I had to pop to my local art/ craft shop, as I needed a charcoal neocolor pastel for a painting I have been requested to paint for a friend. While there I just got a little side tracked, as you do, and noticed near the neocolors a box with sticks of charcoal for .25 p each, so I decided to buy a few sticks, in varying thickness, small medium and larger. I have never used charcoal before, and despite many tutorials that are probably available on YouTube, My technique involved going straight for it. The first hare I got a little lost in what I feel a charcoal picture should look like, and ended up adding coloured features using derwent charcoal pencils ( which I already had) this meant the picture looked rather like my usual work, albeit a little softer in look. The second attempt was much more of the look I was trying to achieve, this time I snapped one of the sticks into approx a two centimetre piece. I did want more line work to show, but I think I may have got a little heavy with the stick, due to this I did add in some chalk highlights. I need more practice.I am surprised I have never tried it before, probably because I have always felt that it is a medium that you cannot get fine detail with, which I am now trying to educate myself too…..less detail! and I love the intense black. Hopefully more to come.

Derwent charcoal pencils

Charcoal sticks and white chalk hare