Course Overview

This Charcoal Sketching course introduces students to the expressive and dynamic medium of charcoal. The course is designed for both beginners and intermediate artists looking to explore and refine their skills in charcoal drawing. Throughout the course, students will learn various techniques to create realistic textures, rich tonal values, and depth using charcoal.

Course Objectives

• Understand the basics of charcoal as a medium.
• Learn different charcoal techniques such as hatching, blending, and erasing to create light and shadow.
• Develop the ability to sketch realistic textures and create depth.
• Gain confidence in handling and controlling charcoal to convey mood and emotion in their drawings.

What You Will Learn

Week 1: Introduction to Charcoal Tools and Techniques

• Overview of materials: types of charcoal (vine, compressed, pencils), erasers, paper.
• Basic techniques: shading, blending, and smudging.
• Exploring light and dark values with charcoal.

Practice: Simple still life objects to practice control of charcoal and tonal variations.

Week 2: Basic Forms and Composition

• Drawing basic shapes: spheres, cubes, and cylinders using charcoal.
• Creating volume with light and shadow.
• Understanding composition and placement of forms.

Practice: Sketch a simple arrangement of geometric shapes with attention to shading.

Week 3: Drawing Textures with Charcoal

• Techniques for creating textures: rough, smooth, and soft surfaces.
• Using erasers to add highlights and fine details.
• Drawing natural textures like wood, stone, and metal.

Practice: Sketch objects with varied textures, such as wood and fabric, using charcoal.

Week 4: Creating Depth and Perspective

• Introduction to perspective drawing in charcoal.
• Techniques for creating depth and distance in your sketches.
• Understanding how light changes with perspective.

Practice: Sketch a simple landscape or cityscape, focusing on depth and perspective.

Week 5: Charcoal Portraits and Figures

• Basics of drawing the human figure and facial features with charcoal.
• Understanding proportions and using shading to create lifelike portraits.
• Capturing mood and expression through charcoal.

Practice: Sketch a charcoal portrait focusing on light, shadow, and facial details.

Week 6: Guided Art work creation

• Students will create a final charcoal artwork of their choice, incorporating the techniques learned.
• Discussion on individual approaches to charcoal sketching.
• Feedback and critique session to improve techniques and artistic expression.

Practice: Complete a final piece to be presented at the end of the course.

Week 7: Guided Art work creation

• Students will work on a personal project under guidance, creating a detailed charcoal artwork for their portfolio.
• Focus on composition, texture, and balance within the artwork.
• Instructors will provide feedback to improve techniques and explore creative ideas.

Practice: Begin working on a complex charcoal piece that will showcase the skills learned throughout the course. The piece will be part of the final portfolio.

Week 8: Guided Art work creation

• Students will finalize their portfolio pieces and present them to the instructor for feedback.
• Discussion on individual improvement, strengths, and areas to develop.
• Review of how to curate and present a portfolio for future opportunities or further studies.

Practice: Submit the completed portfolio of charcoal works. Receive feedback and make adjustments based on critique.

Who Should Attend

• Beginners who want to learn the art of charcoal sketching.
• Intermediate artists looking to improve their charcoal drawing techniques.
• Anyone interested in exploring a versatile and expressive drawing medium.

Materials Required

• Vine charcoal, compressed charcoal, and charcoal pencils.
• Kneaded eraser and soft eraser.
• Drawing paper suitable for charcoal (e.g., textured or smooth paper).
• Blending tools (tortillons or cotton swabs).

Duration: 8 Weeks

2 Classes per weeek, Class Duration (1 Hour + 30 Minutes Practice)

Course Fees

₹5,000 for the entire 6-week course.
Materials are not included; students can purchase from studio or their own supplies.