Figure Drawing Class with Robert Liberace, Exploring Prud'hon's Technique

In today's Figure Drawing class, with instructor Robert Liberace, we explored the technique used by French Romanticist Pierre-Paul Prud'hon (1758-1823). Prud'hon is known for his stunning toned paper drawings using charcoal and white chalk to create a sculptural drawing. Rob did a wonderful demo of Prud'hon's drawing technique used blue tinted Ingres paper, vine charcoal, compressed charcoal, charcoal pencils, white chalk and white charcoal pencils, brushes and a chamois.



Liberace begins by blocking in the figure with vine charcoal. Photo by Marie Dauenheimer.



As Liberace develops the drawing he blocks in the large shadows with charcoal and the highlights using white chalk, in a criss cross manner. This is how Prud'hon developed his works. Photo by Marie Dauenheimer.



Finished demo drawing by Liberace. The finished drawing was built up using layers of charcoal and white chalk. Photo by Marie Dauenheimer.



Sketch by Prud'hon showing criss cross application of shadows and highlights.



Drawing by Prud'hon, female back.



Another finished Prud'hon drawing.

Artist Rebecca Alzofon has reconstructed, step by step, Prud'hon's technique. Her website is very complete and worth a look.