Artistic Charcoal Portraiture: Creating Atmosphere

Meet Sarah Stokes, who tells you about her career and shows you some of her latest charcoal pieces. See what inspires her to create, the artists and photographers who influence her, and the final project Sarah has prepared for you in this course.

Get familiar with the equipment you’re going to use and experiment with applying, rubbing, and lifting techniques. See what tonal values are, why they’re so important, and how to get them right in your work. Practice the gridding method by drawing an eye from a photograph.

See how to choose the right photograph for your piece in terms of mood, look, and composition. Start working on your drawing by creating a grid used for applying and modifying your charcoal, adding some twists and abstract techniques for movement and atmosphere.

Apply the finishing touches to your drawing with Photoshop and Procreate and share it with your followers on social media. Lastly, see Sarah’s final tips for experimenting even further with charcoal and other materials.