Materials and Techniques - Dry Media

Materials and Techniques - Dry Media

  • Head of a Young Man

    Head of a Young Man, Franciabigio, Francesco di Cristofano, early 16th century. Museum no. D.1010-1900

    Head of a Young Man
    Franciabigio, Francesco di Cristofano (about 1482-1525)
    Italy
    Early 16th century
    Black chalk with touches of white
    Width 20.6 cm x height 25.1 cm
    Museum no. D.1010-1900

    Here black chalk is used both as a linear and a modeling medium.

  • Study for the Head of Jesus in the Painting of the Holy Family, Palazzo Barberini, Rome

    Study for the Head of Jesus in the Painting of the Holy Family, Palazzo Barberini, Rome, Andrea del Sarto, early 16th century. Museum no. D.1705-1885

    Study for the Head of Jesus in the Painting of the Holy Family, Palazzo Barberini, Rome
    Andrea del Sarto (1486-1530)
    Italy
    Early 16th century
    Red chalk on laid paper
    Width 11.7 cm x height 14.5 cm
    Museum no. D.1705-1885

    Andrea del Sarto showed a preference for red chalk during the last ten years of his life. He was in Paris in 1518, which may have contributed to the enthusiasm with which it was taken up in France.

  • Studies of Goats. Probably Related to a Painting of the Prodigal Son

    Studies of Goats. Probably Related to a Painting of the Prodigal Son, Thomas Gainsborough, late 1780s. Museum no. Dyce 688

    Studies of Goats. Probably Related to a Painting of the Prodigal Son
    Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788)
    Britain
    Late 1780s
    Black and white chalk on buff laid paper
    Width 21 cm x height 17.5 cm
    Museum no. Dyce 688

    White chalk is often used to provide an image with highlights. Here it is used to define form.

  • Study of a Standing Female Nude

    Study of a Standing Female Nude, Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, early 20th century. Museum no. E.4980-1919

    Study of a Standing Female Nude
    Henri Gaudier-Brzeska (1891-1915)
    Britain
    Early 20th century
    Charcoal on wove paper
    Width 20 cm x height 50 cm
    Museum no. E.4980-1919

    The artist seems to have enjoyed making the blocky forms that charcoal sticks produce with such economy.

  • Portrait of an Unknown Man

    Portrait of an Unknown Man, Thomas Forster, 1702. Museum no. P.84-1929

    Portrait of an Unknown Man
    Thomas Forster (worked about 1690-1713)
    Britain
    1702
    Graphite on vellum
    Width 8.5 cm x height 10 cm
    Museum no. P.84-1929

    An example of the use of pure graphite often called plumbago. Even in this soft form it was capable of greater richness and delicacy than any other graphic medium.

  • King John’s Palace Eltham

    King John’s Palace Eltham, Thomas Girtin, late 18th century. Museum no. E.625-1953

    King John’s Palace Eltham
    Thomas Girtin (1775-1802)
    Britain
    Late 18th century
    Graphite on cream wove paper
    Width 27.4 cm x height 32.2
    Museum no. E.625-1953

    A brilliant example of the rapid economy of the pencil‘s ability to suggest intricate detail and surface texture. Such pencil sketches frequently formed the structural underpinning of finished water-colours by the English School.

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