The Simplicity of red charcoal

I have not created a conte (con-tay) sketch in a long time but really enjoyed doing this one! The colors are warmer than my more traditional black charcoal on a blue/gray background.

Conte is a reddish colored charcoal medium that, when combined with white conte for the highlights, creates that soft, almost ethereal look in a portrait. ......and I just love it!

I had this photo from a series that I took when creating this young lady's portrait along with her sister, in pastel. It is a 16 x 20 portrait so the image size is consider "three quarter" life size. That's a wonderful size to have on your wall. Any larger can be a bit "too much in your face!"

All art stores carry the Conte sticks-pick up a pack and try them as a fun alternative to charcoal!