The Charcoal Reduction Technique, And A Sneaky Trick To Make It Better

In this video I demonstrate the charcoal reduction technique, and show you a sneaky way to improve it.
My streaming classes, The Fundamentals of Cross-Hatching , and Drawing the Head in Pen And Ink are available for purchase through Vimeo:
For more information about the class please visit my website:
Mkompan.squarespace.com/strea...
Here are the materials used in this demo. If you'd like to purchase these through Amazon, and would also like to support my channel, please use my affiliate links.
Sketchbook, 14x17", 70lb: amzn.to/4eYxSYM
Conte Charcoal Pencils, 2B: amzn.to/4cVSgYD
Conte Whte Chalk Pencil: amzn.to/3S1Ayep
Chamois Cloth: amzn.to/3S4lw7P
Extra-soft Compressed Charcoal: amzn.to/4bGEWGP
Kneaded erased: amzn.to/3Y1qjui
Hard eraser: amzn.to/3zDLeJN
Eraser holders: amzn.to/3y0wzry
Blending stumps: amzn.to/4bKg9l0
Here's a tutorial on how to sharpen charcoal pencils:
• Sharpening charcoal pe...

[@TheDynamite333]

Thou we all love pen and ink washes, it is always good see you applying other media. Great technique, thank you sir.

[@mkompan]

You’re very welcome. I’ll keep the pen content coming, but I’d like to expand the breadth of my channel to include a wider variety of media.

[@Plaza-ej4dk]

Hi Mark. As always, it is interesting and informative. Thank you very much for your help.
Greetings from Kharkiv.

[@mkompan]

@@Plaza-ej4dk you’re very welcome!

[@vermiliongamboge155]

Marvelous. I used a chamois in a drawing class but didn't learn the proper way of using it -- I didn't know it was supposed to become coated in charcoal and stay that way. Also didn't know about the cornstarch layer. Definitely giving this a try. Thank you.

[@mkompan]

@@vermiliongamboge155 my pleasure! I don’t think many artists know the cornstarch trick. It surprised me when I learned it many years after my schooling.

[@GaryDerry11]

Really appreciate you sharing your amazing knowledge, talent and skills! THANKS!

[@mkompan]

You’re very welcome!

[@dimitrioskalfakis]

nice talk trick. in order for me to save the tooth of the paper instead of talk i use a soft brush and charcoal powder for an even spread.

[@mkompan]

@@dimitrioskalfakis Charcoal powder works well, but is super messy, and gets everywhere, which is why I don’t use it.

[@kjbphotography2532]

Great tips thanks! Never would have known about cornstarch as a paper pretreatment.

[@mkompan]

My pleasure! It’s a strange trick to be sure.

[@bigk5837]

Brilliant! Thanks for sharing - can’t wait to try 🥰

[@mkompan]

My pleasure! Glad I got you to try it.

[@ichirofakename]

1. I love watching other people doing charcoal drawing.
2. That's a beautiful, classic technique.
3. Charcoal is also fabulous for more expressionistic, line-based techniques, as it makes such bold, dramatic lines.
4. What is vine charcoal good for? Besides not being actually black and breaking constantly?

[@mkompan]

1. Thanks for your comment, as always.
2. Charcoal can be used in so many ways. I’ve even seen people make drawing ink out of it.
3. Vine charcoal isn’t for me, but I have seen it used effectively for very expressive gesture drawings.

[@user-uj7pm2fk6p]

I learned this from an artist demo using paint.

[@mkompan]

@@user-uj7pm2fk6p yes, the rubbing out technique, which is often used as an under painting. This method is great training for painters.

[@MorsMorsMorsOvO]

The only thing I see is skill, and the only thing I can think of is disappointment - I shouldn't have quit so early.

[@mkompan]

Get back to it, and just enjoy the process of getting a little better every day. You might surprise yourself in less time than you think.