Portrait in charcoal by Jonathan Little
Portrait in charcoal by Jonathan Little

Portrait in Charcoal

Article

By Jonathan Little|Artist

Mon, Mar 17, 2025|Edited: Wed, Apr 2, 2025

It has been an exciting start to 2025 with new opportunities to develop my drawing practice. I have added links in this newsletter that may be useful for other artists.

Spring - Building Creative Momentum

Dedicating Time to My Drawing Practice

Portait in Charcoal by Jonathan Little

Portrait in Charcoal

At the core of my art is drawing, so having more opportunities to develop this has proved invaluable. It started in January with a six session course, Portrait in Charcoal led by Luke Thompson at Craven Arts House. I joined six other artists, where I have learned new ways of drawing portraits in charcoal, and it is also valuable seeing other artists' styles and learning from each other. This has given me a boost to carry on portraits as learning opportunities to improve my observation skills as well as the feel of the charcoal which I am really enjoying. 

This has also led to a new opportunity to join Luke Thompson again at Skipton Life Drawing for untutored life drawing every Thursday evening at Craven Hall in Skipton.



Continuing My Portrait Practice

Peter, a charcoal portrait drawing by Jonathan Little

Peter, Portrait in Charcoal

I have enjoyed using charcoals for portraits and have kept this going in the studio to help develop my overall art practice.


Applying New Learning to Landscapess

Flasby Beck drawing in charcoal by Jonathan Little

Study; Charcoal drawing of Flasby Beck

I have also taken this learning to apply to drawing landscapes, completing studies not just in pencil but also in charcoal to capture tones for learning to apply to future oil paintings. I’m continuing to work on a series of oil paintings, Yorkshire Dales landscapes for exhibiting later in the year with details to follow in a future newsletter


Building on Drawing Opportunities

Portrait Drawing in Charcoal at Keithley Creative by Jonathan Little

20 minute Portrait at Keighley Creative

Through talking with other artists, I have also discovered new opportunities to practice portraits and life drawing at Keighley Creative led by Martin Cosgrove. They meet on the first and third Tuesdays of the month and I have enjoyed meeting other artists who have been very encouraging and sharing knowledge whether it's art practice itself, or galleries to visit with exhibitions showing.


Keeping the Momentum: Continuing Life Drawing

Life drawing at Leeds Drawing Club by Jonathan Little

Life Drawing at Leeds Drawing Club

Although I have two new venues nearer home now to practice portrait and life drawing, I still like to attend Leeds Drawing Club when I can, led by Ellie Andrews, where my drawing practice started. It's a great space that Ellie has created and I’m also encouraged when I visit and inspired by the other artists that I meet.


The opportunity to practice portraits and life drawing in different venues is good for me, as each one offers something slightly different, with the length of pose being the main difference which I find challenging in a positive way as I’m having to adapt which in itself is another learning opportunity. I always feel like I turn up almost as if its the first time each time, not knowing what to do but this variation encourages me to try different things and I use it as intended as my learning space. I soon become absorbed in what I’m doing and surprised how quickly the time goes.

Gargrave Art Group

Baby portrait pencil drawing for Gargrave Art Exhibition by Jonathan Little

'New Life'

My drawing practice is also complemented by attending the Gargrave Art Group each week, with the monthly themes adding to my drawing practice. I am enjoying the opportunity to try different subjects that sometimes complement my passion for capturing the Yorkshire Dales in oils, but sometimes do not so I take the opportunity to try experiment in different mediums.

The March theme of 'New Life' offered me a new challenge of drawing a baby which I did in pencil.


Future Growth Opportunities

I am excited to have joined another course building on both my practice in portraits but also my practice in oils which is my preferred medium. I have never been tutored in oils as I am a self taught artist, so I am interested in being taught Portraits using the Zorn pallet in oils, which will not only introduce me to a different limited colour pallet, but also offer new learning opportunities for oils and portraits. This is a two day course led by Luke Thompson at Craven Hall in Skipton.