Charcoal Drawing

Charcoal has been used ever since the time of cavemen, and is still used today. It dates back to Prehistoric times when people used it to draw on the walls of a cave or hard surface. Back then (Prehistoric times), they did not have as many options to portray a drawing. However, one of those options was charcoal. Charcoal is probably one of the easiest tools/utensils to make and use.

According to the Encyclopedia of Britannica, charcoal is defined as "an impure form of graphitic carbon, obtained as a residue when carbonaceous material is partially burned, or heated with limited access of air" ("Charcoal" 1). There are many forms of charcoal that exist. They are all determined by the names of material from which they are burned ("Charcoal" 1). Charcoal can be made from wood, bones, and virtually anything else that can be burned.

Charcoal has a very rich and dark color to it. However, when used properly, it can be lightened tremendously. Many artists will smudge the charcoal in order to give their work different shades and textures. The shades range from dark blacks to soft grays (Preble 121).

An advantage to using charcoal would be that it can be erased very easily. Many artists like this feature because it allows them to trace the outlines of their work. Others like it because "it can be used to mark out preliminary ideas quickly" ("Charcoal" 1). However, the disadvantage to this feature is that the artist's finished work can be ruined by smearing it (Preble 121). According to Preble, in order to fix this problem, some artists will use what is called a fixative (121). A fixative is a thin varnish that helps to prevent the charcoal from smearing by binding it to the paper. Artists can also use charcoal that has been dipped in linseed oil. This will provide better stickiness to the paper and produce a deeper black color ("Charcoal" 1). However the disadvantage to this is that mistakes can not be made.

Charcoal can be used for many drawing techniques. According to www.drawsketch.com, charcoal can be used for "contour drawing, gesture drawing, and volume drawing" ("Charcoal Drawing" 1). Charcoal can be used to draw the outlines of the object, give the object motion, and give the object depth and a sense of reflection ("Charcoal Drawing" 1).

Charcoal is often used for portrait drawings. These works are very detailed and realistic. It shows the human flesh and body