CoCF26 Workshop: Building Depth & Realism with Graphite and Charcoal

Building Depth & Realism with Graphite and Charcoal
Civic House | Saturday May 9

Part of the , May 7-10, 2026.
This event is open to BIPOC only.

Creatives of Colour Festival presents a creative art workshop with Adam.

This workshop is designed for creatives of colour with basic to intermediate drawing skills who want to strengthen their realism techniques using accessible materials.

Participants will learn how to:
• Accurately capture proportions (including using the grid method as a structural tool)
• Develop smooth tonal transitions with graphite
• Use charcoal pencils to create strong contrast and depth
• Build layers to achieve realistic shadows and dimension
• Improve observation skills and detail rendering

The session emphasises technique, patience and control, equipping artists with practical methods they can continue developing independently without needing expensive materials.

Adam is a self-taught hyper-realistic pencil artist from Gaza, now based in Scotland. Specialising in graphite and charcoal pencil drawing, he creates highly detailed, lifelike portraits and studies that focus on texture, light and emotional expression. Without formal training, Adam independently developed his technical skills through observation, discipline and repetition. His practice centres on precision, tonal control and patience, encouraging creatives of colour to build confidence in realism using accessible materials.

Creatives of Colour Festival

The festival centers the voices, experiences, and creativity of people of colour in Glasgow. Storytelling sits at the heart of these creative practices, and celebrates the resilience, joy, and talent of PoC artists. Curated by Zahra Khosroshahi and Kevin Leomo.

Our stories. Our lens. Our terms.

The Festival is supported by ‘Thinking Culture’, a cultural programme from the School of Culture & Creative Arts and the Ferguson Bequest, University of Glasgow.

Accessibility:

Civic House accessibility info can be found here.

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Host or Publisher Creatives of Colour