Clea in Charcoal

Jean Kelly · 09-24-2003, 12:36 AM

Hi, I did this today so I would have something in charcoal to show during the open studio. She is 25"x 19" on Canson Mi-tientes.

I think Clea will soon become my favorite model, I have many ideas for her. I photographed it tonight and the lighting gave it a warm feel which I like. The paper is toned in a warm beige, I believe it's called "sand".

Jean

Steven Sweeney · 09-24-2003, 08:33 AM

Jean,

It

Jean Kelly · 09-24-2003, 05:50 PM

Hi, Steven, Yes, lighting was not great on this one, but I really wanted to do it. Clea will be back again for a more formal session. This was taken outside, late in the day with the light coming from her left side. Her eyes are the light amber brown that is sometimes found in Hawaiians (she is), so I'm not going to deepen them. I did tone down the catch lights. I tried lightening the left side shadow under her chin, but it simply won't erase, maybe I can lighten the right side of her chin.

Next time she comes we will go for more dramatic lighting. Clea moves like a gazelle and can't seem to take a bad pose, so the next time I shoot her I won't have any excuses! Thanks for looking and commenting, Steven. I appreciate your nitpicky critiques, they help me improve and that's what this is all about.

Jean

Jean Kelly · 09-24-2003, 05:52 PM

Clea would hate to be depicted with a beard stubble. I'll try to improve this one somehow, or simply do her again!

Jean

Steven Sweeney · 09-24-2003, 06:07 PM

You should be able to lift out some of the darks with a kneaded eraser. Don't scrub it, just press and lift, then remold the eraser and repeat. (If you don't remold between lifts, you just grind the same charcoal back into the paper.) You won't get it all, perhaps, especially if you smudged some of it in with your finger (which would impart an oily binder -- impossible to erase).

By the way, I'm not saying not to use your fingers. I do it in graphites, charcoals, and paintings. Just be aware that the oils are going to make the former two mediums difficult to remove.

Also, when you're using a toned paper, take advantage of the benefit of already having your midtones (or darks, depending on the paper's tones) taken care of for you -- you needn't repeat them. Your sand color should represent most of your midtones (halftones). Look for the darks and the lights (for which you might make judicious use of white chalk or Nupastel), and the form will "miraculously" come together.

Steven Sweeney · 09-24-2003, 08:25 PM

Jean,

One last observation, because you

Jean Kelly · 09-24-2003, 09:13 PM

Hi Steven,

I'm aware of the egg analogy, but haven't thought of it in years. I've simply been drawing what I see and trying to improve my "vision" so to speak. I think I understand how the egg pertains to my drawing and will start using it again. That probably explains why she looks slightly off. Her head was tilted and turned slighty to her right, I have the egg going the wrong way. Right?

My fingers were in this all the way, can't keep them out of the fun. They all have different uses, pinky does fine stuff, middle finger the big blending. The thumb when all are covered and I need a clean one!

I'll try this again, this drawing was a good exercise. I'll do more, gotta perfect this technique. I haven't worked much with charcoal (this is the second) but I need to be able to offer people an affordable alternative to paint. Besides, it was fun. I've printed out this thread for the other tips also. Thank you Steven, you're a good teacher.

Jean

Kimberly Dow · 09-24-2003, 09:31 PM

Jean,

This is lovely. Great model, too.

I just wanted to point out the difference in the sizes of the eyes. Also, her mouth on our left extends near the middle of the eye - but it does not extend that far on our right.

Steven Sweeney · 09-24-2003, 09:32 PM

Quote:

I have the egg going the wrong way. Right?

Well, I don't have any interest in being "right". What do you think?

My smudgy paint finger is the right ring finger. My index is kind of palsly-curled and hanging onto the brush, so I reach with the ring for the flair. That's also the finger-picking guitar finger I favor for melody and grace notes. Go figure.

Jean Kelly · 09-24-2003, 11:39 PM

Hi Kim,

Thanks for looking and commenting, I'm sure these all contributed to her slightly off look, the mouth in particular. Guess I'll have to bite the bullet and start working instead of having so much fun! Seriously, I did this fast and furious, I need to spend the amount of time necessary to get it right next time.

Steven, I haven't played guitar since I was a 19 year old hippie folk singer (and not a very good one)! But my ring finger left hand is the one that doesn't have any fingerprint anymore. Since I'm pretty ambidextrous, both hands get covered. I only use the right hand for the big areas though, just don't have that much control. I was making a joke about the wrong, right, left, right thing. You certainly don't have to be right all the time if you don't want to.

Jean