<p>I'm not a charcoal artist, so this is more in the nature of observation and very general theory.  This question and your other one about drawing the scratches in the armor are about getting very fine and subtle texture, detail, and gradients using charcoal.  Charcoal is a relatively &quot;crude&quot; medium; this kind of life-like detail takes skill.</p>
<p>People who work with charcoal may be able to address media and technique.</p>
<p>My suggestion is to use size.  Think of a B&amp;W laser printer.  It can create reasonable photographic images from just blobs of pitch-black toner by building the image from things that are tiny in relation to the size you see.  If a medium has poorer detail, darkness control, and gradients than you want for realism, its characteristics could be adequate if they are in smaller proportion to a larger picture.  The larger you make the picture, the easier it will be to create detail, shading, and smooth gradients in proportion to it.</p>
<p>That said, Joachim makes a good point in a comment.  Size can be a tool to get more realism from the medium and your skill with it.  But if your goal is to develop your skill, it wouldn't be helpful to use size as a &quot;cheat&quot; instead of developing the skill.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-04T22:59:02.320Z
so our telling me to go big, can you give me a link of where I can buy that big paper? Thanks!
Isaac750
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-04T23:51:14.970Z
@Isaac750, I would guess typical art supply sources.  Perhaps a reader who is more familiar with it can add suggestions.
fixer1234
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T00:53:53.050Z
You can buy charcoal paper pads from many art stores. Charcoal paper comes in a variety of paper colors - you can use white if you want your finished piece to look like the original pencil drawing. If you have white charcoal (for highlights), you can try drawing on a colored or toned background to help give your portrait some depth :) You can also try toned paper later as you become more comfortable with the medium.
Flora Su
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T00:56:56.593Z
I would also recommend using a tortillion for blending. This is basically a rolled piece of paper with a point, which you can either make yourself or buy. (There are YouTube videos showing how you can make one yourself.) These are better to blend with than using your fingers, since your skin contains moisture and oils, which can cause the charcoal to clump to smear unevenly.
Flora Su
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T02:29:58.113Z
I do use them! but her skin is too, like, precise, you know like, if you mess up a little bit( with charcoal) it leaves a stain and that freaks me up lol, but I managed to fix it :), I think the problem is the paper, the brand is "Soho studio". yeah. I know. some weird brand :p
Isaac750
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T08:22:03.537Z
I feel the acceptance of this answer could indicate too great an emphasis on size. The question is how to blend charcoal so it might look more like skin. Blending with charcoal can be done on virtually any (practical) size of paper. Naturally one can add more detail to a greater surface, but this is about technique, which will require skill, and one can learn to work with charcoal in a very controlled, detailed way.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T10:27:13.203Z
@Isaac750, Joachim makes a good point about the emphasis on size.  Realistic portraits can be made with charcoal; it takes skill.  Not being an artist, I just did a little research after Joachim's comment, and was amazed at the realism that is possible when someone has the skill.  With less skill, going bigger would make it easier to get realism.  If you already have the skill, going bigger lets you squeeze more realism from it.  You're trying to learn and develop the skill.  Relying on size would be kind of a crutch to make skill less important.  (cont'd)
fixer1234
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T10:27:39.263Z
That won't help you get good at it.  By not going big, the less-than-perfect results along the way will be more obvious and are what will provide the learning.  So my answer isn't the best advice for someone early into charcoal, and doesn't really address how to do it.  You might want to consider retracting the checkmark and applying it to a better answer.  :-)
fixer1234
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T18:46:14.787Z
Yes! i have the skill and thank you for telling me that I would learn more by moving to a bigger size, I really appreciate yall's help!
Isaac750
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-04T21:18:06.667Z
2021-01-05T11:38:15.887Z
2021-01-05T11:38:15.887Z
fixer1234
<p>You will probably need <strong>medium and soft charcoal</strong> for creating smoothly blended surfaces (like her skin), and some <strong>hard charcoals</strong> or perhaps even a <strong>carbon pencil</strong> (which contains a mixture of charcoal and graphite) for the crisp textures of her armor and the fine lines of her hair.</p>
<p>For blending, you may want to use a <strong>tortillion</strong> or a <strong>blending stump</strong> and a <strong>kneaded eraser</strong>.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/oJhVS.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/oJhVS.png" alt="Tortillons and blending stumps" /></a></p>
<p><em>Source: <a href="https://rapidfireart.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://rapidfireart.com/</a> &lt;-- also has many great tutorials on how to shade</em></p>
<p><strong>Tortillons</strong> and <strong>blending stumps</strong> are tightly rolled pieces of paper with a tapered tip. You can either buy them from an art store or make one yourself. They can be used with both pencil and charcoal, and they're better for blending than using your fingers, since your skin contains moisture and oils, which can cause the charcoal to clump to smear unevenly.</p>
<p>Here is a thorough response describing how you can use a blending stump or tortillon for blending: <a href="https://crafts.stackexchange.com/questions/532/how-do-i-get-a-blur-effect-in-pencil-drawings">How do I get a blur effect in pencil drawings?</a></p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/14pOU.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/14pOU.png" alt="Kneaded eraser" /></a>
<em>Source: <a href="https://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/10-essential-drawing-materials-and-tools-for-beginners" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/10-essential-drawing-materials-and-tools-for-beginners</a></em></p>
<p>A <strong>kneaded eraser</strong> is a soft, stretchy, gummy material that can be used for lifting, removing, and blending charcoal or pencil. Aside from removing &quot;mistakes,&quot; erasers are also great for blending. This video does a nice job of demonstrating some different techniques for using kneaded erasers with charcoal:
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIAKBVfl_YU" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIAKBVfl_YU</a></p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/yWVTf.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/yWVTf.png" alt="Strathmore charcoal paper" /></a>
