Charcoal Still Life
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Process:
Firstly, I prepped the paper, doing this by giving a light to medium gray tint as a base to create highlights and shadows. After covering the piece of paper I decided where the form is going to be. Moreover, I put the paper in a horizontal landscape position to be able to focus in the texture and form rather than just a part of the fish. This is because I wanted contrast and variations from different parts of the fish's scales and body, differentiating across another. Using vine charcoal, I sketched out where I wanted the figure, drawing a circle in the middle to define the body, then another for the head, and connecting those lines. Then I added and started to define the lines, as well as give definition between where lighting and shadows will go. Furthermore, giving a structured framework to work around and outline lines to give definition. Afterwards, I darkened some of the lines and extended that shade out to create a shadow, and leaving the highlights alone. Trying to push the grays out from the vine charcoal, and adding in other mid tones with the vine charcoal.
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Then, I cleaned up any shadows by wiping the charcoal off, or adding more vine charcoal to define other areas as a shadow. I continued this till I had all my mid tones, then moved on to the darker shadows. I took the compress charcoal and lightly added in the shades. Continuing this process till I've gotten to the darkest shade I could push with the compressed charcoal. Doing this to add contrast, to give strong lines and faded lines to add depth into the work. I went in to detail the texture and add variation from the smoother bright to medium tones, Repeating different textures in areas to give definition and harmony to vary from the smoother or rougher textures, and to define some scales or marks on the fish. Afterwards, I went in with a white charcoal pencil and cleaned up areas that needed to be lighter. Going to lighten the eyes and define any other wrinkles within the fish or other lines. Lastly, defining any lines and shading out form the outline.
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