Are you drawn to painting movement in your art? From the graceful expression of a dancer to the powerful action of an athlete or animal, capturing movement in your art can be a very exciting experience. Finding the flow in your work doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require a strategy. I have found that preliminary sketching in monochrome really helps me to discern where the activity of the figure should be described.

Charcoal sketches in monochrome are my favorite way to find the movement of the subject. Soft vine charcoal, or willow, is well-suited to a loose and expressive drawing that shows off a variety of lost and found edges. This is key to expressing movement. While some consider vine charcoal to be messy, I think it’s the ideal way to play with edges and capture motion. When you need a little more contrast than charcoal allows, try layering some black or white hard pastels over for accenting. Monochrome studies are such an amazing way to practice

The Crescendo, 16x12” Monochrome Study on Strathmore 400 Toned Gray

Here are some things to think about when creating Monochrome Studies:

Try using toned paper to give you more atmosphere in your drawing.
Work bigger when creating a monochrome, anywhere from from 9x12” to 18x24” to allow for gestural lines that use your whole arm and come from the body.
Take some time to understand the proportions of the figure by using head units, and discover how many heads make up the vertical length of the subject.
Let a variety of soft, broken, lost and hard edges emerge in your study.
Focus on the contour or outside shape of the subject for design impact
Use black and white chalk or hard pastel to add contrast to your charcoal study
Keep it loose! Don’t overwork your study and lose the energy.

Use these ideas to help you explore a loose, expressive charcoal of a figure or animal study that is filled with dynamic motion. When you’ve got a good plan established, use your Monochrome Study as a blueprint for a larger work in color!

I want to encourage you to continue creating and sharing your artwork with others. The world needs the unique expression of beauty that only you have to offer.