By Rachel Thompson.

In this post, AccessArt team member and Artist Rachel Thompson shows how to manipulate charcoal marked paper to create a cave-like space in a box. The aim of the activity is to explore light, dark and shadows through 3D work. It can also be followed by observing and drawing the light and dark areas created, encouraging children to think about mood and atmosphere when drawing.

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AccessArt is a UK Charity and we believe everyone has the right to be creative. AccessArt provides inspiration to help us all reach our creative potential.

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Pathway: Gestural Drawing with charcoal

This is featured in the ‘Gestural Drawing with Charcoal’ pathway

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Talking Points: What is Chiaroscuro?

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Session Recording: exploring Charcoal

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Video enabled monoprint resources

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Pathway: working with shape and colour

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What We Like About This Resource….

“The research phase of a creative project can be presented in many different ways, and can even be an art form in itself. Here, Tatyana demonstrates how her sketchbooks became a medium through which she expressed her thoughts, refined her ideas and explored materials. We believe sketchbooks to be a powerful tool for children to take ownership of their ideas and travel on their own creative journey, without necessarily knowing the destination. Take a look at our sketchbook journey for more sketchbook inspiration” – Rachel, AccessArt.

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What We Love About This Resource…

So often, we hear talk of the distinction between science and art, and no more so when teenagers proceed through their education and they are encouraged to choose one route or another. In reality, creative thinking helps scientific understanding and a scientific approach can inform and inspire art.

It’s so refreshing to read and see Merlin’s experience and understand how she works between these two areas – in her words “mixing subjects, and seeing how they work and intersect is where inventions take place!“

We also love the way her work embraces the felt world of being human, as well as the known world. We’re sure many young people will find Merlin’s work of interest and reassuring when they are pressured to choose “art or science“. 

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