My first charcoal picture

[xanderuk]

http://pic11.picturetrail.com/VOL367/2007706/3885644/48271327.jpg

I would definately like to use charcoal again, I don't know exactly how long it took but I spent quite a while on it. It's not great but I think its a good first go.

I had problems with quite a few things in particular the fingers. I got carried away with the black and the fingers ended up thinner, mishaped and not quite right. I definately need to practice hands too as I have always avoided hands.

Any tips for drawing with charcoal pencil would be appreciated.

[Raven]

This is a very good first attempt to draw with coal.

I think hands and hair are both the most difficult things to draw. I think your drawing is very good. As for the hair: you did a really good job. It looks real. The eyebrows look a bit less real though.

The mouth also looks very good. The only thing that bothers me a little bit are the eyes. Work on them and the hands and you should be able to do a great job.

As for advice and tips on drawing with coal: I don't have enough experience to give you good tips.

[budwiserfrog]

Wow thats really good mate, her nose is crooked and a bit too thin, its quite good otherwise for coal , and yeah like you said the fingers look a bit too thin too, apart from that its great! is it ment to b Aaliyah? o and what is a URL lol i want to get my picture up so that u can give me pointers please reply thanks love you all.

[xanderuk]

is it ment to b Aaliyah?.

Yes it is actually:) I didn't say who it was supposed to be in case it didn't look anything like her. Its good that you recognised her from the pic (unless you recognised the picture I copied)

I can't change it now because I've sprayed it, I wouldn't have anyway because knowing me I wouldn't leave it alone until it was one big smudge covered in fingerprints lol

[budwiserfrog]

please!!! tell me what you spray it with i have done 1 coal drawing and i cant touch it without it smudging!!! what do i spray it with lol :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Nenja]

it's a very good start!
the hair looks beautiful and i also like the sunglasses.
but i think you have a little problem with the proportions, you may try the grid method?!

@budwiserfrog: you can use a special fix spray or normal hairspray. But it may be that the drawing becomes yellow when you fix it with hairspray :roll:

[xanderuk]

please!!! tell me what you spray it with i have done 1 coal drawing and i cant touch it without it smudging!!! what do i spray it with lol :lol: :lol: :lol:

I just used oridnary hair spray which seemed to do the job. I wouldlike to do more pictures with charcoal since I haven't done any since.

Im probably going to have to put in a lot of practice to get any half decent results now since Im so out of practice lol.

[Coolerin]

Cool! I drowe this pic of Aaliyah too!!! :-)

[Helena]

...I use that:

http://img68.exs.cx/img68/1258/schmincke.jpg

I like your picture, specially the hair and the glasses... but I have to agree with raven... the eyes look a litle strange :?

PS: But it was easy to recognice her..... RIP

[Ingrid]

I like the drawing :)

And hairspray is just fine! ;)

[marlon]

is the hairspray only for charcoal drawings??
i've drawn that picture of aaliyah 2wice before, her face is so symmetrical in that picture

[Ingrid]

I use hairspray for anything! :)

[Coolerin]

I use hairspray for every drawing, too!

[xanderuk]

I only used the hairspray because the charcoal gets really messy if you don't put anything on it to seal it. I haven't used any kind of sealent on any other pictures that I have done in pencil or whatever.

I really do need to get some new art stuff, just lately I have had the urge to draw, I'd really like to have another go at doing another charcoal picutre. Since it's been so long since I last did a proper picture I may be rusty....practice makes perfect I guess..well makes you better anyway.