Charcoal Self Portrait
 

I just recently started working with charcoal pencil, I like the rich blacks and contrasting values this medium supplies so well. Normally I sketch with graphite pencil, but I just may rely on charcoal only in the future. Your comments and opinions about this self portrait are welcome.

Thanks,
Henry

This is beautiful, Henry. Have you tried soft black pastel chalk? You can get really dense rich saturation when you need coverage. I find that it works really well in combination with the pencil, for the finer work. Once again, very nice work.

Thanks for the compliment, Mike.

Actually I did use a little black pastel for the dark black values. I find that pastel goes well with charcoal, but charcoal is the dominant medium in my portrait.

Henry

Beautiful, I love the rich tones you have. And your handling of hair, expression, gesture -- everything is right on. :thumbsup:

Henry, masterfully done, especially considering it is an experimental medium for you.

Of the charcoal family, I use vine charcoal exclusively, on coarse charcoal paper. My drawings are ten minute wonders, for public performance. I always had bad luck with charcoal pencil and compressed charcoal. The charcoal pencils are the paper wound ones, right? You tear a little string, then unwind the paper, then the charcoal falls out, and you tear a little more, unwind, then the charcoal falls out, and so on. Thus, I use vine. :)