My preferred medium is charcoal drawing in its various forms. Alongside traditional drawings on paper, I also create works in which I combine charcoal with protective layers of acrylic. This finish allows the work to be displayed on canvas without glass, which is usually necessary for traditional charcoal drawings on paper.
I begin by preparing the surface with gesso, shaping its texture and structure according to the intended artistic effect. I then develop the drawing on the prepared canvas, building up successive layers of charcoal and fixing them with a fixative.
An important part of my process is working with acetone, which I use to achieve greater tonal depth and variation in texture. This allows me to develop the drawing not only by adding successive layers of charcoal, but also by subtly transforming the surface that has already been worked.
Finally, I protect the work with an acrylic layer and varnish. This finish gives it the character of a painting on canvas while preserving the distinctive qualities of charcoal drawing.