1. Charcoal & gesso
A mixed media painting technique
VA.912.S.2.5 Demonstrate use of perceptual, observational, and compositional skills to produce representational, figurative, or abstract imagery.
VA.912.S.3.10 Develop skill in sketching and mark-making to plan, execute, and construct two-dimensional images or three- dimensional models.
VA.912.S.3.12 Develop competence and dexterity, through practice, in the use of processes, tools, and techniques for various media

2. TERMS TO KNOW
Charcoal- is a black drawing tool created by burning sticks of wood (we use charcoal made from Willow trees) into soft, medium, and hard consistencies.
Value - The lightness or darkness of tones or colors.
Line quality(line weight) and simply put, refers to the thickness or thinness of the line. 
Gesso – is a white paint-like substance that is simply Plaster of Paris or Gypsum mixed with a binder (glue).

3. Charcoal has a bad rep!
Charcoal often is referred to as a “limited” medium. It is thought of as a tool for only creating black and white drawings.  It gets a bad rap for being messy, crumbly and hard to work with.   As charcoal artists well know, it’s one of the most versatile and rewarding mediums to use.

4. FIONA TANG
Vancouver-based artist Fiona Tang creates large-scale murals of animals using charcoal, chalk pastel, and acrylic on paper that at first glance appear 3D.

5. FUN FACT!
Tang makes use of a technique called trompe l’oeil where shadows and perspective within the two dimensional drawing are used to trick the viewer into thinking the piece is three dimensional.

6. FIONA TANG

8. Quagmire ​​ Ink, charcoal, graphite, gesso and watercolour on paper
Quagmire ​​ Ink, charcoal, graphite, gesso and watercolour on paper. 15’ X 95’ A room-sized collaborative drawing installation completed on site at the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal by Matt Shane and Jim Holyoak.

9. Matt Shane and Jim Holyoak
"Matt Shane and Jim Holyoak have been collaborating for over 15 years on large-scale, immersive drawings on paper, yet 'A Hole in the World' is their first permanent installation. In their shared artistic practice, Shane and Holyoak create exquisitely detailed fantasy worlds that have an emphasis on epic landscapes populated by rarely seen inhabitants. 'A Hole in the World' references the local area (can you find the tiny Olympic Stadium?), vistas from their recent travels in Norway and Iceland, as well as imaginary scenes of mountains, valleys, nooks, and crannies, all of them meticulously detailed. The scenes Shane and Holyoak create are always in flux and focus on the environment as a site of deterioration where landmasses and structures melt, leak, crumble, and spill. Here, this changing environment encircles a swath of darkness that resembles an oil spill or black hole engulfing the world. The contrasting forces at work in 'A Hole in the World,' light and dark, highly detailed and abstract, whimsical and post-apocalyptic, are signature qualities of Shane and Holyoak’s collective style."

12. The sky’s the limit when it comes to charcoal!
Whether used alone, or in mixed media pieces, charcoal is versatile, expressive and fun. Charcoal is far from limited, in fact, it’s challenging to push it to the limits.
Charcoal can be mixed with watercolor, acrylic, pastels, conte-crayons, graphite and gesso. Yes, gesso- and not just as a primer.
With charcoal and gesso, the artist has the ability to create the illusion of a three- dimensional form on a two-dimensional surface with minimal tools.

13. GESSO & Charcoal PROCESS
There aren’t many tools required.  A heavyweight paper is recommended and, along with soft charcoal you will need gesso, some stiff paint brushes (inexpensive or old), water, erasers, paper towels and a fixative.
It can be tricky to manipulate the charcoal and gesso, so it’s best for first-timers to practice before attempting to complete a project. 
There are several ways to work with the two mediums.
Some artists prefer to draw with the charcoal and create the mid-tones, shadows and highlights with the gesso last. 
Others will apply the gesso and let it dry before drawing with the charcoal. 
Using both mediums simultaneously is more challenging, but, so much fun!

14. Now the fun begins! 
Using the gesso, begin adding it to the light areas and blend it with the charcoal to create the mid-tones. 
Be careful not to apply the gesso too thick because it could crack when dried.
Using the brush, gently push and pull the gesso into the charcoal until the desired highlight, shadow or mid-tone is achieved. 
The charcoal and gesso will give strong contrasts between the lights and darks.
For those more daring, the gesso can be applied with a painting knife for impasto effects using the same method of blending the gesso and charcoal to create the mid and light tones, once again being careful not to apply the gesso too thickly. 
This method can create a phenomenal figure drawing!

15. LET’s TRY THIS OUT!
We are going to do a quick practice using this technique.
You will create a three-dimensional form using this technique before we start our major project!
Remember to draw a FORM and not a shape.

16. You did it!
Aren’t you PROUD?!

17. PASTA PAINTINGS
We are going to transport ourselves back to summer camp and make some pasta art!

18. No.

19. YES.

20. WE will create our own visual
1. WRITE YOUR NAME ON THE BACK OF YOUR INDEX CARD.
2. Glue pasta to index card. (minimum 10 pieces of pasta)
3. Spray paint pasta white outside.
4. Check the wind direction BEFORE you BEGIN spraying.
5.Make sure your pasta sculpture is on the brown paper BEFORE you begin spraying.
6.Leave it outside for a moment for it to dry a little before you come back in.

21. Remember to draw big
We want this to be super zoomed in almost to the point of abstraction. Make sure your pasta doesn’t look like a small actor on a large stage.

22. What is this work on our scale?
Why do you think that?
What is working in this piece?

23. Written scale
4- The student can effectively use the charcoal/gesso technique and observation drawing skills to create a mixed media painting of pasta. The viewpoint is zoomed in and student has shown texture and proper rendering of form to create a realistic portrayal whilst using a 5 point value scale in the color of their choice along with charcoal.
3 LEARNING GOAL- The student can effectively use the charcoal/gesso technique and observation drawing skills to create a mixed media painting of pasta. The viewpoint is zoomed in and student has shown texture and proper rendering of form to create a realistic portrayal while using a 5 point value scale.
2- The student can use the charcoal/gesso technique to create a mixed media painting of pasta using some skills that mark an effective observation drawing. Some rendering of form and observation drawing issues exist. Student is unable to show a full 5 point value scale.
1. The student can explain but not execute the charcoal/gesso technique. Major design issues in rendering of form and observation drawing skill exist. Student is unable to show a 5 point value scale.

24. VISUAL SCALE 1
3  4 2
Do you agree with the order?

25. SELF EVALUATION
Find your artwork. Fill out an Exit Slip. Paper clip it to your artwork. Put your work in the yellow folder. Get ready for the new project byt taking out your sketchbook.