Charcoal Zen – Charcoal Portraits by James Franssen
Original charcoal drawings — portraits, horses, and dancers, rendered by hand.
Galleries
Four collections of finished work.
About the Artist
In James's own words.
No, this isn't generic text copied from a tutorial about how to create an "about" page… this is simply me typing. I can go on and on about how many years I've been developing my skill (not as many as you might think), or about my influences (I'll always be admiring so many more). But I won't. I really can't say much more than that I simply enjoy drawing things that I find beautiful… and beautiful things are always showing themselves to me. And as long as beautiful things keep showing themselves to me, I'll keep on drawing.
I've always been interested in artistic things for as long as I can remember. I can recall, as a baby, looking through my crib bars at a tapestry my Mom had hanging on the wall and just being in awe. Through my school years I would draw things for family members, friends, and myself. It was always an enriching experience to see how many people I could make happy with my ability. I saw a comment, somewhere, that every drawing an artist ever does is a self portrait. I like that idea.
I only display my artwork in cafes, clubs, online, and my vendor booth at art festivals and horse shows. I've never had any real interest in getting involved with the politics of having my work shown in galleries, but maybe someday that might interest me.
Commission a Portrait
All I need is a clear photo of your subject — the better the detail, the better the drawing.
| Size | Rate |
|---|---|
| 9″ × 12″ | $150 – $300 |
| 13″ × 15″ | $300 – $500 |
| 18″ × 24″ | $500 and up |
| Larger | Contact me |
- Send a clear photo by email — detail in the picture becomes detail in the drawing.
- Receive an accurate estimate once I've seen your photo. Rates vary with size and detail.
- Drawings take anywhere from 4 to 16 hours depending on size and detail.
- Framing is available — a basic black frame with white mat and glass for an 18″ × 24″ runs about $120. Finished portraits generally ship in a mailing tube at no charge.
I guarantee my work — you don't pay if you aren't satisfied, for any reason.
charcoalzen@gmail.com — send your photo and we'll talk through the details.