Simplifying materials - back to charcoal

There is a reason that artists start out with charcoal drawings. The medium is highly forgiving in that the drawing can be easily altered by a cloth or eraser. At the same time results can be wonderful.  Here is a series of portrait drawings done from life, except for the first.

 

 

 

 

From Life - ink and watercolor portraits

I generally work very quickly to capture only the essentials of what I see and the prominent lines and shapes as well as areas of light and dark. The below studies are 20 minutes or as little as 3 minutes.  Sometimes you get a happy surprise.

 

 

 

 

Figure studies in Ink and Watercolor