Tango in Gold - original figurative charcoal drawing

Another charcoal drawing on the Mi-Teintes pastel pad I bought this past weekend.   I just love line drawings, so had lots of fun drawing on the textured side of the paper - added a bit of white here and there.  I guess I just have to get this Mi-Teintes thing out of my system.  Thanks for looking! 

My Reluctant Model - original charcoal portrait sketch

I can be so persuasive sometimes - or maybe overbearing - when getting someone to pose for me, however briefly.  When their patience runs out, I turn to the camera.  This young woman held the pose as long as she could stand it, for which I was totally grateful!

I loved her hesitant manner, as if she might not have thought this was such a good idea.  I'm just crazy about capturing people's emotions that they don't only display in their faces, but in their gestures, as well.  Was trying not to overwork, so purposely didn't spend much time on the drawing or go back and "fix" things.

There was a sale on paper at my store and I bought a couple of tablets of Mi-Teintes.  For some reason - and I seldom hear this from anyone - I love the textured side.  I appreciate the looseness the textured side produces and I can always stump the charcoal if I want some of the drawing to look smoother.  When I drag my vine charcoal across the paper, the textured side grabs only some of the charcoal so I don't have to soften a line - the paper just sort of does it for me.  There's some white hard pastel in this 12 x 9" drawing along with the charcoal.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Nude on Grey #3 - original charcoal drawing of a nude model

I love drawing nudes - especially in charcoal which is such a responsive and forgiving medium.  Vine charcoal - soft and extra soft - are my favorites, although I find harder charcoal sticks useful, too, mainly when turned on the side for shapes and shading.  Just not compressed charcoal - that's a whole other thing, which I've been using recently for black and white landscapes. "Nude on Grey #3" is on Strathmore's Pastel Paper, which is no longer good for oil pastel, but very nice for charcoal and regular pastels.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Nude on Blue-Grey Paper - charcoal life drawing with touches of white charcoal

For this nude drawing, I used vine and willow charcoal with bits of General's white charcoal - my fave - on some blue-grey Canson paper.  This one is about 9 x 10".  Thanks for stopping by.

Moment of Truth - original charcoal figurative drawing

Did he see it through?  This drawing was done on Mi-Teintes paper, 12 x 9".  I used a stump along with my charcoal pencils (General's Primo, black and white).  Thanks for stopping by!

Sketch for Flamenco - charcoal figurative drawing

This drawing is done on Colourfix board, which is a great product - the surface is already backed by the board, so when framing, you don't have to tape it to backing and it has a nice white surround that gives a neat, sort of matted appearance.  All one has to do is put it behind glass/plexi using Econospace or Framespace.  Done!   I'm planning to spray this to the nth degree with fixative and cover it with oil pastels in my all-time favorite palette - red, ochre, black and white and maybe a little blue.  Of course, theoretically, blue isn't necessary in this palette, but I like to include it anyway.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

A Nude for Tuesday - original charcoal drawing

This nude drawing is done on Strathmore drawing paper, 14 x 11".  I also added touches of white hard pastel.  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel - charcoal portrait in progress

I just started this one this evening - having to work with mainly a photograph, although I will finish it with the actual girl.  So much to do, but it's great to work in charcoal - so soft and forgiving.  This one is 17 x 14".  Thanks for stopping by.

Nude with a Fan - original charcoal drawing of a nude model

Although I spent my day working on some quick landscape studies, I still gravitate to figures, hence this nude that I did a few weeks ago.  My interest in this drawing is the joining of the arm to the back, then the darker lines farther down the arm. It's drawn with General's Peel and Sketch charcoal pencil on Strathmore Mixed Media paper, 8 x 4".   Hope everyone is having a great Labor Day weekend!

Jacee's Stance - original charcoal drawing of a nude model

I loved this assertive pose - wish I'd had more time on it, but just grateful to be able to draw from this excellent model.  They don't grow on trees, unfortunately.  This drawing is about 12 x 8" - thanks for stopping by!

Charcoal Nude Looking Away - original charcoal drawing of a nude

Love these back views - last one for awhile, I promise.  On 8 x 6" mixed media paper - it's 100 lb. and really nice.  Thanks for looking!

Another Standing Nude - original charcoal drawing of a nude

This is one of my favorite poses and when the model takes it, I am always thrilled.  Standing poses, especially back views, are so beautiful.  I love the touch of mystery in a back view.  For this drawing, I used one of those charcoal pencils that you peel with a string - maybe there's a fancier name for them - on 8 x 6" Strathmore multi-media paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

On My Easel - original charcoal portrait of Lindy

I have a number of things to fix here, but thought it was far enough along that you can tell what it is.  Used charcoal sticks on Strathmore drawing paper 17 x 14".  Thanks for stopping by!