Heating a piece of wood in a low-oxygen environment to drive out the water leaves you with a blackened residue. This residue is charcoal. Essentially, it is a piece of burnt wood. As an art material, it is pretty basic and humble. But don't underestimate charcoal. It allows for deep, rich tones and a wide range of textures, making it an ideal choice for creating dramatic and impactful artwork. This medium offers a unique and expressive quality. The softness of the charcoal is perfect for blending and smudging, allowing the artist to create subtle transitions and bold contrasts. I mostly use charcoal for landscape drawings. Next to watercolor, it is my favorite medium. On this page, you'll find some suggestions on how to get started, a YouTube video I made a while ago, and some ideas for landscape drawings.

Materials:

Charcoal is available in many forms. Willow and vine charcoal are good places to start. Don’t worry too much about the difference. In the beginning the important thing is to get started. Compressed charcoal is also an option. You can also use white pastel and a kneaded eraser to create highlights and details. Charcoal isn’t a fussy medium. What I mean is you can use it on many different papers. I often use Strathmore toned sketching paper or Daler Rowney bristol board (but I’m not trying to promote these brands, there are many excellent drawing papers out there). When choosing paper consider the color of the paper. A white or slightly toned paper is what I prefer. The surface texture of the paper is also important. I prefer smooth paper or paper with a slight texture.

To sum up, you’ll need: some willow or vine charcoal, a kneaded eraser, drawing or sketching paper and some maybe some white pastel (the pastel is optional)

Gallery

Some ideas/inspiration

I have a YouTube channel with many charcoal landscape drawing videos. If you enjoy the video below, please consider giving it a like and subscribing to my channel. This helps the channel to reach more people.

More resources

I have a Patreon shop with a PDF file full of more examples of my landscape art. It contains examples in watercolor, charcoal and soft pastel. It might be useful for inspiration.

There is a learning curve with all art materials. Don’t be too disappointed with your initial attempts. It can take some time to find a style. With practice you’ll gain the confidence to express your creativity in charcoal.