A study of the Trois Crayons technique

Trois crayons, translated from French with "three chalks", is a drawing technique that, as the name suggests, uses three colors of chalk: red (sanguine), black, and white. The paper used is often a mid-tone such as grey, blue, or tan, which allows to add a coat of white chalk. Among numerous others, French painters Antoine Watteau and François Boucher drew studies of figures and drapery aux trois crayons. 

The technique was, most notably, pioneered and popularised by the Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens.

Analysis of Rubens' "Isabella Brant" 

"Isabella Brant" is the title and model of the above portrait drawing, executed in Antwerp around 1621, by Flemish artist and diplomat, Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640). Brant (1591–1626) was Rubens' first wife and modelled for several of his portraits until her untimely death in 1626. The portrait is drawn in black and red chalk with white heightening on brown wash paper.

This drawing is noted for its 'immediacy and attractiveness, and was the basis for three oil paintings. During re-mounting work in 1964, a rough sketch was discovered on the reverse side of the portrait. The sketch, also in red and black chalk is presumed to be a self-portrait of Rubens and his second wife Hélène Fourment (1614–1673) with Rubens' child.

As I've previously mentioned, the portrait of Isabella Brant was drawn by Rubens around 1621, when she was about 30 years old and had been married to Rubens for 12 years. Rubens employed the aux trois crayons technique, using red and black chalk, with white heightening on light grey-brown paper. The head of the portrait was sketched in detail while the eyes had been retouched with pen and black ink. This drawing, which is the only one sketched of Isabella Brant in this medium, has been admired for centuries as a fine example of Rubens' portrait drawing and one of the most influential drawings with the Trois Crayons technique.

Rubens' intimate drawing was intended to capture the sweetness and vivacity of his first wife. The sitter's head is shown with a slight downward tilt — facing slightly to the left and looking directly at the observer. She is shown wearing drop earrings. Her hair and features are depicted with care, while her clothes are sketchily portrayed. Her mischievous smile is further enhanced by the dimples in her plump cheeks, which complement her alert gaze.

The great detail and animation of the portrait suggests that Rubens had great affection for his wife. The drawing was used as a basis for three oil portraits. The 1621 painting of Brant outside the portico of the family home, was done by Rubens' pupil, Anthony van Dyck as a parting gift to his mentor.

The striking similarity between the portrait and drawing meant that van Dyck would have had access to the sketch for this work. The Cleveland portrait by Rubens, painted between 1620 and 1625, displays similarities such as the pulled-back hair and the mocking smile (although it is somewhat forced in the painting), however the sitter is tilted more to the left. The Uffizi, portrait (also by Rubens) was produced close to Brant's death in June 1626. Although the pose is similar, the face exhibits puffiness as a result of her illness.

Ironically I find that both Dyck's painting and Rubens' 1620, they forced the original emotion that the initial sketch had.

The Trois Crayons technique has a harmony in its simplicity and in many ways has revolutionized portrait drawing that at the time was not seen as a piece in its own right. Rubens has fully demonstrated the beauty that he can achieve with three chalks, which in my opinion goes greatly to surpass the paintings that are derived from it.

Variations in the Technique of Watteau

Jean-Antoine Watteau (Valenciennes, 10 October 1684 – Nogent-sur-Marne, 18 July 1721) was a French painter and one of the first to use the technique. 

Watteau used much more white in his pieces, showing more contrast. The lines are more spontaneous and bold, often relying on line quality to communicate the main information of the sketch. 

The Met Museum described Watteau as "One of the most brilliant and innovative draftsmen of the eighteenth century, Watteau was an early exponent of the "trois-crayons" or "three-chalk" technique, which allowed his drawings to approach the rich coloristic effects of painting. This fetching study (above) of a seated woman is a consummate example of his mastery of the technique. Freely mixing red, black, and white chalk, he captured the young woman's loosely pinned-up hair, luminous flesh tones, and the sheen of her dress. The Lehman sheet is not known to be a preparatory study for a painting, but the model does reappear in at least one other drawing by the artist. Her gesture is not easily understood, although her elegance and charming lack of self-consciousness come through clearly."

This same spontaneity and lack of self-consciousness is what differentiates Watteau from Rubens.

Variations in the technique are present everywhere, since changing the order of application of the chalks also changes the final effect. By mixing white with black and red it is possible to reach cold tones to contrast the cards. The color of the paper can also cause further variation.

Conclusion

The three chalk technique is very free in terms of variations and offers a great option to sketch the skin tones in figure drawings and portraits. How subtle the use of the chalks is purely the artist's choice as we have seen.

Taking the time to further explore this technique will surely open new doors and will produce great outcomes on multiple types of mid toned papers.

If you want to know more about the origins of sanguine, its uses and potential, I suggest to keep an eye on the blog because a new, in-depth article on the topic will be published very soon. 

With kind regards, 

- Itward