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NMEZero โ in a mood
Published: 2007-12-16 20:27:09 +0000 UTC; Views: 2319; Favourites: 41; Downloads: 30
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So this is pretty much my favorite portrait I've ever done. It's a couple years old also. Charcoal on paper, 18x24.I did all the photography and lighting on this one, which is rare. Usually I'm working from people photography they supply me.
Oh, I won the Teachers Choice Award at the SLCC Student Art Show for this one.
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Comments: 45
Her expression is haunting. I'm glad you captured it.
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What a beautiful and mysterious expression! Very well executed.
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Thank you very much.
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wonderful work---this is a major charcoal piece I would expect it to win many awards.
am still on a search for the best charcoal paper to draw a piece like this. So far my favorite is still "newsprint" any suggestion that you like?
daryl
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Wow, thanks. The only kind of contest I've entered this in was my college art show. It won the faculty choice award, which is like 2nd place.
I also like a very smooth paper to do my charcoals on. I typically use bristol board because of it's loger staying power over newwsprint. And it's more impressive to the client.
I recently purchased a pad of strathmore charcoal white paper. It's almost got a canvas like texture. I was a little bummed, as i didn't know it would be textured, but so far it seems to be working out ok.
Anyways, in a mood was just done on regular drawing paper, 18 x 24.
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ok thanks for the response---- facuty huh? hmmm? what do you teach?
am taking my first art classes now.... I took Fig Dwg 1 last semester and Fig Dwg 2 this semester.. all my other college courses have been either engineering or MBA courses. So you might say I've been introducing myself to the "right side".
to clarify about paper---Bristol Board means so many things in different countries. To me Bristol Board is Strathmore Series 300 Smooth is that what you mean?
"in a mood" on regular drawing paper?--- there's a strathmore 300 and 400 series drawing paper and maybe others--I don't know the difference. I have both so I'll do some experimenting.
The reason I'm asking sooo many questions is that it took me a long time to figure this out but charcoal seems to be more about the paper than then the charcoal. The compressed and vine/willow are all quite different but brand to brand the coals are relatively similar. However I've found quite a bit of difference in the papers and the responses from a mark can be dramatically different from several different papers.
I've been drawing lately on Arches 140 Hot Press for graphite. Sometimes I've found if you use the back side there may be less of the canvass texture that you were complaining about. I too have been through all the Canson papers and found the texture to be too strong for what I'm doing. the backside is better but still has a strong texture.
I have a charcoal friend that uses Strathmore "writing" or "stationary" paper that she buys on the internet but I haven't located that yet. and I have some watercolor friends that use a printing paper maybe strathmore also. When I talk to them again I will find out more and let you know...If you are aware of either of these please ping back.
Good luck in your work and your drawing
Daryl
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Heh, I'm not faculty, no. "Faculty Choice" Just means it was the faculties favorite piece, but the faculty were not the only judges for the show, and the between the other judges, they liked another piece better. Which sucks because my prize was a $50 gift certificate to the student book store, and the grand prize was a semester worth of tuition...
Well. welcome to the "right side". It's only really that, if you're referring to the brain, otherwise I may say it's more apt to call it the "dark side"
Yes, strathmore 300 series smooth is a bristol board, and I think that's the kind I usually use. When I say "in a mood" was on regular drawing paper, it was done in a pad of strathmore 400 series, 80 lb. drawing paper.
I don't mind the questions, in fact the dialogue is nice. I don't really know anyone who works in charcoal so it's nice to get someone elses take as well.
I think different papers really just change textures and the way the charcoal adheres to the paper, maybe it's a different workflow due to those factors as well, and though I have my preferences, I don't draw any worse on different papers, it's just a different look and feel, and I maybe have different things to struggle with.
Personally, I use only compressed charcoals and charcoal pencils, and not the square ones, I like round. I hate the feel of vine/willow, and I'm so heavy handed I break them too easily, and they never seems to put enough medium on my paper. I do find quite a difference in brand though, and a meduim soft in one brand, will go on totally different, and have to be blended differently, than a medium soft in another, at least that's what I've experienced, but it doesn't take long to get used to these differences. The brand I had been using, I could only find locally at the school book store, and last time I bought charcoals I was too lazy to drive all the way out there, so I'm trying some new stuff and the combination of the different paper is just making me have to approach it a little differently.
I've never tried the Arches 140 Hot Press, is it a think illustration board? I don't think I'd like that too much for some reason. Nor have I tried the Canson, strathmore writing, or printing paper for charcoals.
I like to draw with normal graphite pencils on printer paper though, I don't care if it's the cheapest recycled paper I can find, that's what i do pencils on. but charcoal? Meh, I don't know about that.
And I'm scared of watercolor, too unforgiving. Maybe one of these days I'll take a class, learn a good process, and get over my fear...
Good Luck to you too Daryl
Peace,
Miles
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ok---thanks for getting back. we're on the same page as to paper lingo!
I agree to a degree on the textures and I draw similarly on different papers as far as drawing goes. However, I find value control and shading to be the big difference. On papers that "bite" too much my values get very dark and I lose control of the "key" I'm still playing with the shading and trying to find a paper that blends well. The canson Mi-Teines when blended with finger or stump really develops a flat look and it becomes clear that one shouldn't blend--ever on this paper. But others do it and the blended charcoal looks fresh and wonderful. In the latest american artist mag the drawing supliment there is an article on James Adkns--a wonderful charcoal artist who blends ---he usesArches Rives BFK --Ithink I'll try some.... He says that there is little difference between brands on vine and willow. but prefers Grumbcher or Hardtmuth for compressed. check out the articles. He gives a lot of detail on his drawing style and how he burnishes etc. You'vegot to get that one for your library.
Arches Hot Press is a smooth watercolor paper. Has a really rich look but works well for graphite but not as well for charcoal.
Got to go now-- my computer is skipping about every fourth letter I type. Both compters do it and only on deviantart....hmmmm are you or anyone else havng this problem?
more later when I can type
Daryl
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Thank you very much. Your pastel work is amazing!!
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my pleasure and thanks so much to you ยกยก greetins ยกยก
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I love her expresion so much! wonderfull piece!
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Very good- very smooth - excellent lighting.
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Wonderfully subtle and elegant. I love the form and tones. Gorgeous monochrome. The face is exquisitely rendered.
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Man, that's like a glowing review. Nice word usage! And thanks much!!
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Nice work with charcoal.
Do you work with pencils?
You study art?
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Thanks. I work with charcoal sticks(a certain kind that I can't remember the name of right now. I like the way they scratch the paper) a charcoal pencil, kneaded erasers, a stick eraser, chamois, and those foamy paint brush thingies...long answer.
I've studied much art, but not when I'm doing these, no.
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And thanks 2 you too Mitch. Get back to work!!
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Damn, very well done! Charecol is really hard. You did great!
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Thanks!!
I guess everyone has their mediums that work very well for them, charcoal is mine...
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All Your portraits are beautiful, You can make magic with pencil!
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Awww thanks, THAT makes me feel good. I always wanted to have magic
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