What I love about working with charcoal, is that I can follow my own pace and let the portrait slowly unfold.

Lines are added, softened, erased, and redrawn. Tonal values shift. Marks accumulate. The drawing is given time to find its own balance and presence.

There’s no right or wrong, no errors, no mistakes. Charcoal is such a forgiving medium, you can simply add and remove, again and again.

This way of working creates space for experimentation and subtle decisions: when to add a line, when to hold back, when to create shadow and when to carve out the light. Nothing needs to be fixed in one go.

In my new charcoal portrait class Lines of Life we focus on a single portrait and allow it to develop gradually. You can work alongside me if you like, or simply watch how the portrait evolves from the first marks to the final stages.

If this approach resonates with you and you’d like to learn more, click the button below for all info and to sign up.