Title: Armor
Artist: Odilon Redon
Date: 1891
Historical Period: French, Bordeaux 1840–1916 Paris
Medium: Charcoal and conté crayon
Size: 20 x 14 1/2 in. (50.7 x 36.8 cm)
Technique: Drawing
Something about the subject and context: This is a mysterious looking drawing of a woman with a thorny helmet on. Not only does the helmet enclose the woman’s head and hair, but also her mouth. The artist’s use of charcoal captures the full variety in which the material can be used. I love how the artist created a feeling through the charcoal, which he achieves by adding slight details, such as the veins at the edge of the helmet and the woman’s face, and the gloom of her eyes. I was intrigued by the smudging details in the piece and had a challenge experimenting with the process. The drawing taught me a lot about the way charcoal moves. I also learned that there is more to drawing a profile than just drawing any head shape. When I finished my drawing I realized that my analysis looked more like a man than a woman. The head shape I chose played more of a role in this than I had initially realized.
Original:
