How powerful can charcoal be in the right hands ✨ history of charcoal, and sketch with me ✏️

Art Life this week:
Charcoal - everything you need to know!
A introduction week inspired by the medium of charcoal, (some history, methodologies, artists) and how I use it in my artistic practise to help with “painting ideas” development.
Recommend reading and links include:
🎨 I use Nitrim charcoal personally, here’s a great article:
nitramcharcoal.com/blogs/blog...
arthistoryproject.com/mediums...
www.moma.org/collection/terms...
The MET Museum in NYC have acquired some recent drawings too, anyone in the Big Apple, I’m very jealous if you get to see them!
www.metmuseum.org/about-the-m...
And
www.metmuseum.org/about-the-m...
www.britannica.com/art/charco...
spokenvision.com/charcoal-one...
🧑‍🎨Artists I mention who are big influences for charcoal in art include / Redon, Frank Auerbach, Matisse, Picasso, Mondrian, Klee,
Kathë Kollwitz, Henri Moore, Dürer, Sargent, Whistler, Degas, Da Vinci… the list goes ON and ON and ON!!!
(Contemporary reference is Reece www.reece-jones.com/ for anyone interested in amazing draftsmanship in current London art world, check him out!)
📚Books: Drawing With Charcoal by Kate Boucher
Lessons in Charcoal Drawing by Douglas Graves
Exploring Hyperrealism by Marti Cormand
To name a few!
I hope you enjoy this window into my practise!
See you every week for more Art Life escapades!
Don’t forget to be a legend and “like, subscribe and comment” thank you!!
Jessie xx
www.jessoliver.co.uk

[@nosferdox]

I friking love charcoal. Was mostly digital but wanted to do more traditional and found charcoal. I love the fast pace of it, movement, flow and energy.

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

Thanks for commenting @nosferdox!

[@bethrify]

I am thrilled to have discovered you. There is just so much out there, which is superficial. Thank you for sharing not only your practice, but your references to both history and contemporary artists.

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

Thanks so much for your lovely comment Beth! You are most welcome to the channel ☺

[@TonySwaby]

I work mostly in charcoal which I make myself. My favourite wood is Hazel

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

Thanks for commenting Tony!

[@Erikahaley98]

Another incredible video! I loved seeing a glimpse into your charcoal and "hybrid" work. I believe charcoal often gets overlooked and cast aside as a sort of a means to an end; however, there is something so magical about the medium on its own. With this notion in mind, I am glad you created a video addressing charcoal on its own to highlight all of the possibilities it affords. I have SO many comments but it all comes down to the fact that I am SO INSPIRED! As I mentioned in a previous comment on another video, I have been wanting to dip my toe into painting and I think this concept of hybrid charcoal work is an excellent way to do so.

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

Thanks for your lovely comment Erika! I’m so glad you feel inspired give it a go and let us know how it goes 👍🏻

[@jumanas4012]

That reminds me i saw a portrait in charcoal in Lausanne switzerland i was mesmerise by it the image felt so real but did not know what medium was used ❤

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

oooh love being mesmerised! can you remember the name of the piece/ artist?

[@christophemeathrel508]

Thank you for the education about how you review charcoal. Much appreciated. A’bientot, 💙🤍❤️🍷🇫🇷🇬🇧

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

Thanks for watching Christophe!

[@anthonyw2931]

This IS inspiring. I’ve been using graphite and somewhat tentative about using charcoal. It feels a little out of my skill level and lack the space to use it. But I marvel at the artworks

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

Thanks for watching Anthony!

[@ScottHebertArt]

"With great charcoal power comes great art responsibility" - Spidermans Uncle Ben probably

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

😂

[@ZeroToFinals]

Wow, I'm blown away by this video! Really took the content to the next level. Love the format - learning about charcoal never felt so engaging and interesting!

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

Thanks zero To Finals

[@martimajor4766]

Your videos are so well produced. You make art and video into a medium. So sensitive and inspirational. Grateful!!! 🥰

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

Thanks for your wonderful comment Marti! The art of collaboration- maybe that should be a future episode....

[@MoniqueWaechterLavanya]

This was a very interesting take on the medium charcoal. For a while, I thought I should go straight to painting, although I actually enjoy line work a lot! Watching this inspired me to just do what I enjoy-even if it is "just" charcoal. Thanks for another very informative and well-produced video.

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

Wonderful Monique so glad you’re inspired to do what you enjoy!! It’s so important! Thanks for watching 🥰

[@carlosdommar]

Great video, and yes I am loving charcoal more and more too!

[@boowart567]

i really love your work!

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

Thanks for watching!

[@janeulalia]

Beautiful film!

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

Thanks 🙏🏻

[@chrisadams6124]

Great Video. Fantastic and very helpful!

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

Thanks Chris! Glad it helped

[@bluedogbluey6742]

I was just wondering, when using a brush to use with charcoal, can you use a brush that you would normally use for painting or would you keep a separate brush for charcoal. I don't know if I'm making sense, I'm pretty tired...Great video, heaps of references.

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

Hey Bluedog, as long as you clean thoroughly any brush can work / I used a brush here for more “control when blending,” but you can get amazing tools for blending charcoal and pencil too, so much choice out there! Thanks for messaging and watching!

[@janefordham1783]

Thankyou Jess, I shall give charcoal a go !

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

Thanks for watching Jane good luck with the charcoal 👍🏻

[@michaelm5926]

@4:55 Sorry, but this is an etching by Dürer not a charcoal drawing

[@jackwoolston3998]

Nice video but the work you specifically reference in regards to durer knight death and the devil is not charcoal it’s an engraving produced from a large copper plate and at the time he produced this work he had stopped woodcuts and drawings solely focusing on large engraving

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

Hey Jack- Durer is such a maestro- particularly his portrait of his mother in charcoal and study of praying hands with charcoal and chalk highlights, maybe I’ll include more of Durers charcoal work in the next charcoal video - You are absolutely correct by the way!! I think what I should have explained was the ‘charcoal preliminary drawings’ for Knight Death and the Devil master engravings / Meisterstiche 1513 / were essentially as vital as the final copper engraving itself- shadows of charcoal studies years before like “Death Riding” in 1505 (where he was heavily influenced by Da Vinci’s Notebooks and charcoal studies) echo in this piece, and I was reading how Durers charcoal sketches and experiments were intrinsic to such a complicated and complex/symbolic composition as this one and definitely got my wires crossed when using it as a reference !! Thank you so much for making me aware I will make a note to let everyone know !It does make me think that a video on “preliminary sketches before big master artworks in history” could be a great idea for a future episode! Jessie

[@johngolby1]

Great as always, but music too intrusive. Less is more.... :-)

[@ArtLifeWeekly]

Thanks for the feedback John

[@carlorossi1261]

The music is anoying

[@retardno002]

Sorry but most of the Renaissance 'charcoal' drawings thay you showed were either silverpoint or a mixture of silverpoint and charcoal (used sparingly, mainly for the longer lines such as contours or hair strands). All the ones that look brownish are straight up silvetpoint, the brown tint is oxidized silver and isn't how they originally looked, they had more of a graphite cool grey tone when they were fresh. Edit: ok now this is too much, the one at 3:12 is an ink drawing 😐 Edit 2: Dürer's 'Knight, Death, and the Devil' is an engraving, and he was never notorious for his charcoal use, you might have overstimates the impoetance of charcoal in early Renaissance...