Charcoal is one of the oldest art forms known to us. Discovered cave paintings from across the globe help us understand the mind of our ancestors through their charcoal creations. Today, charcoal art is a powerful medium. A sneak peek into the world of unique charcoal artists
Impressions: Benoy Sebastian
Alex Rodrigues is an artist who refuses to use tools of art. He paints with his fingers giving the traditional brush and palette knife a miss – he even embosses images on paper with his fingernails. What we found most interesting is finding out more about how he developed a love for using his hands to express his artistry. Alex says, “As a school boy, I drew with pencils, crayons, charcoals and anything that I could lay my hands on. My encouraging parents never stopped me from messing the walls. I sketched extensively with the pencil while in school and used my fingers for shading”.
He further reveals, “The play of light and shadow that is possible to achieve with charcoal is far more superior than that of a pencilthe constant use of charcoals led to a lot of use of my hands, which made me curious about painting with my hands”. Today, Alex still does pencil sketches that transport him back to his childhood. He does charcoals on commissions or to unwind and to get away from colour. His technique of using his fingers has helped him create a niche for himself in the international art scene, for which he gives credit to his family and the extensive use of pencil and charcoal.
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