Sonu Sultania
“It is a wild, versatile medium. Its richness lends a unique experience to the process of painting — and because it is bold and dramatic, it allows me to be more expressive,” says Sonu Sultania, who has been romancing charcoal for four years now. “I like working with a variety of mediums, but when it comes to instinctive drawings, I always reach out for my sticks of charcoal.”
On a few occasions, Sonu says she has created a ‘convincing’ artwork within minutes; other times, it has taken her hours, even days to achieve the same results. “The amount of details in the subject and the desired results are the two determining factors.”
Sonu sees the medium as one in which shading and smearing can work both as an advantage and disadvantage. “You can achieve unlimited light and dark tones with it, but it is also very tough to make changes once you’ve added a dark tone to the work.”
Proper care of a charcoal drawing is very important, she believes. “There are fixative sprays available in the market, but I feel at times it is not a wise idea to use those, for it can change the look and surface of the drawing. Also, it can change how light interacts with your work. Store it and frame it well, and it will last for many generations to come.”
And how much does one have to pay for a charcoal artwork? “Art is very subjective — I don’t think there can be a fixed price range… It depends on the intensity, uniqueness, and detailing of the work.” anju Raman feels charcoal gives her a chance to add depth to her works
an artist to concentrate more on the subject or character. “At times, colour can be distracting. Black gives both the artist and viewer a chance to understand the subject matter on a deeper level and evoke a myriad of emotions.”
Does it not get limiting? “I have always found a certain beauty in black-and-white photographs, sketches, ink drawings, etc. Charcoal is a very bold and expressive medium and, at times, I do add a splash of colour to my works.”
On average, it takes Anju anywhere between three nights to a week to finish an artwork. The risk of making a mess is the biggest challenge of working with charcoal. “At times, I end up with black hands, face, and furniture — with my kids rolling their eyes at the mess I’ve made!”
Anju has been working with the medium for a year — and for anyone looking to work with it, she recommends a careful selection of the theme. “Mostly, I work with charcoal blocks and soft and hard charcoal pencils.” The eraser pen is her most trusted tool, followed by white charcoal for highlights. “I use graphite pencils to design and draw basic layouts.”
As for the price tag, Anju shares, “The price is influenced by factors like size, subject, artist’s reputation and the current market trends.” Minisha Bhardwaj has been ‘painting’ with charcoal for over two years and loves the way it allows her to blend hues better
Victor Sitali started experimenting with charcoal last year and feels it allows him to create powerful works