Charcoal Portraits on Toned Paper - 2 days - GOLD COAST - JULY 2024 with Manuela Pilz

With step-by-step demonstrations, participants will have the opportunity to learn about how to draw a head, neck and shoulders and the features of the face but this year you will work with a three-quarter angle which is the most common angle in portraiture. 

You will be introduced to the tools and guidelines that help get proportions and dynamic and helpful warm up exercises will be given in how to draw tonally with white and black charcoal. Manuela will, throughout the two days, give guidance, feedback, and support. 

The reference images will be supplied by Manuela and time will be given to explaining the process of choosing a good reference image for a tonal drawing. You will look at how light reveals the forms on the face and how you can show this in your drawings. 

Level

Beginners to portraiture are welcome

This class is recommended for those who have not only drawn for some time but also for those who have done any of the 1-Day drawing workshops at Artable and are ready for drawing a large head using different types of charcoal. If you are not sure whether you are ready, please contact our staff for advice.

If you attended the workshop last year or the year before

As each year Manuela focuses on a different angle of the head, you can revisit this workshop and still learn.  This workshop will be a perfect opportunity for you to revise these skills but with a different image and different angle.   

If you have drawn a great deal before and have finished the first studies and head at the end of the first day, you can work on an image brought in by you on the second day. It is important to look at Manuela's guidelines on photo reference photos (info below) and it is recommended you draw adults not children to practice the proportions taught in class. For those of you learning to draw the face for the first time, it is recommended you work from a photo reference supplied by the teacher to avoid unnecessary challenges.

MATERIAL LIST

Important: Please do not buy any Montmartre brand of art materials

• Charcoal pencils preferably General’s orange ones. Wolff’s Carbon pencils are good. Do not recommend the black General's charcoal pencils as too soft or Derwent
• 1 X  hard, 1 x medium, 1 x  soft
• White charcoal pencil General's or White Pitt pastel pencil. 
• Coates willow charcoal mixed. 
• 1 x A2 Cansons Mi Tientes pastel paper in mid toned colours. (Not the Mi Tientes Touch series just standard pastel paper). Fabriano Tiziano can work too. You will cut this A2 sheet in half and work with an A3 size in class. Colours Manuela recommends for a classical look are the light blue, steel grey, flannel grey, sand, or moonstone.

For a more dramatic effect, a stronger colour can be used but a medium tone range and not too dark. Manuela sometimes use an ochre, dark yellow like hemp, dark orange or red with a Tuscan or terracotta feel for a more contemporary effect. It should be earthy and not too high chroma.   Check with Leanne at Musgrave Art in Southport that whatever paper you choose has a medium tone to it. 

OR invest in Fabriano toned paper sage, sand, sea or clay. They are already in a A3 size but you cannot buy individually only in a block. You do not need all this block but if you like this paper buy one and share with friends. The paper is smoother and will be different to the Canson. 

• Access to paper or a sketchbook to take notes during the demo and a pencil. 
• Kneadable eraser
• Tombow eraser
• Blending stumps
• Hard eraser
• Pencil sharpener
• Stanley Knife or blade for sharpening
• Scissors
• 4 x bulldog clips 
• Artist’s masking tape
• A measuring stick: a knitting needle or a wooden skewer that is straight.
• A portfolio to keep your drawings in.
• Fixative Spray
• A small mirror. 

About photo references

Although Manuela highly recommends drawing portraits from life, in this workshop you will be working from photos as it is an introduction to drawing with charcoal on toned paper. Manuela will have photo references for you to work with. Choosing the appropriate photo reference so often is challenging as what looks good in a photo does not always translate to a good drawing or painting. In this class, Manuela will explain why she chose the images. 

For those of you who have finished drawing from the reference photo early, there may be time for you to work from your own photo reference if they are good photo references. Manuela has posted below some advice from Stephen Prokopenko on how to choose good photo reference and there is also a lengthy YouTube video.

http://www.stanprokopenko.com/blog/2009/04/choose-good-photo-reference/

How to Identify Good Reference Photos for Art - YouTube

Note: We provide easels for this workshop. 

LOCATION
The Royal QLD Art Society (RQAS) 25 Broadbeach Blvd, Broadbeach

BOOKING CONDITIONS

Please note that Artable does not provide refunds for workshops under any circumstances. If you provide more than 7 days notice, you can apply for a credit to another workshop. Check our refunds page for further details and COVID-19 related policies.

Please note that if a workshop is sold out a sold out sign will appear on the listing and you will be unable to book in. If a workshop does not have the number or spots that you require, a note will pop up saying 'out of stock'.

LUNCH
There are several options in walking distance and a fridge on site if you'd prefer to bring your own.

PARKING
You can park in the surrounding streets or in the carpark behind the venue. Please allow time for parking as it can be busy around RQAS.  Do not park on the grass behind RQAS or you will get a parking ticket. There is an elevator if you need it.

Location:

RQAS 25 Broadbeach Blvd, Broadbeach 4218 QLD