- INTRODUCTION:

Despite the lack of attention charcoal receives, many people use charcoal drawings as an initial phase of a final composition in another medium.   However, many drawings, such as Charles White's "Silent Song," are composed solely in charcoal that are notable for their intuitive processes.

- HISTORY OF TECHNIQUES:

Derived from the carbonization of certain woods, splinted charcoal comes in various forms.   Cennino Cennini describes the earliest documented procedure in creating drawing charcoal in "The Book of the Art".   The approach began by placing a bundle of twigs in a clay-sealed casserole that is placed in an oven or underneath the ashes of a fire.  

Depending on the desired outcome, the bundle would be left in the heat overnight or until the next afternoon.   A softer charcoal would have a longer heating period.

The early origins of charcoal based drawings are found in the caves of Lascaux, France.   Inscribed onto the walls are primitive drawings of bulls and horses that are believed to be drawn with branches and sticks burnt at the end.

During the Early and Middle Renaissance periods, many artists used charcoal drawing for study and exercises.   Charcoal tends to "float" away from the grooves found on canvases, which give artists the ability to freely draw their pieces and easily make corrections.   As a result, charcoal drawings were intended as a preliminary sketching tool.

"Man in Turban."   Eakins, Thomas. 1866-67.   Graphite over charcoal

This was very popular in large-scale fresco paintings, such as in Raphael's   "School of Athens," located in Italy.   Artists would use charcoal as a guide for outline and shade and this would enable them to execute their work before applying the actual performed medium.

- TECHNIQUES:

In the charcoal drawing, "Sleeping Elephant," by Antoine-Louis Barye, a fallen elephant is sorrowfully depicted.   By using dark strokes in the background, he moves the viewer's eyes to the main subject.   Complimented by the canvas' natural texture, Barye uses subtle shadows to define the elephant's skin and muscular curves.

An exquisite use of darkness and shadow are seen in Robert Blackburn's "Man With Load."   Signifying the gloom that comes with struggle, Blackburn uses heavy areas of charcoal.   By letting the canvas peak through his load and shoulder, the viewer quickly realizes how physically exerted the subject is.   Great rewards are usually obtained with hard effort.   Blackburn depicts this by using a dark sky that quickly illuminates around the man.  

Referring back to Charles White's "Silent Song," the viewer is engulfed with immense darkness.   Opposed to the previous pieces, White uses heavy dusts of charcoal to elaborate tranquility.   The highly detailed sheets persuade the viewer to feel relaxed by perceptively singing a mellow song.  

Rather than dissuade the viewer from the darkness, Paul Gaugin attempts to move his viewers towards the darker aspects of a charcoal composition in his drawing titled "Tahitian Woman."   Gaugin emphasizes the beauty of the woman's hair by drawing it with heavy strokes, which are highlighted from the paper medium. His reinforcement of the woman's exquisite characteristic is also noted by depicting a side view of her head.

- TOOLS AND MATERIALS:

Both charcoal and pastel artists use similar tools to assist them in creating and maintaining their pieces.   Fixative is one of the common mediums used.   It can be found in a jar or spray-can.   The medium is found in two forms.   One form is final, which permanently seals and protects the dust from moving.  

The other form is workable, which is used to keep charcoal and pastel drawings from smudging, while leaving a matte finish to work with.   Other useful tools include blending stumps, chamois, and kneaded erasers, which all help achieve effects such as fades and textures.