Self Portrait in Charcoal

Charcoal on Stonehenge paper, 9x12”

The Subject

Recently I have been learning about chiaroscuro: the contrast of lights and darks in a composition. Chiaroscuro originated in Italy in the sixteenth century, and the word literally means “light-dark.” I found the topic quite fascinating, so I decided to give it a go based off a picture I took of myself.

The Process

I did this drawing “from the inside out.” Instead of starting with white paper and adding darker values, I tried the opposite approach: starting with a dark background and erasing the light areas to create shapes.

To make the black background, I applied an even layer of vine charcoal over the whole paper. Using a tissue, I “scrubbed” in a circular motion until the paper looked like I chalkboard. I did this twice more until I was sure the background was dark enough.

I used a kneaded eraser to “sculpt” in the light areas. Once I was satisfied with the overall shape of the form, I began adding the darkest darks with compressed charcoal. I used tissues, Q-tips, and tortillions (white blender sticks) for the skin and hair. I used my handy dandy kneaded eraser again to add finishing highlights to the hair, lips, and eyes. The entire process took about an hour and a half.

PS. My first attempt at this ended up in the trash. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Better to try and fail and try again than to never try.