Portrait of a pastel: master class, photo

The image of a person's head, namely the transfer of the proportions of the face - is a very difficult matter. It is especially difficult to perform a painting in color. The best crayons are suitable. They allow you to create smooth transitions of hues and even a beginner to get a completely realistic image. If you want to learn how to draw a pastel portrait, study the recommendations of the article, and most importantly - look at the step-by-step creation of a picture with comments. This will help you complete the task yourself.

Types and their characteristics

To get a good job, you need not only learn how to draw a pastel portrait, but also understand the existing types of this material. It can look different. On the shelves of domestic stores is presented in the following versions:

• Colored chalks in a box;
• Sticks in individual wrapping set or individually;
• In a wooden frame in the form of an ordinary pencil.

The first are the most traditional and are represented by sets of a wide range of shades. The latter are convenient in work, since they do not stain the hands, and the third ones are good at carrying out small details, for example, eyes, lips, draw the structure of the hair. The latter kind is suitable for such purposes not only due to the form of execution, but also of greater hardness. In addition, there is a special oil pastel, but the technique of working with it is much more difficult, and it is better for beginners to take the usual dry one.

Paper Selection

If you decide to make a portrait with a pastel, pay attention to the base, which is best suited for this material. There are special sheets that have a soft, velvety textured surface. It is on such paper that the pastel is best kept and looks spectacular. Of course, any material can be used, but it is worthwhile to try beforehand how the crayons will fall on it.

To make a portrait with pastels, very often not white paper is used, but a light shade, for example, beige. It will give a certain tone for the face, and the impression of such a pattern will only improve. Do not take too bright background colors. If at hand there is only white paper, let's say watercolor, it can easily be covered with a transparent layer of paint.

Features of work

It's amazing how vivid the portraits are made by pastel. Photos of the work demonstrate this. Such fine color transitions are possible due to the structure of the paper, the artistic material itself and the technique of feathering or grinding the applied pigment. To do this, you can use a napkin, a piece of soft cloth or even a cotton swab to work out small parts. Do not use your finger, as it too quickly gets dirty and will give a dirty shade on the paper, and in addition, with this method of dust, pastels can begin to roll down due to the presence of sebum on the surface of the finger.

It should be borne in mind that a portrait of a pastel must be kept very carefully. In the folder or album, you will need a tracing paper to separate the sheets to cover the side with the image. Most often the pastel requires fastening. Special fixing compounds are sold. However, they are quite expensive. Instead, you can use the usual hair spray. It often gives a darkening of the color, but this can be taken into account when performing a picture, making it a little lighter than necessary, or correct it after processing. If the finished portrait of pastel you are going to store framed, it is better to make a mat with a cardboard, so that the sheet with the image does not lie on the surface of the glass.

Preparing a line drawing

Before making a portrait with a pastel, you need to outline the outline of the face. It is better to do this with a simple pencil or the chalk itself, which differs in color from the shade of the paper. You can use the method of observing proportions by cells or using the standard scheme:

1. Perform an oval face, in shape resembling an egg. Mark the main horizontals, focusing on which you will draw all the elements.

2. Set out the ears, the shape of the eyes, nose, lips in accordance with the proportions.

3. Add hair, eyebrows, neck line.

4. Details the image.

The preliminary stage of work has been completed. Proceed to the most interesting.

Portrait of a pastel: master class

The sequence of actions when applying color shades will be as follows:

1. Make a general tone of the skin of the face. You can pour powder from small dust particles on a sheet, grind them evenly with a napkin.

2. Gradually add new shades: white in places of light and brownish in shadows. Draw a neck. 3. Carefully use a pastel pencil to make eyes. In this case, evenly distribute the tone over the surface with a cotton swab.

4. The next step is doing the lips.

5. Be sure to work light and shadows around small parts. Design a hairstyle.

6. Begin to draw the hair, collar of the shirt. Try to gradually finish the face.

7. Work out the structure of the hair. It should look natural. Do not try to show individual strokes everywhere. In the background, a tuxedo will do. It will give a feeling of volume to the head.

8. Mark the background color.

9. Try to harmoniously match the shades of clothing, face and background.

10. Make a smooth transition of the background to the edges of the sheet. Detail the hair in the foreground.

11. Put finishing touches on clothes.

Let's sum up the results

So, you got to know how to draw a portrait with a pastel. After studying the step-by-step sequence of work, you can do the same in the same way. For the first experiment try to choose the most comfortable for yourself the size of the sheet. It is worth constantly moving away from the image, evaluating it from afar. So it's easier to notice and correct mistakes in time. Prepare all the materials, stock up with inspiration and patience and go paint your first portrait with pastel.