Just because I graduated with an art degree, doesn't mean studying human anatomy stops right there. Of course, I need to go back to basics to enhance my skills on drawing human figures even though we have already made this several times in art school. So, I made this using charcoal pencils.

I found the lovely reference photo from the website Art Model Tips. They have helped many artists study human anatomy by giving them easy access to nude photos of models.

Let me share with you the process and some tips:

Materials Used

Graphite Pencil
Charcoal Pencils
Kneaded Eraser
Sandpaper
Paintbrush
Cotton
Blending Stump

Drawing the Contour

I drew the contour of the subject using graphite pencil. It is better to use it with light pressure for you to be able to erase that easily later on.

Applying the Charcoal

Since I don't have a charcoal powder (Yes! It exists!), I made use of the sandpaper and scratched the pencil to powder it. I then made use of a soft paint brush and applied it to the subject.

Eh? Why not use the charcoal pencil directly and shade it to the subject? Well, I could also do that. If I am going to use the pencil, the lines will be sharp. I don't want that. Since I am aiming for a soft and blended effect, I made use of the powdered charcoal since it will be quite hard to blend using the pencil directly.

Making Sharp Lines

Now, here's the part where I used the charcoal pencil directly! I made the sharp lines to emphasize the shape of the subject.

Blending the Lines

I used the blending stump to make the lines less sharp for a realistic approach.

Adding the Background and Emphasizing Highlights

I applied the charcoal powder using a cotton for a much softer effect. I used the eraser for the highlights. Notice the edges and the subject's back!

Applying Final Touch

Lastly, I emphasized the highlights and shadows and added the details on the hand and foot. I also added my digital signature because writing it using the charcoal pencil will make my handwriting look awful! Lol.

I hope you learned something from this.
That's all for today.