Drawing in Charcoal Dust (video)

This is my 1st attempt at a video of artwork in progress. 
Unfortunately, since I was alone in my studio without a tripod, I had to hold the "point and shoot" camera with my left hand while at the same time while drawing with my right hand! 
Not very professional way to go about video documenting.

The saving grace here is accompaniment of two acoustic guitar compositions: "Wooden Kimono" and "Black Tides".
These were written and played by Noah Parsonage

By the way... I have been asked about the covering on my finger.  Although it looks sort of  "questionable", this protective finger covering is actually sold in art supply stores for this specific purpose.

Scholar's Rock II

This charcoal is a second version of a "Scholar's Rock" formation.  Such rocks served as objects of meditation for scholars and were admired for their abstract beauty and unusual convoluted shapes symbolizing mountainous landscapes of Buddhist and Taoist immortals.

I started this one (like the last) by rubbing my fingers in charcoal dust and smudging the paper with it much like finger painting!

Highlighs are then brought back in by what is call "negative drawing"....or ERASING!

(click of any photo to enlarge for better detail)

Although it is messy and does not mix with finger food snacking, this method has the effect of creating soft gradations without the use of harsh lines.


BTW:  I actually documented this one with my little point and shoot set in video mode and hope to post it soon.   Well...as soon as I teach myself how to edit video!

Scholar's Rock

Scholar's Rock

Due to unforeseen circumstances and lack of studio opportunity, my painting has recently been curtailed. 
In the meantime I turned instead to experimenting with drawing media and techniques that are less familiar to me.

This is the first stage of a charcoal...a WIP or work in progress.
(you can click on images to view them larger)

This image is loosely based on a rock formation called a "Scholar's Rock".  

These formations are found mostly in China in areas such as Lake Taihu, and are greatly prized as objects of meditation and contemplation.
They are considered to be objects of great aesthetic value throughout the world.  Many are found here in gardens and in major museums from Boston to San Francisco.

This is not done with charcoal pencils or sticks...but rather with charcoal dust directly drawn with my finger.  Occasionally I use a blending stump or an eraser as a drawing tool.

Rather than producing the darks and lights with instruments or pencils, I prefer sinking in the dark areas with hands and fingers. 

This way, I get more of a feeling of building and molding the nooks and crannies rather than "reproducing" them!