plate no. 7880

Portrait of Santiago Rusiñol

charcoalImpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanpipebeardhair

some experience helpful

Recreating this drawing will help students develop skills in tonal shading with charcoal and capturing likeness through gesture and proportion. Students will also learn to create depth and texture using varied pressure and stroke direction.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the overall composition and proportions of the figure.
step 02
Establish the background tone with light, even charcoal strokes.
step 03
Block in the darkest areas of the hair, beard, and clothing.
step 04
Gradually build up mid-tones using varied pressure and blending.
step 05
Define the facial features, paying attention to light and shadow.
step 06
Add details to the pipe and other elements.
step 07
Refine the edges and contours of the figure.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth.

color palette

primary · charcoal black · raw umber (paper tone)

secondary · white chalk (optional)

This drawing primarily uses charcoal to create a range of values. Varying pressure and layering will achieve different tones. White chalk can be used sparingly for highlights.

techniques

·Charcoal blending
·Hatching and cross-hatching
·Tonal shading
·Gesture drawing
·Value mapping

common pitfalls

→Overworking the drawing and losing the initial energy.
→Creating overly harsh lines instead of soft transitions.
→Not paying attention to proportions and likeness.
→Using too much charcoal and making the drawing muddy.

materials

surface · toned drawing paper

required

·Charcoal pencils (soft, medium, hard)
·Kneaded eraser
·Blending stump or tortillon
·Drawing paper (toned tan or gray)
·Fixative spray
·Pencil sharpener

optional

·White chalk
·Chamois cloth

Choose a drawing paper with a slightly textured surface to better grip the charcoal. A toned paper will help establish the mid-tones and make it easier to create highlights and shadows.

tips & new artworks in your inbox

no spam — unsubscribe anytime.

or to save artworks, chat, and track progress

chat about this artwork

in this vein