The image of a person’s head, namely the transfer of facial proportions, is a very complex matter. It is especially difficult to complete a picture in color. Special crayons are best suited. They allow you to create smooth transitions of shades and even a beginner to get a completely realistic image. If you want to learn how to draw a portrait in pastel , 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 to not only learn how to draw a portrait in pastel, but also to understand the existing types of this material. It may look different. On the shelves of domestic stores presented in the following options:
- multi-colored crayons in a box;
- sticks in an individual wrapper in a set or piece;
- in a wooden frame in the form of an ordinary pencil.
The former are the most traditional and are represented by sets of a wide range of shades. The second ones are convenient in work, since they do not get your hands dirty, and the third is good for performing small details, such as eyes, lips, and drawing the hair structure. The latter type is suitable for such purposes not only due to the form of execution, but also due to its greater hardness. In addition, there is a special oil pastel, but the technique of working with it is much more complicated, and for beginners it is better to take the usual dry one.
Paper selection
If you decide to make a portrait a pastel, pay attention to the basis that is best suited for this material. There are special sheets that have a soft velvety textured surface. It is on such paper that pastel is best held and looks spectacular. You can use, of course, any material, but you should first try how the crayons will fall on it.
To make a portrait a pastel, very often they use not white paper, but a light shade, such as beige. She will give a certain tone to the face, and the impression of such a picture will only improve. Do not take too bright shades of the background. If you have only white paper at hand, say watercolor, it can be easily covered with a transparent layer of paint.
Features of work
It's amazing how lively portraits turn out to be pastel. Photos of the works clearly demonstrate this. Obtaining such subtle color transitions is possible due to the structure of the paper, the art material itself and the technique of blending or rubbing the applied pigment. To do this, you can use a napkin, a shred of soft tissue or even a cotton swab to work out small parts. You should not use your finger, because it will get dirty too quickly and will give a dirty tint on paper, and in addition, with this method, dust particles of pastels can begin to roll due to the presence of sebum on the surface of the finger.
It should be borne in mind that the portrait in pastel must be very carefully stored. In a folder or album, you will definitely need a tracing paper to separate the sheets in order to cover the side with the image. Most often, pastel requires fixing. Special fixing compounds are sold. However, they are quite expensive. Instead, you can use ordinary hair spray. It often gives a dimming color, but this can be taken into account when performing a picture, making it a little lighter than necessary, or corrected after processing. If you are going to keep the finished portrait in pastel decorated in a frame, it is better to make a mat from thick cardboard so that the sheet with the image does not lie on the surface of the glass.
Line drawing preparation
Before you make a portrait in pastel, you need to outline the contours 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 maintaining proportions across the cells or use the standard scheme:
1. Perform an oval face that resembles an egg. Mark the main horizontals, focusing on which you will draw all the elements.
2. Schedule the ears, the shape of the eyes, nose, lips in accordance with the proportions.
3. Add hair, eyebrows, neckline.
4. Detail the image.
The preliminary stage of work is completed. Go to the fun part.
Portrait in pastel: master class
The sequence of actions when applying color shades will be as follows:
1. Make a general skin tone. You can pour powder from small dust particles onto a sheet, rub them evenly with a napkin.
2. Gradually add new shades: white in the places of light and brownish in the shadows. Draw the neck.
3. Gently with a
pastel pencil, carry out the eyes. In this case you can evenly distribute the tone on the surface with a cotton swab.
4. The next step is to make lips.
5. Be sure to work out the light and shadows around small parts. Make a hairstyle.
6. Start drawing hair, shirt collar. Try to gradually complete the face.
7. Engage your hair structure. She should look natural. Do not try to show individual touches everywhere. In the background, shading is fine. It will give a sense of volume to the head.
8. Outline the background color.
9. Try to harmoniously choose the matching 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. Apply finishing touches to clothing.
To summarize
So, you got acquainted with how to draw a portrait in pastel. Having studied the step-by-step sequence of work, you can make your picture in the same way. For the first experience, try to choose the most comfortable sheet size. It is worth constantly moving away from the image, evaluating it from afar. This makes it easier to spot and correct errors on time. Prepare all the materials, stock up on inspiration and patience, and go paint your first portrait with pastel.