When I first started drawing, I sharpened my pencil and drew lines, as many do. Then I added more lines, rubbing some out until I was half-happy with the shapes and forms. I would add a little shading, carefully following my line-work. I then moved on to charcoal studies, looking at lights and darks – with not a line in sight. I began by smearing some soft charcoal all over my paper and with a squidgy (kneadable) eraser, lightened some areas, then darkened others with more charcoal. As if by magic, a form materialized on the paper, ostensibly all on its own. “Hey!” I thought, “this feels like cheating, must be a fluke.” I tried another, then another. Each time an image jumped out, always with nary a line in sight.

For this drawing I started with a sheet of toned (coloured) drawing paper in order to give the work a nice, bright spring-like feel. At a pinch, any paper will do, and I’ve even tried this with card from the dollar store.

I begin with an application of uncompressed charcoal, in this case not all over the drawing surface, using the side of a charcoal twig (don’t try compressed charcoal which sticks to the paper a good deal more and is difficult to erase). This creates the mid-tone base, or at least a bit of atmosphere. The great thing with charcoal is you can pull out lights and erase easily and so it does not matter if you get charcoal in the “wrong” place.

 

A kneadable eraser is a must – I don’t think I have any conventional erasers anymore. 

Then I laid out the tree focusing on the dark areas, working away with charcoal and focusing on shadow-shapes rather than lines, although I might use a few guide lines at times.

Then, I pull out the lightest areas with my kneadable eraser. I’ll switch back and forth between adding some definition with charcoal and lightening areas with my “eraser”. The important point here is I’m really drawing with the eraser – not rubbing things out per se.

I add some small branches and with the side of my charcoal stick suggest some more to give the drawing some atmosphere. Background trees are separated from the main tree by some lightening, giving it perhaps a little misty morning feel.

Then comes my favorite part – a little highlighting with white chalk. The key is to keep this in check – it’s easy to overdo the effect. Less is definitely more. Note that I’ve made sure a highlight is right next to a very dark area where the bark is peeling – this adds focus.

I add a few birds and I’m done.