Laughing (2007)

Charcoal on tinted paper (8.5" x 11")

For this sketch from a photo taken last summer I tried something
different, a technique I read about in a book by Douglas Graves.
The paper is covered lightly with charcoal and then the areas of
shadow are gradually darkened and the lighter areas are erased,
either with a cloth or the kneaded eraser. It was quite quick and
fairly easy to do. I used charcoal sticks instead of a compressed
charcoal pencil so the charcoal was drier and easier to take off
the paper (too easy, sometimes, as I kept accidentally rubbing off
what I had just done). I will stick with this technique for a
while and see how it goes.