Description
For thousands of years, charcoal has been used as a drawing and painting tool. Varying in color from sepia brown to rich black, this amazing natural resource yields stunning and sometimes surprising results. Working in a small format with the addition of acrylic ink, students will discover the magical alchemy between charcoal and surface, while crafting their own mark-making tools and paint from charred sea sticks, resulting in a profound connection to the natural world.
About the Instructor
Sondra Holtzman is an artist and record keeper of an evolving life. A professional artist for over 30 years, she conducts painting workshops internationally and within the United States. For her, the true joy of being an artist lies not only in the creative process, but in the sharing of her passion with others, helping them to discover their own artistic voice.
Learn More
www.sondraholtzman.com
Materials List
You will need to bring:
“Painterly” clothes and comfortable shoes
Notebook and pen
Any images they find pleasing: landscapes, skies, water, still life
Any natural objects they would like to paint in a still life
A gathering bag of some kind for foraging natural materials
A regular or mechanical pencil
A #10 or #12 synthetic round watercolor brush
A 1/4″ and a 1/2″ synthetic flat watercolor brush
A 3/4″ synthetic mop brush for watercolor
A fine rigger brush
Vine and compressed charcoal
2 cotton washcloths and, if they have one, an old towel
Water container
A small collection of heavy papers: Arches 300 lb., Fabriano, Rosapino
Any images they find inspiring of sky, water, and land. We will also be working outside en plein air
A roll of blue painter’s tape and a surface (foam core or a board) to tape your work to
Daler Rowney FW Acrylic Ink in Black. Purchase of other colors is up to the student
A waterproof Micron pen. I like size .03
A dip pen
An Xacto knife for carving the driftwood sea stick
Mask
Kneaded eraser and a white eraser
A sense of adventure
Provided by instructors:
Mat boards prepared with 1/2 Basics Acrylic White paint and 1/2 house paint. Two coats. Each student receives 5. Note: Cut the boards into different sizes for each day.
Mortar and pestle for grinding the driftwood charcoal
Sieve for sifting out driftwood dust
Container for the driftwood powder to be ground into paint
Large container with lid to contain the driftwood paint
A container to hold the Gum Arabic
Measuring spoons
Whole watercolor pans or a shell for the driftwood paint
Gum Arabic
12 Driftwood sticks to be carved. Bring extra driftwood sticks.
One small prepared stretched canvas with house paint and acrylic mixture
Extra dip pens
Matches or something to burn the tops of the cork with
Corks: Each student gets 5 pure corks and 1 rubber cork to erase with
Burned wood from the forest floor
Driftwood charcoal to grind into paint
Jar of Raven charcoal powder to be shared with the students
Containers for the charcoal powder for each student
Recipes