Teen in charcoal

[Steven Sweeney]

Yes, April, a sharpened charcoal stick would be a solution. If you're using a wood-cased charcoal pencil, cut the wood off 2 or 3 inches so you can get a long sharp taper on the charcoal. (Easier, actually, to use an uncased charcoal stick.) Get a piece of sandpaper to do this sharpening, pulling (not pushing) the charcoal across it and turning the stick at the same time. You may need to use a harder charcoal to be able to do this sharpening without breaking it. Or, if you're using a softer stick, then use very fine-grit sandpaper.

Now you'll have a point that you can use to get into the troughs of the paper's tooth. It will be somewhat painstaking work, but the smoothing effect will be worth it.

The crests of the paper's tooth may have picked up a bit too much charcoal (getting too dark). The solution for that is similar, but you use a kneaded eraser. Again, a relatively sharp point is what you want for precision and control. Just knead the eraser into a point (roughly the shape of a toy spinning top), and dab at those dark areas, lifting out the excess. If you go too far, just restore it with your charcoal point.

Whether one goes to this trouble in a particular drawing depends on the subject and the desired effect. In an elderly male subject's face, the rougher appearance would perhaps be acceptable, even desirable. In a child's delicate features, the smoother look is worth going after.

Use of a mahl stick to support your drawing/erasing hand is very useful. You don't want to rest your fingers or hand on the paper very long for support, as the oils in your skin will transfer and either mar the paper or make the charcoal in that area difficult to work (that is, the oil acts as a kind of fixative.)

[April Phillips]

Thank you again for your time and suggestions. I was able to make most of the changes and smooth out the shadow areas. I am much happier with the result. I wasn't able to lift enough charcoal in the shadow section of the hair, so it still looks like a big hole. I'll know for next time.

[Mischa Milosevic]

Nice work! I do think the reflected light on the side of the nose in shadow need not be there. One other small observation if you do not mind. The shadow side of the face is out of proportion, it can go in just a little bringing the ear in as well.

Nice face, front page quality. Is it your boy?

[Alexandra Tyng]

April,

This is really a beautiful and sensitive likeness. I especially like the expression in his eyes. I think you've gotten some great suggestions already, so I have nothing to add in regards to the specifics.

There's one general thing I notice: this feels a little timid. I'm comparing this mentally with your monochrome oils and I feel this would benefit from being worked along with the general tone of the background, so that the head emerges from the ground as do the heads in your oils. Maybe starting with a slightly darker paper (for instance, a tan or grey midtone) would help. There is more richness here than you have captured, especally in the light side of the skin, and the shadows of the skin in relation to the hair and background. In other words, if the background were darkened, the dark hair value would probably not bother you, and you would immediately see the light side of the face as too light and lacking in three-dimensionality. In other words, treat it as you would a painting. I'm not sure of the "look" you are aiming for here, so please forgive me if my suggestions do not fit your intent.