Carbon Dust Technique

Instructor(s):

Dino Pulerà

Dates:

Class Dates: Wednesdays, September 9 - October 7 from 6 - 8:30 pm EST

Workshop Date: Saturday, October 17 from 10 am - 4 pm EST

Fees:

Class Fee: $350

Workshop Fee: $130

Class Cap:

12 people

Sample of possible class final project
Sample of possible workshop final project

OPTION TO ENJOY THIS COURSE AS A 5-WEEK CLASS or A 1-DAY WORKSHOP

Learn the century old technique of carbon dust which involves using a dry brush to apply layers of carbon dust to achieve realistic 3D effects using continuous tone values and light and dark. In both the workshop and the class, students will practice this easy-to-learn and very forgiving technique using various materials and depicting different subjects.

Having a basic drawing skills and an understanding light and shade is a prerequisite.

Course Objectives:
– purpose of the course is to teach students this 130+ year old traditional technique of carbon dust using natural history objects as our illustration subjects
– add another technique to your natural science illustration skillset
– improve observational skills
– learn how to render light and shadow using continuous tone

CLASS OPTION DESCRIPTION
Five Week Class Schedule: Each class will include instructor demonstrations. This course meets online: 3 hours per class for 6 weeks. Week 1: Intro to carbon dust (history of technique, review of materials and demo); Week 2: Depicting simple natural history objects (e.g. bone) on paper surface (Bristol, illustration board and vellum); Week 3: Depicting simple natural history objects (e.g. pumpkin) on polyester matte drafting film (e.g. Grafix Dura-lar); Week 4: Implement what you’ve learned by copying a historical carbon dust illustration; Week 5: Start & complete original carbon dust illustration – students choice of subject and surface.
 
WORKSHOP OPTON DESCRIPTION
Workshop Schedule: 10am – 11am: Intro to carbon dust (history of technique, review of materials and demo); 11am –12pm: Practice rendering simple 3D shapes on bond paper surface; 12pm – 1pm: Practice rendering simple animal object e.g. long bone, on polyester matte drafting film (e.g. Grafix Dura-lar); 1pm – 2pm: Practice rendering simple botanical object e.g. pumpkin, on semi-transparent surface (e.g. heavy tracing paper or ClearPrint vellum); 2pm – 4pm: Render a more complex subject on surface selected by the student.

About the Artist: Dino Pulerà