Get Started with Charcoal

Charcoal is one of the fundamental materials that you will need to work with when you are beginning to build drawing and painting skill. At first glance, charcoal could not be more simple: black dust on white paper. But the subtle shifts in value that charcoal can achieve are the key to creating realistic, believable forms in your drawings. Once you control value shifts in drawing, you can apply that knowledge to any medium you are using in your work. Learn it in charcoal first!