I’ve always loved drawing with pastel as a medium for my art! It’s such a totally different approach to oil but gives that soft and spontaneous quality.
It seems to be a popular month for pastels, which is great as the quicker technique is helpful when the Christmas rush begins. I am always busier at this time of year with people wanting gifts for friends and family.
I’ve been working on a neutral toned paper which helps when bringing out the highlights. I usually work from dark to light, building the form as I go.
Here are some examples of drawing with pastel in animal portraits that I have completed recently and also some miniature child pastels that have been in a family for generations. If you want to see any of my previous animal portraits click here.
For these two miniatures, I used oil as a medium.
These pastel portraits were commissioned to accompany existing family portraits of the cousins, siblings, parents and grandparents of these children. You can see some more of my previous portraits here. I really enjoyed this project as I think this is a lovely way to record a family history through the art of drawing.