I took this class to help me start building up a vocabulary of marks and techniques in charcoal - I find charcoal and graphite interesting mediums as they can blend, layer and smear while maintaining this semi-translucency. The results of the project itself were…a bit mixed.
I started with a basic sketch to try and get some perspective on some cheep newsprint, then boxed out the drawing on 30gsm Canson charcoal paper - on feature of this paper was quite a strong, horizontal grain and I would have prefered something with a slightly more diffuse texture (but I have another 25 sheets of the thing and I am moving soon, so I am not getting anything else!).

I sketched the scene out in graphite, then built up layers with vine charcoal. The blending with a damp finger was new to me, but a useful for diffusing the tone. I was able to build up the tone, but struggled to keep the boat in perspective (guess I’ll have to line up a few classes on that - *sigh*), and the use of charcoal pencils made it sit quite heavy on the water. I am experimenting with a few different brands and still learning how to get a good edge on a sanded pencil, so those were all challenges.

I altered the composition slightly to open up the background and went over the horizon with a zero point eraser to give a full range of values and the impression that the un-moored boat was calmly drifting off into the horizon (did I mention I am moving soon?). 

Overall, I’d say this was a very mid-project - I enjoyed the process but struggled with output - I won't be framing or giving away this piece, but I did learn a lot from it, and I will apply that to the next class I do. I have a few photographs from around my parents' house in the Kentish fens I’d like to draw from, and I’m going to take more classes in charcoal drawing (I’ve lined up the next realistic charcoal drawing class with Diane and some classes that are slightly more detail-focused, too keep pushing those skills. Any feedback ahead of those classes would be very welcome, and closely read!