<em>Source: <a href="https://phoenixartsupplies.com/art-supplies/strathmore-500-series-charcoal-sheets/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://phoenixartsupplies.com/art-supplies/strathmore-500-series-charcoal-sheets/</a></em></p>
<p>As for <strong>paper</strong> - there are many different types of paper out there for use with charcoal. You can usually find charcoal paper pads at art stores. You could draw on white paper, like the original pencil drawing. But if you have white charcoals (for drawing highlights), you could use toned paper. This can help make your subject &quot;pop&quot; off the page. For sketching and practicing, newsprint paper is a great (cheaper) alternative.</p>
<p>Here are some good resources for learning about types of charcoal paper and their characteristics:</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://nitramcharcoal.com/selecting-perfect-paper-charcoal-drawing/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://nitramcharcoal.com/selecting-perfect-paper-charcoal-drawing/</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.artistsnetwork.com/art-mediums/drawing/best-paper-for-charcoal-drawing/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.artistsnetwork.com/art-mediums/drawing/best-paper-for-charcoal-drawing/</a></li>
</ol>
<p>Hopefully this helps! Feel free to ask any questions. I'm not a professional artist, but I've had some experience with charcoals and pastels. If anyone else has additional tips, feel free to comment below.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T02:11:55.683Z
the tortillion and blending stump are the same thing! or... am I wrong? I use them both for the same thing, and it goes pretty well.
Isaac750
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T02:13:39.610Z
uhmm, and I wouldnt use soft charcoal for the skin, the skin's shades arent that dark, I would use hard and medium
Isaac750
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T08:17:29.363Z
Hi Flora, I feel you're partially answering the question from another thread, that asked for "quality materials for drawing", which is too broad/a matter of opinion. I feel the matter of paper when it comes to drawing skin is mostly a matter of texture: too rough and the skin might look 'speckled', too smooth and the charcoal might not blend/blur properly. Can you add something about that to your answer, so it focuses more on the question at hand?
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T08:27:36.827Z
@Isaac750 I think Flora mentions soft charcoal not for the intensity of colour, but for the ease with which it can be blended. The harder the charcoal, the harder it will be to blend. As for the difference between the tortillon and blending stump, see the linked thread ([here](https://crafts.stackexchange.com/a/533/6388)).
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T13:00:11.990Z
@Isaac750 intensity/darkness of the resultant image really depends on _how_ you use the charcoal and how you aply the other tools. a very light pass with soft charcoal followed by appropriate erasing and blending will likely get you much better results (albeit for a lot more effort) than trying to use medium or hard charcoal for the skin. Soft charcoal, just like soft graphite and softer oil pastels, quite simply blends more smoothly than harder media, making it much easier to get the kind of smooth non-linear gradients your reference image has.
Austin Hemmelgarn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T18:51:40.787Z
so you're telling me that the soft charcoal isn't just for the intensity, it's also used to blend? how'd u do that? I mean, as soon I put the soft charcoal in the paper, its already leaving a DARK mark, how do you blend? that's why the paper stumps are for
Isaac750
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T20:03:56.677Z
@Isaac750 Don't press so hard. Try doing some practice exercises so that you're not worried about messing up something important. The normal exercise is to draw "solids" (sphere, cone, cylinder, cube, etc.) to quickly practice shading.
user3067860
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T21:38:22.197Z
With respect to blending & paper texture - I've found that it partly depends on how thickly you're applying the charcoal. If you're using a palette of different shades of charcoal (e.g. white, gray, & black), you can apply soft charcoals quite thickly on a very rough paper, & it can still blend somewhat smoothly (though it might have a "grainy" look).
Flora Su
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T21:41:24.020Z
Continued: But this depends on what style of markings you're using for your drawing. If you want the white of the paper to show through for highlights, like in the original drawing, then you'll want to use smoother or finer-toothed paper. You'll still want paper with some "tooth" to it, so that the charcoal has something to grab onto.
Flora Su
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T01:42:02.287Z
2021-01-05T01:52:21.200Z
2021-01-05T01:52:21.200Z
Flora Su
<p>I've been drawing Wonder Woman for quite a long time. Since she has a lot of bare skin, it's kinda hard to draw it without pencils, using only charcoal.<br />
Here's the reference image I'm using:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/2v3XM.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/2v3XMm.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a><br />
<sup>Artwork by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shierly_arts/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Shierly Lin</a>. Click for larger version.</sup></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-04T20:03:00.900Z
Related: https://crafts.stackexchange.com/questions/8281/how-to-draw-human-body-in-chest-collarbone-area/ and https://crafts.stackexchange.com/questions/532/how-do-i-get-a-blur-effect-in-pencil-drawings/. I think your question could be a duplicate of the second question linked, but that consideration left me wondering what exactly you're asking for here: how to draw skin, or how to control the blending of charcoal. Can you specify that in your question?
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T08:29:11.867Z
Thank you, Isaac :) By the way, can you answer the question in my first comment? I feel like this thread at the moment is a duplicate of either/both of the threads I linked.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T18:43:01.130Z
yes!, the question was at the title, how to blend it, like, a techinique
Isaac750
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T22:14:52.387Z
do you guys see a "duplicate" on title? why is this happening??
Isaac750
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-05T22:24:06.650Z
Isaac, I turned two of your questions into duplicates, because there are very similar threads here already, and this way we can keep this platform clean and organized. This is also the reason I asked what exactly your question was. If you don't agree with the closure, please let us know how your questions differ, and why you think they deserve their own threads.
Joachim
<drawing><charcoal><blending><technique-selection>
How do I blend charcoal enough to make it look like a skin surface?
Isaac750
# How do I blend charcoal enough to make it look like a skin surface?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-01-04)

