Trois crayons (French: [tʁwɑ kʁɛjɔ̃]; English: “three chalks”) is a drawing technique using three colors of chalk: red (sanguine), black, and white. The paper used may be a mid-tone such as grey, blue, or tan. 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.

Project Goal:

Create a page of 4 or more studies from historical artworks or photographs using the trois crayon method. Images to work from can be found at the National Gallery of Art.