Figure Drawing

• The human body features characteristics, details and structuring that gives each individual a personal appearance. Charcoal allows artists to sketch out smooth lines that can be easily manipulated. Unlike pen and paint utensils, charcoal allows for quick fixes on any mistakes made during the drawing process. The human body is a very complex and detailed surface, and mistakes are inevitable when getting familiar with charcoal drawing.
  
  

Architecture

• Buildings and other large structures are erected from plans that contain exact measurements. Basic drawings realistically portraying this architecture can be difficult to create. While using charcoal to depict the image of a particular building limits the artist to a black, gray and white color scheme, the texture of this utensil offers a unique way to represent the architecture through a rough rendition.
  
  

Shading

• No matter what subject an artist chooses for the charcoal drawing, shading is the most important element in completing this specific artistic task. Because the actual texture of the charcoal is so loose and grainy, it can easily be shaped to create a fading appearance with a few smears with a finger. Shading is what gives drawings the depth to portray a three-dimensional look, which is why charcoal has remained a popular asset to many artists.
  
  

Charcoal Forms

• There are three basic forms of charcoal types for drawing purposes. Vine charcoal comes packaged as a burnt bundle of sticks, and the hardness of these utensils comes available in soft to hard. Charcoal powder is simply used to cover an entire section of the paper, so its function is very rudimentary. Compressed charcoal combines powdered charcoal with a gum binder to hold it into place, creating a similar shape to the vine charcoal utensils. Choosing the right charcoal form for your project is largely dependent on the level of detailing and darkness of each section. You may want to include all three mediums.