"Fanny Grinding Corn" Figure, Charcoal, 8 x 10, $175

"Fanny Grinding Corn"  8 x 10, charcoal

This little drawing was one of the first in the series of colonial figures that I drew.  I was still working full time as the artist in residence / activities coordinator at a large resort, so I would bring my drawings into work and spend time with them when my schedule permitted.  Guests would often come just to watch me draw and I used that opportunity to do my job, so my boss didn't mind me bringing them in.  People love to watch an artist at work.

I used Canson  Mi-teintes art paper.  I prefer using the smoother side of the paper when doing work in charcoal, because it allows me to finger blend and use a hard eraser to create all of these wonderful textures.  I used white conte pencils to pop the highlights, allowing the grey of the paper to show for the mid tones.  The secret to working this way is to avoid layering the white on top of the black, as this creates a very cold muddy grey.  I also did texturing and subtle shading with graphite.  Be careful when combining graphite with conte or charcoal, the graphite can create a slick surface, and the charcoal will not pass over it well, so use this technique selectively.  When done correctly however, it is a beautiful soft hatching technique that gives the drawing motion and life.

You can bid for this through my site at http://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/emily-christoff.  It's listed price is $175.00, but I am starting the bidding low, at only $75 because I am clearing space on my display wall for newer work.