Techniques & Tips Search
Top tips for drawing portraits in graphite and charcoal
Alison Kendell shares her top advice for drawing portraits and capturing the detail of hair, using graphite and charcoal.
How to draw winter trees
Follow Sandra Orme and create a scene of winter trees with evocative winter light using charcoal and soft pastels.
Back to black - how to use charcoal
Charcoal is one of the most subtle and sensitive of all drawing media available for the artist, says Robert Dutton, and a very direct approach can be applied with instant results very quickly. He describes how the subtleties of drawing with…
An introduction to drawing media and techniques
Discover the best media for drawing. Robert Dutton shows how to choose and use different types of drawing media.
Charcoal reduction techniques with Tim Fisher
Tim introduces techniques for charcoal reduction.
How to paint portraits in charcoal
Charcoal is a beautiful medium and very adaptable for drawing portraits – you can smudge it around or be very precise and detailed, as Kathy Barker demonstrates
The tonal range of charcoal by Linda Birch
Linda Birch reveals why charcoal is invaluable for gaining an understanding of tone.
How to make your own charcoal with Tony Swaby
Tony shares his tried and tested method for making charcoal.
How to draw landscapes - a winter woodland
Learn to draw a winter landscape using chalk and charcoal with this extract from Ronald Swanwick's new book, 'Drawing Landscapes' by Search Press
How to Sketch the Coast in Charcoal and Crayon with Ray Balkwill
In this extract from the first of a 2-part series, Ray Balkwill suggests ways of exploring the subject of the coast with a sketchbook.
How to develop your drawing skills using charcoal
Follow a step-by-step guide to blocking in, blending and lifting out to produce a simple charcoal drawing of a cat.