Cast Drawing 3

The young boy below was drawn using the same approach as we did last week with the woman bust in graphite pencil exercise, only this time on Canson Steel Grey paper and using General’s White Charcoal Pencil at first, to render the light masses – I started with the ear, then measured and re-adjust as the drawing develops – To achieve different sub tones, we can remove the excess chalk with a Kneaded Rubber Eraser – We can then refine the white masses where the light is more prominent and add details using a Derwent Chinese White Pencil. The later is waxier than the General’s White, which allows to push the previous layer of white chalk into the paper’s grain, for more intensity and precision.

Boy profile, white charcoal on grey paper

Check out Atelier de Brésoles web site and their blog for more info and description of techniques shown at the Atelier.

Next exercise was an egg. Here we combined white charcoal and different graphite pencils on this same Canson Grey paper.  First we sketch the contour of the egg, the cast shadow and form shadow in HB pencil. Then with a 2B pencil we proceed filling the cast shadow – At this point, we’re only concerned with filling the shadow mass in an even tone – Then fill the form shadow (that’s the one on the egg) in HB pencil – Again, we’re only concerned in producing an even tone – and continue in the cast shadow to blend the tones and refine it more. Same as with the white charcoal in the above exercise, the use of harder graphite does push into the paper’s grain the previous graphite layer, which makes for better blending/smoothening and developing sub tones.

Egg, white charcoal and graphite on grey paper

With a 2H graphite pencil, we refine the form shadow’s edge and continue refining sub tones in the form shadow, the cast shadow and soften the edges of the egg where form and cast shadows meet. At last we’re ready to apply the white charcoal, starting with the luminous point that can be a bit more prominent, and around it – It’s important not to exceed over the graphite at this point or it might smudge and get messy – Then, same as above, we refine the white area and smoothen the transition between tones with the waxier Derwent Pencil.

Long process for something as simple as an egg!