Realistic Chalk Pastel Portraits
A course by Maximiliano BagnascoArtist and Face Expert
A course by Maximiliano Bagnasco, Artist and Face Expert
Learn to create stunning portraits by recreating every detail from a photograph
Every face has hundreds, or even thousands, of tiny details that make it unique. Join artist and face expert Maxi Bagnasco and learn how to capture every one of those details and replicate them in your work to create a highly realistic portrait that conveys that person’s essence.
In this course, learn how to create realistic portraits by experimenting with chalk pastels and discovering colors, tones, and shades that bring your art to life. With a photograph as your reference, recreate every facial feature, replicate skin tones, and create volume by playing with light and shadow.
What will you learn in this online course?
17 lessons & 26 downloads
What Will We Do in This Course?
50 seconds
Materials
3 minutes, 45 seconds
Idea and Image Search
4 minutes, 34 seconds
Theory of Color
11 minutes, 59 seconds
Create Volume from Highlights and Shadows
9 minutes, 41 seconds
Layout of the Drawing
16 minutes, 18 seconds
What's included in this course?
Start the course by getting to know Maxi. Hear about how he became an artist, check out some of his most famous work, and discover who his biggest artistic influences are.
Learn how to choose a good photo as a reference point for your portrait and explore how to approach your project beginning with the initial idea. Brush up on some concepts of color theory to create your color palette. Master light and shadow techniques to create volume and give your portrait a realistic look.
Now it’s time to bring your portrait to life! First, examine three different ways to approach your drawing. Look at skin tones, shapes, and proportions. Create a base with chalk pastels and work in fine details with pastel pencils. Eyes, nose, mouth . . .slowly recreate the whole face and use some simple tricks to give it a highly realistic look.
Finish off your portrait by applying a fixative to stabilize and preserve it for a long time. Finally, Maxi gives you some tips on how to post your work on social media so that every detail of your realistic portrait stands out.
What is this course's project?
Draw a realistic portrait with chalk pastels focusing on minute details and accurately recreating volume, light, and shadows.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone who wants to learn how to create realistic portraits and practice drawing with chalk pastels.
Requirements and materials
You don’t need any previous knowledge, but some basic notions of drawing and painting will help.
The materials you need for this course include chalk pastel sticks and pencils, a spray fixative, a drawing board, a ruler, erasers, a cutter, and a white marker.
Reviews
- 20 days ago
Muy bueno!
- 28 days ago
Hola estoy aprendiendo un montón con este curso me está gustando mucho.
- 1 month ago
Tam aradığım bilgilerdi. Çok iyiydi. Teşekkürler
- 6 months ago
This course is awesome. When you are looking for learning materials for pastels use you will not be dissapointed. Simple language which will allow you to laverage your work to next level. I'm regretting that i was not aware about this course earlier.
- 6 months ago
Me encanta esta técnica, y muy completo el curso. Lo recomiendo!
He is also the creator of Espacio de Artes Maxi Bagnasco where he teaches workshops and organizes artistic events. Similarly, he actively participates in the creative community giving talks, teaching seminars, and collaborating in programs and festivals where he does live drawings and paintings.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- What Will We Do in This Course?
- U2
Materials and Theory
- Materials
- Idea and Image Search
- Theory of Color
- Create Volume from Highlights and Shadows
- U3
Bring the Drawing to Life
- Layout of the Drawing
- We Paint the Eyes 1
- We Paint the Eyes 2
- We Paint the Nose
- We Paint the Mouth
- Finishing the Portrait 1
- Finishing the Portrait 2
- Final Adjustments
- U4
Termination
- Fixative Application
- How to Show My Work?
- FP
Final project
- Realistic Chalk Pastel Portraits
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
You’ll learn to create realistic caricatures using pastel chalk, covering everything from feature exaggeration techniques, color theory, and light and shadow modeling, to composition, reference selection, and professional portrait finishing.
The course is designed for people with intermediate drawing or illustration skills who want to refine their realism and caricature techniques using pastel chalk.
You’ll need pastel chalk, suitable paper, pencils, erasers, fixative spray, and photographic references. Basic drawing supplies and access to digital tools for optional tasks are recommended.
The course covers pastel chalk techniques, blending, color mixing, applying light and shadow, color theory, grid method, graphite tracing, and realistic portrait detailing.
You’ll learn to combine traditional and digital techniques to create both artistic illustrations and digital covers, adapting your work to various media and formats.
Selective exaggeration of facial features is explored to create expressive caricatures while maintaining proportions and realism through anatomical study and pastel chalk modeling.
It’s not required, but basic digital editing skills are suggested to get the most out of the optional modules that integrate traditional and digital art.