Plans of Attack

Multidisciplinary wildlife artist Daniel Wilson breaks down processes for working in charcoal and acrylic his

My goal as an artist is to create work that inspires people. Pieces that can stop a viewer in their tracks and imbue them with a sense of awe and emotion. Whether I have achieved this is of course subjective, and I am my own worst critic, but this is the constant driving force behind what I do. I work primarily in charcoal, pushing the medium to find a balance between abstract and realism. My subjects are usually wildlife, with my career as a biology teacher and interest in our natural world heavily influencing the work I create. I hope that through my wildlife art I can promote awareness of the often vulnerable status of these incredible creatures.  e majority of my charcoal pieces focus on the light and shadow surrounding the subject, often using vignettes in which the subject fades into the surrounding background. For me, this symbolizes how these creatures are very rapidly fading into extinction.

When it comes to creating a charcoal piece I work from reference photos, taken myself or with permission from a photographer. Choosing the right reference is critical for my process. For me the composition of a reference photo is of secondary importance to the lighting. I look for references with strong, contrasting lighting usually coming from a single direction. This is because of the monochromatic essence of charcoal. Without color it can be difficult to show the three-dimensional form of a subject. Strong lighting is required so that you can play with the balance of the dark and light tones, contrasting these areas so that you do not get a flat image. Charcoal is the perfect medium for this, as it is so malleable and can be pushed and pulled around the page in innumerable ways.