A new self-portrait drawing. Wanted to work with charcoal on toned paper. (large image)

[femmedem]

Eventually I want to make my own charcoal--I've got some wild grapevines in my yard that would be perfect--but I bought this charcoal from someone on Etsy who handmade it. I was happy to find charcoal that didn't come encased in plastic packaging!


Sorry about the giant image. I should have uploaded a smaller one to Imgur.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. You look beautiful! And I really like the larger image.

It's easier to see the details.

You are quite talented!

[femmedem]

4. Thanks so much, California Peggy!

Because I've only been drawing and painting again since July, I feel like I'm getting better by the week.

[Kurt V.]

2. Awesome. my brother is getting into paper making, aimed at ppl with your skills.

[femmedem]

3. Oooh! Feel free to send me some DU mail when he's got paper for sale.

If I can, I prefer supporting independent makers if I can't make something myself.

[Kurt V.]

5. i will :) thanks

[BarbaRosa]

6. Beautiful drawing.

I'm wondering, (not trying to be funny) I use lump charcoal in my Kamado Joe barbecue. It's pure hard wood charcoal with no additives.
Could this be used to draw with?



Just a thought.

[femmedem]

10. Yes, I think it could.

I don't know what it's qualities would be, because charcoal varies in richness and color depending on the wood and how it was charred. Here's a short article: https://evanlindquist.com/othermedia/makecharcoal.html

[lunatica]

7. It's awesome

as in it fills me with awe!

I love every detail of this. The highlights and shadows are great, and I especially like what you did with them on your neck.

Even though it doesn’t show any obvious expression there is still a fascination with what you might be thinking.

Your eyes are incredibly strong and profound and you did a great job working on them.

I like your small almost extraneous detail work in your hair strands framing your face.

And I like the combination of heavy line work mixed with very light lines.

You’re going to knock their socks off in life drawing classes!

[femmedem]

11. Oh! Thank you!

It turns out that turkey neck is really fun to draw.

Your work fills me with awe, too.

[TomSlick]

8. The eyes intrigue me.

I can't tell if they are sad - or thoughtful - or intense. I see an emotion, I just cannot identify it. Rather like Mona Lisa's lips.

I'll I can tell is that the drawing is moving.

[femmedem]

12. Thank you! It was getting past midnight when I finished and I kept erasing and reworking the eyes

until the paper wouldn't accept any more changes. So the eyes might just be saying that I was getting tired but was concentrating.

[TomSlick]

15. It worked.

I was drawn to the eyes and tried to "read" them.

[Ohiogal]

9. Very well done!

You have a good eye for faces,which to me, are difficult to master. Plus it’s fun to get an idea of what you look like! Excellent rendering!

[femmedem]

13. Thank you!

Faces are tricky because if you get them wrong they look monstrous; we're so attuned to facial detail.

[emmaverybo]

14. Wow! And charcoal is sooooo hard to work with especially for a fine detailed portrait like this,

[femmedem]

30. Thanks! Charcoal feels like playing to me: not intimidating. I can't get too detailed

but on the other hand, it's so workable; I can just keep erasing and smudging and redrawing until I'm happy with it.

[Mickju]

16. Wow! That is really superb!

Absolutely beautiful work

[femmedem]

31. Thank you, Mickju.

It's a joy to be drawing and painting again after so many years away from it.

[fierywoman]

17. You're very good. (And beautiful!)

[femmedem]

33. Thank you!

[panader0]

18. Very impressive!

You have a lot of talent.

[femmedem]

34. Thanks. I don't know if I have talent but I've been studying and practicing.

[bluecollar2]

19. You look great!

And love your username.

[femmedem]

32. Thanks! Way back when I joined, DU seemed more misogynistic at times.

Lots of posts judging women harshly for their looks or their clothes so I wanted to be clear that I'm a woman. I think the user name femdem was already taken.

[AllaN01Bear]

20. ohm myyyyy! .

[femmedem]

38. Thanks so much!

[Sloumeau]

21. That is really good.

Have you ever thought about doing a sketch of Megan Rapinoe?

[femmedem]

35. Thanks! She has a drawable face for sure.

I like working from life more than from photos (which means I end up being my own model quite a bit) but if I were to draw from a photo, she'd be an inspiring choice.

[BadGimp]

22. That is beautiful!

Thx for sharing!

More please...

[femmedem]

37. Thank you for your kind words.

I don't want to flood DU but I'll post work from time to time. You're all so supportive!

[MLAA]

23. Exquisite! Are you a professional artist? I would say you are!

[femmedem]

36. Thanks! I'm not, except that I did just have a show and sold a handful of paintings.

I did go to art school way back in the day, though. I enjoy my non-art-related job, but when I'm able to retire I'd like to divide my time between drawing/painting and activism.

[MLAA]

42. Sounds like a wonderful future you have planned 😊

I retired and started taking painting lessons. Had to put it on hold for the last six months due to husband ‘s health issues, but now he is on the mend I will start up again soon.

[femmedem]

43. You must be so relieved he's doing better!

I'm looking forward to seeing your work.

[BigmanPigman]

24. When I was in art school we had a guest artist

come and teach a class. He told us that when he was growing up in a rural area he thought that charcoal was the kind used to BBQ so he got a charcoal briquette to draw with.

I was an illustrator and used fashion pads to draw figures all the time. I haven't been able to find a whole pad in 20 years, not even when I went to a huge art supply store in France. I loved to sketch with black and white conte crayons on the toned paper. Where did you find a whole pad of it?

[femmedem]

28. I didn't know you'd gone to art school! It's Strathmore 400 recycled toned paper.

Last edited Sun Jan 5, 2020, 07:53 AM - Edit history (1)

I got it at a local art store but DickBlick has it: https://www.dickblick.com/products/strathmore-400-series-recycled-toned-sketch-wirebound-journals/

Edited to add: Strathmore has a higher quality toned 500 series as well: https://www.strathmoreartist.com/draw-charcoal/id-500-series-charcoal.html

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

25. No, the large image is perfect.

I am in total awe of that kind of ability.

[Bayard]

26. Well done!

A lot of expression with minimal lines. Nice shading work.

[femmedem]

41. Thanks!

What beautiful dogs in your avatar.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

27. Nicely done!

I've never tried charcoal (I'd smear it all over and get it on the cats) but it certainly creates interesting effects.

[femmedem]

39. Ha! Yes, it can get messy! I was holding the sketchpad in one hand and drawing with the other

because I knew if I put it down on a surface my four cats would be all over it.

(I broke my cheap easel carting it around to paint landscapes; need to get another, better one.)

[Karadeniz]

29. I think it's wonderful!

[femmedem]

40. Thank you, Karadeniz!

[JudyM]

44. I like it. It has a lot of character.