Leann step 2

This is as far as I have gotten with the charcoal drawing.

Step 2:

I've taken a lot of time laying down one layer of soft charcoal for the background and then adding a second layer (cross hatching) with harder charcoal and finally using my fingers to rub the background smooth and dark, using the oil in my skin as a fixative to help hold the charcoal down.

I'm starting to block in the shadows around the face before smudging them into the graduated tones.

Pam