Description
CCS at Frogmore Street – Spring 2026 – Charcoal & Coloured Pencil
In this series of termly half day workshops we will look at a range of art materials exploring their properties and the effects you can acheive when applying them in different ways. Through each term we will work from a range of stiumuli, the aim being to broaden the student understanding of how a specific medium can be used. Activities will investigate both loose approaches and more controlled application to build a broad knowledge of the varied outcomes that can be achieved with each set of materials explored. Suitable for all abilities.
Tutor: Jude Lowery Day: Thursday Time: 10.00 – 13.00
Location: Frogmore Street Gallery, Abergavenny
Spring 2026 Dates: January 8th / 22nd February 5th / 19th March 5th / 19th
6 workshops – £225 pp
Spring Topic: Charcoal & Coloured Pencil
Splitting the term into two three week blocks the first half will investigate the use of charcoal and the second half, coloured pencils. In both blocks students will initially work from a central set of resources, thereafter there will be time for students to apply their awareness of the media to their own choice of imagery.
In the first blok we will be exploring the way charcoal can be applied to create a range of marks from the softness seen in the work of David Poole to the boldness of Anita Taylor.
The activities will be broken down so that students gain an understanding of:
– The difference between willow and compressed charcoal.
– The way willow charcoal can be applied and worked with varying tools to achieve a variety of tonal values and textural effects. (Cloth, bristle brush, paper stub, shaper tool)
– The way willow charcoal can be removed with erasers to create highlights.
– The way a brush and water can be used in conjunction with willow charcoal.
– The way layers of charcoal can be ‘fixed’ in stages to allow greater depth of tone to be achieved.
– The way ‘scratching’ into the paper surface can be used with the charcoal to gain a fine series of linear marking creating an almost etched effect.
– The way white chalk can be mixed with the charcoal.
In the second block we will be exploring the way that coloured pencils can be applied to achieve drawings with a high level of detail and sense of realism. This block will focus on the production of several drawings exploring how:
– Coloured pencils can be applied and blended to attain a sense of form.
– How the texture of fur can be recorded with the use of different marks.
– How tonal values impact the depth within a picture.
– How a sense of shine can be achieved when depicting an eye or an object made from a reflective material.
– How paper surface can impact the results achieved.
– How colours can be mixed to bring a drawing to life.
