Girls by the Fireplace 1909

Pekka Halonen made this drawing of Girls by the Fireplace with what looks like pencil or charcoal; it's all about the directness of mark-making. The texture in the drawing is really interesting; you get a sense of the paper's tooth, grabbing the graphite. Look at the way Halonen uses hatching to build up the tones, creating depth and shadow. See how the lines are loose and gestural, almost like he’s sketching an idea as it comes to him. In the bottom right corner, those short, scribbled lines suggesting the chair—they're not precise, but they capture the essence of the object. This reminds me a bit of Käthe Kollwitz, another artist who used drawing to convey deep emotion and social commentary. Like Kollwitz, Halonen uses the simplicity of line to create a powerful image. Art's an ongoing conversation, right?