I've been drawing Wonder Woman for quite a long time. Since she has a lot of bare skin, it's kinda hard to draw it without pencils, using only charcoal.  
Here's the reference image I'm using:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/2v3XMm.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/2v3XM.jpg)  
Artwork by [Shierly Lin](https://www.instagram.com/shierly_arts/). Click for larger version.

**Tags:** drawing, charcoal, blending, technique-selection

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Related: https://crafts.stackexchange.com/questions/8281/how-to-draw-human-body-in-chest-collarbone-area/ and https://crafts.stackexchange.com/questions/532/how-do-i-get-a-blur-effect-in-pencil-drawings/. I think your question could be a duplicate of the second question linked, but that consideration left me wondering what exactly you're asking for here: how to draw skin, or how to control the blending of charcoal. Can you specify that in your question?  
> **username_1**: Thank you, Isaac :) By the way, can you answer the question in my first comment? I feel like this thread at the moment is a duplicate of either/both of the threads I linked.  
> **username_0**: yes!, the question was at the title, how to blend it, like, a techinique  
> **username_0**: do you guys see a "duplicate" on title? why is this happening??  
> **username_1**: Isaac, I turned two of your questions into duplicates, because there are very similar threads here already, and this way we can keep this platform clean and organized. This is also the reason I asked what exactly your question was. If you don't agree with the closure, please let us know how your questions differ, and why you think they deserve their own threads.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2021-01-05. Score: 4

You will probably need **medium and soft charcoal** for creating smoothly blended surfaces (like her skin), and some **hard charcoals** or perhaps even a **carbon pencil** (which contains a mixture of charcoal and graphite) for the crisp textures of her armor and the fine lines of her hair.

