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Artists

femmedem

(8,445 posts) Sat Jan 4, 2020, 06:14 PM Jan 2020

A new self-portrait drawing. Wanted to work with charcoal on toned paper. (large image) [View all]

Eventually I want to make my own charcoal--I've got some wild grapevines in my yard that would be perfect--but I bought this charcoal from someone on Etsy who handmade it. I was happy to find charcoal that didn't come encased in plastic packaging!

Sorry about the giant image. I should have uploaded a smaller one to Imgur.

44 replies

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A new self-portrait drawing. Wanted to work with charcoal on toned paper. (large image) [View all] femmedem Jan 2020 OP

You look beautiful! And I really like the larger image. CaliforniaPeggy Jan 2020 #1

Thanks so much, California Peggy! femmedem Jan 2020 #4

Awesome. my brother is getting into paper making, aimed at ppl with your skills. Kurt V. Jan 2020 #2

Oooh! Feel free to send me some DU mail when he's got paper for sale. femmedem Jan 2020 #3

i will :) thanks Kurt V. Jan 2020 #5

Beautiful drawing. BarbaRosa Jan 2020 #6

Yes, I think it could. femmedem Jan 2020 #10

It's awesome lunatica Jan 2020 #7

Oh! Thank you! femmedem Jan 2020 #11

The eyes intrigue me. TomSlick Jan 2020 #8

Thank you! It was getting past midnight when I finished and I kept erasing and reworking the eyes femmedem Jan 2020 #12

It worked. TomSlick Jan 2020 #15

Very well done! Ohiogal Jan 2020 #9

Thank you! femmedem Jan 2020 #13

Wow! And charcoal is sooooo hard to work with especially for a fine detailed portrait like this, emmaverybo Jan 2020 #14

Thanks! Charcoal feels like playing to me: not intimidating. I can't get too detailed femmedem Jan 2020 #30

Wow! That is really superb! Mickju Jan 2020 #16

Thank you, Mickju. femmedem Jan 2020 #31

You're very good. (And beautiful!) fierywoman Jan 2020 #17

Thank you! femmedem Jan 2020 #33

Very impressive! panader0 Jan 2020 #18

Thanks. I don't know if I have talent but I've been studying and practicing. femmedem Jan 2020 #34

You look great! bluecollar2 Jan 2020 #19

Thanks! Way back when I joined, DU seemed more misogynistic at times. femmedem Jan 2020 #32

ohm myyyyy! . AllaN01Bear Jan 2020 #20

Thanks so much! femmedem Jan 2020 #38

That is really good. Sloumeau Jan 2020 #21

Thanks! She has a drawable face for sure. femmedem Jan 2020 #35

That is beautiful! BadGimp Jan 2020 #22

Thank you for your kind words. femmedem Jan 2020 #37

Exquisite! Are you a professional artist? I would say you are! MLAA Jan 2020 #23

Thanks! I'm not, except that I did just have a show and sold a handful of paintings. femmedem Jan 2020 #36

Sounds like a wonderful future you have planned 😊 MLAA Jan 2020 #42

You must be so relieved he's doing better! femmedem Jan 2020 #43

When I was in art school we had a guest artist BigmanPigman Jan 2020 #24

I didn't know you'd gone to art school! It's Strathmore 400 recycled toned paper. femmedem Jan 2020 #28

No, the large image is perfect. PoindexterOglethorpe Jan 2020 #25

Well done! Bayard Jan 2020 #26

Thanks! femmedem Jan 2020 #41

Nicely done! The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2020 #27

Ha! Yes, it can get messy! I was holding the sketchpad in one hand and drawing with the other femmedem Jan 2020 #39

I think it's wonderful! Karadeniz Jan 2020 #29

Thank you, Karadeniz! femmedem Jan 2020 #40

I like it. It has a lot of character. JudyM Jan 2020 #44