The Secrets to Drawing: Charcoal

Lesson Description

Lesson Fifteen of The Secrets to Drawing Course introduces students to the expressive and versatile medium of charcoal. Charcoal offers a rich, dramatic range of values, allowing artists to create deep shadows, luminous highlights, and bold, dynamic drawings. In this lesson, students learn about the different forms of charcoal, how to handle it effectively, and apply their skills to draw an apple using both black and white charcoal on gray drawing paper. This lesson builds on prior instruction in value, shading, and composition, showing students how charcoal can enhance contrast, texture, and visual impact.

Introduction to Charcoal as a Medium

The lesson begins by explaining the unique qualities of charcoal as a drawing material. Unlike graphite, charcoal produces deep, velvety blacks and can cover large areas quickly while still allowing for fine detail. Its versatility makes it ideal for both gestural, expressive sketches and precise, realistic renderings. Matt Fussell emphasizes that learning to control charcoal takes practice but offers unmatched opportunities for developing bold, compelling drawings.

Students are introduced to the ways charcoal interacts with different types of paper, particularly mid-tone gray paper, which allows both black and white charcoal to stand out and creates a strong sense of light, shadow, and form.

Exploring Different Forms of Charcoal

Next, students explore the various forms of charcoal and how each is best used. Matt demonstrates the following types:

• Compressed charcoal: Dense, dark, and ideal for strong, bold lines and rich shadows.
• Vine or willow charcoal: Soft, easily smudged, and perfect for light sketches, subtle shading, and blending.
• Charcoal pencils: Controlled and precise, suitable for detailed areas within a drawing.
• White charcoal: Used on toned paper to add highlights and contrast, helping to define the form and create depth.

Students learn how to select the right type of charcoal depending on the desired effect, the subject, and the stage of the drawing process. Understanding the properties of each form ensures that they can manipulate the medium effectively and with intention.

Preparing the Drawing Surface

The lesson emphasizes the importance of preparing the drawing surface. Gray toned paper is recommended for this exercise because it provides a neutral mid-tone that allows both black and white charcoal to create a full range of values. Students are guided in lightly sketching the outline of the apple with vine charcoal, establishing the shape, proportion, and placement on the paper before moving into shading and detailing.

Shading and Rendering the Apple

Once the basic outline is complete, students move into shading and rendering. Using compressed charcoal, they begin to build the darkest areas, establishing the shadows and creating the illusion of volume. Vine charcoal is used for midtones and smoother transitions, while blending tools such as stumps or tortillons help soften edges and gradients. The exercise demonstrates how to layer charcoal gradually, allowing for careful control of tone and depth.

White charcoal is introduced to add highlights and accentuate the form of the apple. Students learn to observe the way light falls across the surface, identifying key highlights and reflective areas. By combining black, white, and gray tones, the apple gains a realistic three-dimensional appearance on the mid-tone paper.

Techniques for Texture and Detail

In addition to shading, the lesson covers techniques for creating texture. Matt demonstrates how to use controlled strokes, smudging, and erasing to suggest the subtle surface variations of the apple. Students practice adjusting pressure, blending, and layering to achieve both smooth areas and textured details. The lesson emphasizes the balance between expressive, gestural marks and controlled rendering to create a drawing that feels both realistic and dynamic.

Benefits of Charcoal Drawing

Drawing with charcoal teaches students to think in terms of value, contrast, and form. The medium encourages bold mark-making and expressive gestures while reinforcing skills in observation, shading, and composition. Using both black and white charcoal on gray paper provides a powerful way to explore light and shadow, helping students create striking, visually compelling artwork.

Conclusion: Mastering Charcoal as a Medium

By the end of Lesson Fifteen, students have a solid understanding of how to draw with charcoal. They have learned about the different forms of the medium, how to manipulate black and white charcoal for value and contrast, and how to render a realistic apple using a combination of techniques. This lesson reinforces the importance of observation, layering, and careful control of light and dark, preparing students to apply these skills to more complex subjects and expressive compositions. Mastery of charcoal expands the artist’s technical and creative abilities, offering a versatile tool for creating dramatic and impactful drawings.

Lesson Materials

Vine charcoal, compressed charcoal (white and black), white or gray drawing paper, kneaded eraser, blending tool.

Lesson Resources

Distributing any content downloaded from this site is strictly prohibited and against the terms and conditions of use.

Download eBook

Course Curriculum