Subjects / Charcoal drawing

Best books to learn Charcoal drawing, in order

Charcoal teaches you to see in value, so a good path is a course in tone. Start with the fundamentals of gesture, shape, and the value scale, then blending, lifting, and edge control with the medium's range of blacks, then portraits and dramatic lighting. Learning to build form from dark to light in order is what gives charcoal work its depth.

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Reading paths for charcoal drawing

Popular charcoal drawing books

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Frequently asked questions

How should I approach learning charcoal drawing?
Charcoal teaches you to see in value, so a good path is a course in tone. Start with the fundamentals of gesture, shape, and the value scale, then blending, lifting, and edge control with the medium's range of blacks, then portraits and dramatic lighting. Learning to build form from dark to light in order is what gives charcoal work its depth.
What's a good book to start charcoal drawing with?
A strong starting point is Drawing the head and figure by Jack Hamm. The ordered reading paths above show exactly where it fits and what to read next.
What should I read after charcoal drawing?
Once you have the fundamentals, explore closely related subjects like Colored pencil drawing, Digital painting, Abstract painting.

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