Drawing with Charcoal

Charcoal is a versatile and dramatic medium with incredible potential for expression. This stunning book shows you how to create a drawing using its subtle, complex and bold qualities to best effect. Through step-by-step demonstrations and tasks, it explores the process, explaining how to capture a scene or the feeling of a scene, and, essentially, how best to fix an image to the page. With over 200 illustrations, this beautiful book is a compelling guide for everyone who wants to work with this elusive and powerful medium. Topics covered include: The basics of charcoal - explains the material, its qualities and ways of using it; Charcoal lenses - advises on how to choose interesting subjects with the use of photography and sketchbooks, and how to build a library of visual references; Mark making - includes techniques for complete beginners, as well as more advanced ideas for those hoping to develop and refine their work; Demonstrations - shows how to use the techniques and build a body of work; Soft pastel - suggests ways of combining charcoal with pastel to add colour to your work; Tasks and extensions - gives tips for trying and exploring ideas further to develop your own skills and to create a unique style to your work and finally: Protecting your work - advises on the key techniques used for fixing, photographing, storing and framing your work.

Kate Boucher is a professional artist and experienced tutor, who evocative charcoal and pastel works are created in response to urban and rural landscapes. She has received numerous awards and scholarships, and her work is exhibited and collected across the world.