This art was created with charcoals and Conté crayons.

Charcoals for art are dry drawing tools made from heated wood that create rich, deep black marks and expressive shading.

Contés for art are Conté crayons which are square drawing sticks made from compressed pigment or graphite mixed with a clay binder, invented in France in 1795.

All of the portraits were done from life.  None was from a photo.