tists' charcoal is a form of dry art medium made of finely grounded organic materials that are held

together by a gum or wax binder; which can also be produced without the use of binders by eliminating
the oxygen inside the material during the production process.[1] These charcoals are often used by
artists for their versatile properties such as the rough texture that leaves marks less permanent than other
art mediums.[2] roducing lines that are very light or intensely black while being easily removable and
vulnerable to leave stains on paper. The dry medium can be applied to almost any surface from smooth
to a very coarse.!ixatives are often used with charcoal drawings to solidify the positions to prevent
erasing or rubbing off of charcoal dusts.
The method to create artists" charcoal is much similar to that of charcoal used throughout different types
of fields such as producing gunpowder and cooking fuel. Therefore the type of wood material and
preparation method allows different variation of charcoal to be produced.[#]
Contents
1 Types
2 $rt techni%ues
2.1 &atching
2.2 'ubbing
2.# (ifting )*rasing+
# &istory
, 'eferences
Types
There are various types and uses of charcoal as an art medium- but the commonly used types are.
/ompressed- 0ine- and encil.
Compressed charcoal ) also referred as charcoal sticks+ are shaped into a block or form of a stick.
1ntensity of the shade is determined by hardiness. The amount of gum or wax binders used during the
production process affects the hardiness. 2oft hardiness leaves intensely black markings while &ard
hardiness leave light markings.[,] Vine charcoal are long and thin piece of charcoal stick that are the
result of burning sticks or vines in a kiln without air. The removable properties of vine charcoal from
dusting and erasing is favored by artists for making preliminary sketches or basic composition. This also
makes vine charcoal less suitable for creating detailed images.
Charcoal pencils are compressed charcoals that are wrapped with a layer of wood. The design of
charcoal pencils are similar to that of graphite pencils while keeping intact with the properties of
charcoal. 3ften used for fine and crisp detailed drawings while keeping the user"s handle from being
marked during its use.[citation needed]
3ther types of artists" charcoal such as charcoal crayons were developed during the 14th century and
were used by caricaturists.[5] Charcoal powders are used to create patterns and pouncing- a
transferring method of patterns from one surface to another.[citation needed]
There are variation of each types of artists" charcoal that ranges from different levels of shading to
hardiness. roduction from different companies can vary due to additional materials that are included
such as clay.[6]
Art techniques
aper used with artists" charcoal can vary in %uality with rough texture which allows charcoal particles
to stay on the paper. The use of toned paper allows different possibilities as white charcoals can be
included to create contrast with the black charcoals.[7]
Hatching
Rubbing
Lifting (rasing!
History
1n the renaissance /harcoal was widely used but few works of art survived due to the charcoal particles
flake off the canvas. $t the end of the 15th century a process of submerging the drawings in a 8um bath
to prevent the charcoal from flaking away.[citation needed] /harcoal paintings date as far back as
ca.2#-999 :/*. 3ne of the oldest painting is a picture of a ;ebra fond at the $pollo cave in <amibia.[=]
[page needed] 2ince then many cultures practiced with charcoal and used it as camouflage and rite of
passage. >any indigenous people such as $ustralian- parts of $frica- <ew ?ealand- acific 1slands- parts
of $sia and more still practice body painting for rite of passage. !rom child birth- weddings- spiritual
ritual- war- hunting- and death. >any artist use charcoal because of is uni%ue dark black strokes which is
caused by the charcoal dragging across a canvas. The weak structure of charcoal causes the material to
flake off onto the canvas. 2ince the charcoal is very hard to make fine lines many artist smear- smudge or
erase to give the painting depth )#@ effect+.[citation needed]