Charcoal Portrait Drawing

Charcoal Drawing

Modern day example (above) of a charcoal portrait drawing. The quality of this medium is excellent. It should always be framed under glass to protect the artwork.  Hang the finished work away from direct sunlight to protect it from UV rays.

The History of Charcoal drawings: 

Charcoal was often a key component of cave painting with examples dating back to at least 28,000 years ago.[9]

One of the oldest painting is a picture of a zebra found at the Apollo cave in Namibia.

In the renaissance Charcoal was widely used but few works of art survived due to charcoal particles flaking off the canvas. At the end of the 15th century a process of submerging the drawings in a gum bath was implemented to prevent the charcoal from flaking away. charcoal paintings date as far back as ca.23,000 BC. 

www.CamilleBarnesStudio.com

Scandalous Artist

Caravaggio was know to use prostitutes as models, as in this painting of the death of Mary (mother of Jesus). circa1606 It was documented that the painting was rejected by the patron who commissioned it because of that - or the other reason for rejection might have been because of the improper manner in how Mary was depicted.  

It can be seen at the Louve in Paris.

www.CamilleBarnesStudio.com

Michelangelo

When it was unveiled a proud Michelangelo stood by and watched as people admired the beautiful Pieta. However, what was pride quickly turned into anger as he overheard a group of people attributing the work to other artists of his time. That anger caused Michelangelo to add one last thing to his sculpture. Going down the sash on the Virgin Mary, Michelangelo carved his name. He later regretted that his emotions got the best of him and vowed to never sign another one of his works again.

www.CamilleBarnesStudio.com

Their surroundings were killing them...

Scheele's Green was invented in 1775 by Carl Wilhelm Scheele.  The pigment was originally prepared by making a solution of sodium carbonate at a temperature of around 90 °C, then slowly adding arsenious oxide, while constantly stirring until everything had dissolved. This produced a sodium arsenite solution. In the 19th century the toxicity of arsenic compounds was not readily known. 19th century journals reported of children wasting away in bright green rooms, of ladies in green dresses swooning and newspaper printers being overcome by arsenic vapors. There is one example of an acute poisoning of children attending a Christmas party where dyed candles were burned.  During Napoleon's exile in St. Helena, he resided in a very luxurious room painted bright green, his favorite color. His cause of death is generally believed to be stomach cancer, and arsenic exposure has been linked to an increased risk of gastric carcinoma.

www.CamilleBarnesStudio.com

Great work of art

Leonardo da Vinci – The Foetus in the Womb (c 1510-13)

Leonardo expresses the human condition in a nutshell – indeed, his rendition of the womb resembles an opened horsechestnut casing. Inside is the beginning of us all laid bare. Five hundred years ago, this artist and scientist could portray the human mystery with a wonder that is not religious but biological he holds up humanity as a fact of nature. It is for me the most beautiful work of art in the world. 

http://www.theguardian.com

Michelangelo

When it was unveiled a proud Michelangelo stood by and watched as people admired the beautiful Pieta. However, what was pride quickly turned into anger as he overheard a group of people attributing the work to other artists of his time. That anger caused Michelangelo to add one last thing to his sculpture. Going down the sash on the Virgin Mary, Michelangelo carved his name. He later regretted that his emotions got the best of him and vowed to never sign another one of his works again.