For blending, you may want to use a **tortillion** or a **blending stump** and a **kneaded eraser**.

[![Tortillons and blending stumps](https://i.sstatic.net/oJhVS.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/oJhVS.png)

*Source: <https://rapidfireart.com/> <-- also has many great tutorials on how to shade*

**Tortillons** and **blending stumps** are tightly rolled pieces of paper with a tapered tip. You can either buy them from an art store or make one yourself. They can be used with both pencil and charcoal, and they're better for blending than using your fingers, since your skin contains moisture and oils, which can cause the charcoal to clump to smear unevenly.

Here is a thorough response describing how you can use a blending stump or tortillon for blending: [How do I get a blur effect in pencil drawings?](https://crafts.stackexchange.com/questions/532/how-do-i-get-a-blur-effect-in-pencil-drawings)

[![Kneaded eraser](https://i.sstatic.net/14pOU.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/14pOU.png)
*Source: <https://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/10-essential-drawing-materials-and-tools-for-beginners>*

A **kneaded eraser** is a soft, stretchy, gummy material that can be used for lifting, removing, and blending charcoal or pencil. Aside from removing "mistakes," erasers are also great for blending. This video does a nice job of demonstrating some different techniques for using kneaded erasers with charcoal:
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIAKBVfl_YU>

[![Strathmore charcoal paper](https://i.sstatic.net/yWVTf.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/yWVTf.png)
*Source: <https://phoenixartsupplies.com/art-supplies/strathmore-500-series-charcoal-sheets/>*

As for **paper** - there are many different types of paper out there for use with charcoal. You can usually find charcoal paper pads at art stores. You could draw on white paper, like the original pencil drawing. But if you have white charcoals (for drawing highlights), you could use toned paper. This can help make your subject "pop" off the page. For sketching and practicing, newsprint paper is a great (cheaper) alternative.

Here are some good resources for learning about types of charcoal paper and their characteristics:

1. <https://nitramcharcoal.com/selecting-perfect-paper-charcoal-drawing/>
2. <https://www.artistsnetwork.com/art-mediums/drawing/best-paper-for-charcoal-drawing/>

Hopefully this helps! Feel free to ask any questions. I'm not a professional artist, but I've had some experience with charcoals and pastels. If anyone else has additional tips, feel free to comment below.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: the tortillion and blending stump are the same thing! or... am I wrong? I use them both for the same thing, and it goes pretty well.  
> **username_0**: uhmm, and I wouldnt use soft charcoal for the skin, the skin's shades arent that dark, I would use hard and medium  
> **username_1**: Hi username_3, I feel you're partially answering the question from another thread, that asked for "quality materials for drawing", which is too broad/a matter of opinion. I feel the matter of paper when it comes to drawing skin is mostly a matter of texture: too rough and the skin might look 'speckled', too smooth and the charcoal might not blend/blur properly. Can you add something about that to your answer, so it focuses more on the question at hand?  
> **username_1**: @username_0 I think username_3 mentions soft charcoal not for the intensity of colour, but for the ease with which it can be blended. The harder the charcoal, the harder it will be to blend. As for the difference between the tortillon and blending stump, see the linked thread ([here](https://crafts.stackexchange.com/a/533/6388)).  
> **username_4**: @username_0 intensity/darkness of the resultant image really depends on _how_ you use the charcoal and how you aply the other tools. a very light pass with soft charcoal followed by appropriate erasing and blending will likely get you much better results (albeit for a lot more effort) than trying to use medium or hard charcoal for the skin. Soft charcoal, just like soft graphite and softer oil pastels, quite simply blends more smoothly than harder media, making it much easier to get the kind of smooth non-linear gradients your reference image has.  
> **username_0**: so you're telling me that the soft charcoal isn't just for the intensity, it's also used to blend? how'd u do that? I mean, as soon I put the soft charcoal in the paper, its already leaving a DARK mark, how do you blend? that's why the paper stumps are for  
> **username_5**: @username_0 Don't press so hard. Try doing some practice exercises so that you're not worried about messing up something important. The normal exercise is to draw "solids" (sphere, cone, cylinder, cube, etc.) to quickly practice shading.  
> **username_3**: With respect to blending & paper texture - I've found that it partly depends on how thickly you're applying the charcoal. If you're using a palette of different shades of charcoal (e.g. white, gray, & black), you can apply soft charcoals quite thickly on a very rough paper, & it can still blend somewhat smoothly (though it might have a "grainy" look).  
> **username_3**: Continued: But this depends on what style of markings you're using for your drawing. If you want the white of the paper to show through for highlights, like in the original drawing, then you'll want to use smoother or finer-toothed paper. You'll still want paper with some "tooth" to it, so that the charcoal has something to grab onto.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-01-04. Score: 2

