Expand your technical drawing skills and deepen your understanding of light and shadow in human figure drawing with this traditional and highly effective reduction technique. This approach focuses on the dramatic interplay between light and dark, exploring strong tonal contrasts and the interaction between deep shadows and luminous, solid forms.

In this online mini course, consisting of two 2.5-hour sessions, we will work from a photographic reference of a plaster cast. This choice allows participants to concentrate on values and tonal relationships without the distraction of color. Because the surfaces of casts are smoother than those of the human body, they offer an ideal subject for observing and rendering subtle tonal transitions.

We will begin by broadly smearing charcoal across the paper, establishing an initial mid-tone surface. Over this, we’ll lightly sketch the figure using minimal lines, then lift charcoal with an eraser to reveal highlights and define forms. Through this process, tonal gradations will gradually emerge, turning the initial rough setup into a refined, glowing artwork with a rich tonal range.

This charcoal reduction technique is fundamental for artists who want to move from linear drawing to value-based modeling. It’s an essential study for understanding how light shapes form—an invaluable skill in both classical and contemporary figure drawing.

Open to all levels.

Materials:

• Drawing paper: Ingres by Hahnemuhle, Fabriano or Canson, white or lightly toned
• Charcoal: one stick of non-compressed, soft charcoal to prepare the paper; compressed charcoal pencils such as Wolff’s carbon in B, 2B, 4B, 6B or General’s in hard, medium, soft, extra soft.
• White chalk in pencil or stick.
• Erasing tools: a piece of Chamois, kneaded eraser, a mechanical eraser pencil such as Factis or Tombow Mono Zero
• Sand Paper