In this series, we will be creating a moody tonal landscape in charcoal and chalk – it’s a really fun exercise, as we will be working from our imagination as much as from a reference.
This first session will be spent getting the basic shapes in places using a very sketchy application of the charcoal.
The materials you will need are:
- Toned paper
- Charcoal
- White Chalk Pencil
- Kneadable Eraser
- Sanding Block
- Sharpener
- Drawing Board
- Easel

- Begin by lightly sketching in a rectangle that will form the outside boundary of your drawing.
- This can be any shape you like.

- Then use the charcoal in a very sketchy way to start feeling out for the shape and groupings of masses within the landscape.
- You can also start to search for smaller details (like the droopy pines in my piece).

- Once the basic shapes are in place, you can start to reinforce and deepen the tones by going over in gradually passes of gradients.

- Finally, spend some time adding in some more specific details (like trees or patch or rivers etc.) to give the landscape some more unique characteristics.