Black & White Portraits

For as long as I can remember, my chosen medium was charcoal. Funny enough, I didn’t actually start creating ‘charcoal’ portraits until 2022, a couple years after I started Crabb’s Creations. My little dog, Beau, was going through a rough spell health-wise, so I was desperate for something new that I could learn and also use as a fundraiser of sorts to help relieve some pressure. Rest assured, Beau’s health is in tip-top shape now and I still love taking these Black and White commissions!

The piece in the picture above was my introduction to charcoals, and my first large piece (taking over 18 hours to complete). My art teacher at the time had a huge impact on me, and inspired me to create something completely new. The old man and the little girl (my great grandfather and my little cousin) were originally walking out towards a bean field, but to give this piece more dimension, I changed the background using a photo I took at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge.