Charcoal

The thing about charcoal is the messy. As you draw your hands become covered with it, it’s all over your table, on your face, in your hair. You work the charcoal into the paper by rubbing it, there is an intensely physical interaction with the paper. The oils from your hands bond with the charcoal, staining and penetrating the paper. With other mediums you use a tool or stick to apply the medium, with charcoal it feels like there is no separation between you and the surface. This creates a completely different experience in making the work, at least for me anyway.