedral [2011-01-01 16:06:05 +0000 UTC]

very helpful!!!!THANK YOU!!

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jadecillustrations In reply to SoulCathedral [2011-01-01 16:50:22 +0000 UTC]

You are very welcome!

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ArtisticAtrocity [2011-01-01 16:05:35 +0000 UTC]

Great tutorial, thank you!

I think I'm going to take out my charcoals... it's been years since I last touched them, I was never brave enough to try again ahahha

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jadecillustrations In reply to ArtisticAtrocity [2011-01-01 16:50:46 +0000 UTC]

Do it, yes! It's funny, after this tutorial, I stopped using charcoal .. lol shame on me.

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yellowcrayolacrayon [2011-01-01 07:14:19 +0000 UTC]

Ooooh, I can tell this is going to be useful... And thanks as well for the words of encouragement! Nothin' like a little extra kick to get the motivation juices flowing~

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jadecillustrations In reply to yellowcrayolacrayon [2011-01-01 07:21:07 +0000 UTC]

Exactly! You're welcome! Good luck with your future works~

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yellowcrayolacrayon In reply to jadecillustrations [2011-01-01 07:23:51 +0000 UTC]

Haha! Thanks~

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ame-demo-nai [2011-01-01 02:11:11 +0000 UTC]

wow this is amazing!

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jadecillustrations In reply to ame-demo-nai [2011-01-01 02:29:22 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! !!

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ame-demo-nai In reply to jadecillustrations [2011-01-01 22:17:28 +0000 UTC]

you're welcome!

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AndrewWeller [2010-12-31 22:58:40 +0000 UTC]

wow thanks you are the best

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jadecillustrations In reply to AndrewWeller [2010-12-31 23:55:58 +0000 UTC]

I try lol

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Meeka-Lakota [2010-12-31 22:04:23 +0000 UTC]

Thank-you for the tutorial!!!!!!

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jadecillustrations In reply to Meeka-Lakota [2010-12-31 23:55:48 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome! I hope it's useful for you!

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IndigosArtBox [2010-12-31 21:21:10 +0000 UTC]

Great tutorial! I love charcoal, I work more subtractively than additively though ^-^
Even though it gets charcoal everywhere o___o
If you really like charcoal there is an eraser you should look into getting. It's the tuff stuff tube eraser, its very fine and helps pull out little details and fine lines. Great for charcoal users.
Also, using a mirror to reflect your drawing back to you is a good way to help see where things need to go too, since it helps to look at it in a new way.

Random tidbits haha. I adore charcoal...and pastel...and paint. All the messy stuff haha. Excellent tutorial! Thank you for posting ^-^

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jadecillustrations In reply to IndigosArtBox [2010-12-31 23:55:33 +0000 UTC]

Oh cool! I'll have to look into that eraser for school once I start it next year again.
Yeah, my teacher told me the mirror thing. I just upload it to my computer and mirror it. It's faster and I can always compare the original image, mirrored image, and reference together that way

Ah, i'm a geek rofl

Thanks for taking the time to comment

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ThaliaDemuse [2010-12-31 19:15:30 +0000 UTC]

This is very useful, thanks!

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jadecillustrations In reply to ThaliaDemuse [2010-12-31 19:29:01 +0000 UTC]

You are so welcome! It's great to hear you find it useful!

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WoodleyDo [2010-12-31 17:36:27 +0000 UTC]

i love the extra tips at the end I'm going to try and remember to pass those onto someone I know who's just started working with charcoals again after a long break.

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jadecillustrations In reply to WoodleyDo [2010-12-31 18:05:22 +0000 UTC]

Awesome! I hope it serves helpful! ! Thanks for viewing!

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The-fishy-one [2010-12-31 15:58:59 +0000 UTC]

Great tutorial! Thanks for sharing!

Still, I don't understand what's the cardboard for.

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jadecillustrations In reply to The-fishy-one [2010-12-31 16:58:15 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome! It's a board, not cardboard . You put it behind your paper on the easel so your paper is not flimsy

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The-fishy-one In reply to jadecillustrations [2010-12-31 17:03:38 +0000 UTC]

Oooh! Looks like cardboard, lol.

Anyway, yeah, I always use a board since I don't have an easel.

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jadecillustrations In reply to The-fishy-one [2010-12-31 17:05:14 +0000 UTC]

Really? o.o I love my easel, it would be so messy for me without one

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The-fishy-one In reply to jadecillustrations [2010-12-31 18:03:40 +0000 UTC]

Heh, I'll buy one though, in the near future. My thighs hurt from that board, since it's large, and its 1-1.5 centimeters thick.

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jadecillustrations In reply to The-fishy-one [2010-12-31 18:10:17 +0000 UTC]

yeah! Save up. And if you live by Hobby Lobby, print off a 40% of coupon then buy it! It's super cheap that way!

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NeroBlade [2010-12-31 14:22:38 +0000 UTC]

great tips

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