Charcoal
I love using charcoal as it enables me to express both subtlety and dramatic contrast. There's also something poetic about depicting living wood with its carbonised self.
I begin by covering the paper quickly with charcoal powder to create an interesting surface which I can develop. Using charcoal attached to a long beech stick I begin to build up the image with line, then using chamois, eraser and my hands I remove the dust to allow highlights to emerge. Light and dark areas are gradually refined to emphasise the sculptural qualities of the subject.
I begin by covering the paper quickly with charcoal powder to create an interesting surface which I can develop. Using charcoal attached to a long beech stick I begin to build up the image with line, then using chamois, eraser and my hands I remove the dust to allow highlights to emerge. Light and dark areas are gradually refined to emphasise the sculptural qualities of the subject.