How to Draw a Charcoal Portrait of a Woman

Hello everyone! Today, we're going to explore a timeless classic of drawing that has endured through the centuries with strength and spontaneity: the charcoal portrait of a woman. Deep, expressive, and full of contrasts, this medium has inspired numerous artists, from ancient masters to contemporary creators.

Get your charcoal and paper ready, let's get started!

Why choose charcoal? 

(from left to right: Prud'hon, Degas, Klimt)

Charcoal is a classic and highly appreciated medium for portrait drawing. Used since antiquity, it is captivating for its richness of contrast and great expressiveness. With it, you can achieve both deep blacks and very subtle gradations, perfect for rendering shadows, facial volumes, and expressions.

It is also very flexible to use: you can sketch energetically, blend to soften, and correct easily thanks to its good erasability. Whether you like sharp lines or softer renders, charcoal offers you great freedom.

Materials

The materials needed to create a charcoal drawing are quite basic. If you would like to learn more about the recommended tools for this technique, I encourage you to read this article dedicated to getting started with charcoal.

1. Charcoal chalk (or stick)

2. Charcoal pencil

3. White eraser

4. Kneaded eraser

5. Blending stump

6. Paper

If you want to make a preliminary sketch in pencil, remember to plan for that as well.

Drawing a charcoal portrait of a woman step by step

For this article, we will focus solely on the charcoal technique itself. I suggest you read this article if you wish to review the basics of pencil portraiture. 

1. I start by making a preliminary sketch, but this step is completely optional.

2. Using a charcoal pencil for more precision, I go over all the lines of the sketch again.

3. I start by adding the first shadows. For this, I use the edge of the charcoal, holding it quite far from the tip to maintain a light touch.

4. I make sure to leave reserves of white to preserve the areas of light.

5. I continue to apply shadows, making sure to follow the curves of the face to achieve a more harmonious result.

6. I intensify the shadows by going over certain areas again. For more precise areas, like the eyes, I use a well-sharpened charcoal pencil.

7. I start to draw the hair using the edge of a charcoal chalk.

8. For a more natural look, the strokes follow the shape and movement of the hair.

9. Now, I am going to darken the hair. For this, I use the tip of the charcoal, which enables me to achieve more precision and intensity.

10. To add highlights, I deliberately leave some areas white. I darken the hair near the scalp on the left to show that it is slightly set back.

Blurring the drawing

11. I start by blending using small, light circular motions.

12. Remember to regularly clean your blending stump by rubbing it on clean white paper or fine sandpaper.

13. I continue to gently blend the different areas, keeping in mind that for a woman's portrait, softness in the stroke is primarily what we are aiming for.

14. I finish by blending the hair, then I add very small details, such as the eyelashes.

And there you have it! Our portrait of a woman is now finished. As you may have noticed, charcoal requires patience and lightness, but it is a very accessible technique that enables you to play with superb shades of black and gray.

With a bit of training, it becomes an excellent way to capture the strength and gentleness of a face.

I hope you enjoyed this article and that it has inspired you to try your hand at charcoal drawing! 😊

Writer and Illustrator: Chloé Pouteau