If you’ve been hanging around here for a while, you’ll know I ‘quite like’ charcoal.

It perfectly suits my love of freedom and expressive art making – it’s tactile, bold, versatile, and yeah, pretty gloriously messy. :)

I love it so much I created a course to share its many wonders, and today I’m sharing a free video lesson for you so you can see what I mean about expressive mark making.

I’ve found charcoal to be not just a magnificent material to use in paintings, but also a great teacher in and of itself for those of us wanting to loosen up and find more freedom of self expression in our art.

If you’re curious about charcoal, but perhaps haven’t had much – or any – experience with it, or are confused about the different types and how to use it, or how to stop it smudging and getting on everything, or if you’re looking for ways to make your art more playful and free, you’re in the right place.

Tip: It helps to listen to music when making art like this. I listened to this Happy Artist Movement playlist on Spotify – feel free to borrow it or choose whatever music gets you going!

If this has piqued your interest and you’re keen to dig into the wonders of charcoal a bit further, the Expressive Charcoal course is for you!

Start any time and work through it at your own pace. There’s an optional Facebook group if you like to do these things with company too.

Click the image on the left or here to learn more and join today!