Expressive Portrait Drawing with Soft Pastels
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Learn how to combine mark-making, composition, and color using soft pastels to create captivating portraits filled with emotion
Through the use of color, texture, and expressive strokes, a pastel portrait has the power to transfix its viewer’s attention. Artist and fashion illustrator Chris Gambrell is passionate about capturing the movement and character of his subjects. He has worked with major European fashion houses and editorials, including VOGUE and Artists & Illustrators magazine.
Discover the feeling of crushing pastels onto paper to create depth and layers. Experiment with different mark-making techniques, learn to balance colors, and create striking pastel portrait compositions filled with mood and rhythm.
Meet Chris, learn about his creative journey towards becoming an established pastel portrait artist. Indulge in the colors and figures of the artists he most admires, and discover how they have inspired his own style.
Get familiar with the materials used in the course, before hearing Chris’ perspective on the benefits of keeping a sketchbook. Experiment with your pastels, start a library of different mark types, and see how to create different effects. Learn how colors can connect with your viewer by applying some basic color theory to your work, and get advice on how to source reference images.
Produce some study sketches to get familiar with your subject, then loosen your hand by creating expressive strokes. Build on your sketches by focusing on shapes and proportions, before moving on to the smaller details such as eyes, nose, and lips. Apply tone and texture, gradually pushing and pulling certain aspects into focus. Learn to balance the colors of your portrait with some detail work and the background color.
Once your portrait is complete, learn how to fix your pastel work and package it safely for sending. Finish the course with tips on how to photograph your work and see how to create interesting content for social media.
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