I'm not a charcoal artist, so this is more in the nature of observation and very general theory. This question and your other one about drawing the scratches in the armor are about getting very fine and subtle texture, detail, and gradients using charcoal. Charcoal is a relatively "crude" medium; this kind of life-like detail takes skill.

People who work with charcoal may be able to address media and technique.

My suggestion is to use size. Think of a B&W laser printer. It can create reasonable photographic images from just blobs of pitch-black toner by building the image from things that are tiny in relation to the size you see. If a medium has poorer detail, darkness control, and gradients than you want for realism, its characteristics could be adequate if they are in smaller proportion to a larger picture. The larger you make the picture, the easier it will be to create detail, shading, and smooth gradients in proportion to it.

That said, username_1 makes a good point in a comment. Size can be a tool to get more realism from the medium and your skill with it. But if your goal is to develop your skill, it wouldn't be helpful to use size as a "cheat" instead of developing the skill.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: so our telling me to go big, can you give me a link of where I can buy that big paper? Thanks!  
> **username_2**: @username_0, I would guess typical art supply sources.  Perhaps a reader who is more familiar with it can add suggestions.  
> **username_3**: You can buy charcoal paper pads from many art stores. Charcoal paper comes in a variety of paper colors - you can use white if you want your finished piece to look like the original pencil drawing. If you have white charcoal (for highlights), you can try drawing on a colored or toned background to help give your portrait some depth :) You can also try toned paper later as you become more comfortable with the medium.  
> **username_3**: I would also recommend using a tortillion for blending. This is basically a rolled piece of paper with a point, which you can either make yourself or buy. (There are YouTube videos showing how you can make one yourself.) These are better to blend with than using your fingers, since your skin contains moisture and oils, which can cause the charcoal to clump to smear unevenly.  
> **username_0**: I do use them! but her skin is too, like, precise, you know like, if you mess up a little bit( with charcoal) it leaves a stain and that freaks me up lol, but I managed to fix it :), I think the problem is the paper, the brand is "Soho studio". yeah. I know. some weird brand :p  
> **username_1**: I feel the acceptance of this answer could indicate too great an emphasis on size. The question is how to blend charcoal so it might look more like skin. Blending with charcoal can be done on virtually any (practical) size of paper. Naturally one can add more detail to a greater surface, but this is about technique, which will require skill, and one can learn to work with charcoal in a very controlled, detailed way.  
> **username_2**: @username_0, username_1 makes a good point about the emphasis on size.  Realistic portraits can be made with charcoal; it takes skill.  Not being an artist, I just did a little research after username_1's comment, and was amazed at the realism that is possible when someone has the skill.  With less skill, going bigger would make it easier to get realism.  If you already have the skill, going bigger lets you squeeze more realism from it.  You're trying to learn and develop the skill.  Relying on size would be kind of a crutch to make skill less important.  (cont'd)  
> **username_2**: That won't help you get good at it.  By not going big, the less-than-perfect results along the way will be more obvious and are what will provide the learning.  So my answer isn't the best advice for someone early into charcoal, and doesn't really address how to do it.  You might want to consider retracting the checkmark and applying it to a better answer.  :-)  
> **username_0**: Yes! i have the skill and thank you for telling me that I would learn more by moving to a bigger size, I really appreciate yall's help!  

---

