Expressive Drawing with Charcoal

Experiment with composition, perspective, and proportion to create charcoal illustrations that express the soul of your subject

• Introduction
• Getting Ready
• The Drawing
• Going Further
• Final project

Charcoal drawing is one of the oldest art forms known to humanity, and is still widely used today thanks to its expressive capabilities. Tianyin Wang is an award-winning artist who applies this ancient tool to create illustrations with a modern vision. He has collaborated with clients including Oxford University Press, Bloomsbury Publishing, and STYLIST magazine, and his work has been displayed in galleries across the UK.


In this online course, Tianyin teaches you the secrets to drawing with charcoal. Learn the fundamentals of perspective and proportion, as well as how to capture the essence of your subject through contrast, shapes, and tones. Explore the creative possibilities of this medium and express your artistic voice in unique charcoal illustrations.

• About Me
• Influences
• Understanding the Materials
• Charcoal, Shapes, and Tools
• Working on Proportions
• Understanding Layers 1
• Understanding Layers 2
• Choosing a Reference Image: Proportions and Composition
• Free Hand, Shapes, and Lifting
• Moving to the Details 1
• Moving to the Details 2
• From Dark to Darkest
• Experimentation
• Building Your Portfolio and Sharing Your Work
• Expressive Drawing with Charcoal