Which Medium is Better for Beginners?
Maybe charcoal vs pencil is a debate that seems silly and not worth having. However, I can look back at my past and see ways in which charcoal might have been a better solution to learning how to draw. I grew up on the pencil. We all have pencil experience. But maybe if you haven’t tried charcoal, you should reconsider.
Pencils: The Trusty Sidekick
As a child in the 80’s and 90’s, there were a small handful of ways we could draw and create. Crayons were a big deal at the time. Markers (especially those smelly ones) were pretty cool, too. I suppose we all might have done some finger painting at some point. But it was the pencil (graphite or colored) that stuck with us through the years.
We weren’t learning cursive with crayons, nor were we writing our first essays with markers. No Senior papers were being turned in with finger paint covering them. It was pencil (or sometimes pen) that was our required implement. It makes sense, because pencils are easy to write with. They have a nice point to them that is very handy for clearly writing the small shapes that make up letters and numbers. They are a detail-oriented tool.
How many classes did you attend where you realized you didn’t have a pencil and had to ask a neighbor or, ashamedly, a teacher if you could borrow one? How many tests did you take that required a number 2 pencil? We used pencils so often that I developed a favorite brand and model. The Ticonderoga number 2 pencil was where it was at! Other pencils were poseurs and amateurs with waxy tips that couldn’t replicate the chilly sharpness of the Ticonderoga.
Pencils: The Measure of an Artist?
This attachment to the pencil (and the readiness at which they were available) forced us to also draw with them. Sure, crayons and markers and paint were utilized in the arts and crafts modules, but those could be few and far between. An occasional treat. Think back to high school. When you think of the artsy kids who were creative, how often did you see them associated with their pencil and pen skills? It seems like at least half of the art projects in school revolved around pencils and pens.
Drawing games also revolve around pencils and pens. Pictionary comes loaded with pencils. Telestrations has dry erase markers, which are no less restrictive. Pencils and pens are cheap, clean, and easy to package. They are incredibly versatile, too.
I got really good with a pencil. I stuck with it. Where other kids were not as dexterous with their pencils, I was trying things, experimenting, finding the best ways to progress with them. Hatching, shading, blending, and on and on. For whatever reason (lack of interest, early disappointment, frustration with the tool, some other combination of events), other kids just weren’t really adapting to the pencil as well.
Is There a Better Alternative?
Now, I do believe in some amount of natural abilities, whether by nature or nurture or both. However, I remember my first time using charcoal. It was incredibly difficult for me. I had to completely change the way I thought about drawing. It wasn’t in the dexterity of my fingers anymore, but in the control of my whole arm; not just small details anymore, but large shapes. It wasn’t building from the inside out, but from the outside in.
And that’s exactly how beginners (young and old) should be thinking about drawing. I was oddly blessed to be as apt with a pencil as I was, working through the stages of drawing development quickly with a pencil. Others would be so much more served with charcoal being their first real drawing implement. I would pit it against pencil any day.
Pencil is a great tool. I still draw with pencil and I doubt I will ever stop. But it is NOT the best tool for learning how to draw. That award goes to charcoal. Charcoal is without a doubt, the best medium for beginner drawing. Couple charcoal with good-natured playfulness in art, exploration, a good amount of knowledge and practice, and you’ll find a student that will grow by leaps and bounds in every facet of drawing, including observation, problem solving, and stress relief. So, in a competition between charcoal vs pencil, I come down on the side of charcoal, for beginners.
Nevertheless, I think any implement is better than nothing! And pencils are fantastic in their own right. You’ve got to choose the medium you most want to use.
I truly believe that anybody with an interest can enjoy and excel at drawing. Remove every false and limiting belief, because we’re all on equal ground. You’re not too young or old, too slow, too poor, too busy, or too late to become good at drawing. It isn’t an impossibility, but is actually quite possible.
Why You Might Want to Start Drawing
And here’s what drawing does for you:
- Communicate visually
- Increase memory
- Raise observational skills
- Boost learning ability
- Spark your imagination
- Help you unwind and relieve stress
- Create avenues for exploration
- Improve problem solving
- Lower anxiety
- Increase emotional intelligence
- Open you up to other pursuits
- Grant the ability to create beautiful drawings for loved ones
I will be continuing to communicate my thoughts on drawing over the next few weeks.
Drawing Pencils Available at Dick Blick
Charcoal Supplies at Dick Blick
Are You Interested in Painting? Read this Article on Painting for Beginners
Need More Help?
Speaking of painting for beginners, I am always open to taking on private lesson students. I offer one free half-hour to get an idea of what your goals are and how we can get you to them. Then I design a specific lesson plan for you and we go from there. You can hire me for your personal lessons here at SuperProf or here at LessonFace.