# My Charcoal Journey



## DonH (Apr 4, 2011)

Six weeks ago I started drawing. Charcoal first, then Pastel. Here are some of my Charcoals:


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## DonH (Apr 4, 2011)

Here are some more:


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## DonH (Apr 4, 2011)

And some more that contain a bit of Pastel:





















I endeavor to do at least 4 per day in varying styles and subjects. My method may be madness, but at age 57, I don't care to waste time now that I have found a passion to draw and paint.


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## DonH (Apr 4, 2011)

Just a few more, from the second week.





















Any advice, criticizm, guidance is greatly apreciated as I am basically clueless about many things in art. I just know when it looks good to me and haven't seen what I want out of my own art yet.


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## chanda95 (Apr 6, 2011)

Very nice! I am not good at charcoal...I am just too messy of an artist for it. There is a lot of motion in your work. Its a nice style.


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## DonH (Apr 4, 2011)

Talk about messy! I look like a coal miner after a charcoal session! Lol. Keep me away from oil and acrylics! I apreciate you comments.


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## chanda95 (Apr 6, 2011)

Rofl! At least you manage to keep your paper clean! I would have little smudgy fingerprints everywhere. I have done a few acrylic paintings years ago and enjoyed it. Oils...no patience for.


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## PencilMeIn (Sep 2, 2010)

Very nice, you're a quick study that's for sure! I tend to stay away from charcoals, too, myself, but I do find them to be much quicker to execute.


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## hazelnice (Mar 11, 2011)

I love to use charcoal on my painting. And DonH, i like your charcoal paintings especially the Horse. and you work clean.


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## DonH (Apr 4, 2011)

Thank you hazelnice! That horse was an experiment. Thanks for noticing it. Actually I am very messy with charcoal at times and have to make backgrounds to cover up the smudges.


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## chanda95 (Apr 6, 2011)

Well that makes you a well rounded artist Don! Gives practice on backgrounds as well as your focal point. You can always look at it that way. Exactly why I don't do charcoal much. I get frustrated with it's messiness. I think the overall effect is beautiful but the only way I will do it is with actual charcoal pencils. The sticks drive me nuts.


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## DonH (Apr 4, 2011)

Charcoal pencils??? They make those? Lol. I use them rarely, when sharp detail is needed, and actually prefer the sticks. Most of my work is done, using charcoal chunks I make from local wood: Pinon pine, Gambel Oak, and Juniper.


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## chanda95 (Apr 6, 2011)

DonH said:


> Charcoal pencils??? They make those? Lol. I use them rarely, when sharp detail is needed, and actually prefer the sticks. Most of my work is done, using charcoal chunks I make from local wood: Pinon pine, Gambel Oak, and Juniper.


ROFL! I have an OCD complex Don. I love love love your (and others actually) dreamy work but for me to do one - never. I have control issues. I did a little watercolor bird as an attempt to get back in it and it's cute but lacks a lot of detail work..drives me nuts to look at it because I did it. If somebody else would have done it I probably would love it. Its funny the styles that we adopt. 

Never even contemplated making my own charcoal. Very good idea Don. How do you do it? Obviously you can't burn the wood down to ashes but how do you compress them into sticks? Never made charcoal so curious.


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## DonH (Apr 4, 2011)

Its easy, I pick them out of the ashes left over from the woodburning stove. I don't compress them, just use them "as is". Messy! Sounds like your penchant for detail is equaled by mine for the dreamy world. One thing I am experimenting with is homemade color "paints" made from natural, local substances. The santeras over at Santa Fe do that. Stay tuned, lol.


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## chanda95 (Apr 6, 2011)

DonH said:


> Its easy, I pick them out of the ashes left over from the woodburning stove. I don't compress them, just use them "as is". Messy! Sounds like your penchant for detail is equaled by mine for the dreamy world. One thing I am experimenting with is homemade color "paints" made from natural, local substances. The santeras over at Santa Fe do that. Stay tuned, lol.


Our wood burning stove is so efficient we don't get chunks out of our ashes. :-( I would like to try that and it's certainly cheaper than going out and purchasing sticks! 

Yeah a lot of the native people here do the homemade dyes for their blankets and pottery. Somewhere I think I have a book on what plants do what colors.


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