Expressive Portrait Drawing with Soft Pastels
A course by Chris GambrellArtist and Fashion Illustrator
A course by Chris Gambrell, Artist and Fashion Illustrator
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.
What will you learn in this online course?
16 lessons & 22 downloads
The Importance of Keeping a Sketchbook
14 minutes, 6 seconds
Mark Making
12 minutes, 12 seconds
Colour Study
10 minutes, 37 seconds
Sourcing References
7 minutes, 46 seconds
Initial Sketching 1
13 minutes, 22 seconds
Proportions 1
15 minutes, 49 seconds
What's included in this course?
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.
What is this course's project?
Draw a portrait with soft pastels using a reference photograph.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for drawing enthusiasts and anyone interested in using soft pastels to create striking portraits.
Requirements and materials
No previous experience with soft pastels is required to take this course, just the curiosity to explore portrait drawing with this medium.
As for materials, you will need a basic range of soft pastels, a pencil, an eraser, standard 80gsm A4 paper, an A3 size sketchpad, and fixative spray. Optional materials are mentioned at the beginning of the course.
Reviews
- 24 days ago
Çok teşekkürler
- 1 month ago
Ein toller Kurs! Besonders der einzigartige Umgang mit Farben und der inspirierende Stil des Lehrers haben mich begeistert.
- 2 months ago
I am new to pastel techniques and really enjoyed this course. I have learnt a lot and the step be step approach is easy to follow.
- 2 months ago
A superb course by Chris, very practical and inspirational. It has helped me improve my pastel technique. Highly recommend.
- 2 months ago
Muy lindo el curso! Personalmente descubrí que no me convence mucho el pastel
Following his return from a twelve-year sabbatical in 2016, he started an Instagram account to document his artwork, which gave way to numerous work opportunities. He began illustrating for major European fashion houses and editorials. In 2020, he was chosen by VOGUE to be one of seven artists to draw his favorite looks from VOGUE’s Runway archive pages. Since then, his vibrant portraits have been featured in numerous exhibitions and art galleries. His most recent commissions include the book cover illustration for–art critic from The Guardian–Jonathan Jones’s biography on Artemisia Gentileschi.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Pastel Portraiture Fundamentals
- Introduction to Materials
- The Importance of Keeping a Sketchbook
- Mark Making
- Colour Study
- Sourcing References
- U3
Creating Your Pastel Portrait
- Initial Sketching 1
- Initial Sketching 2
- Proportions 1
- Proportions 2
- Details
- Making an Image Work as a Piece
- Colour Work
- U4
Sharing Your Work
- Fixing the Work and Packaging
- Photographing and Social Media
- FP
Final project
- X Pastel Portait
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
Yes, this course is designed for beginners and covers foundational skills in pastel portraiture, mark-making, color theory, and sketchbook practice.
You’ll need soft pastels, pastel pencils, a sketchbook, suitable pastel paper, fixative spray, blending stumps, a Conte pencil, and basic digital tools like a scanner or camera for digitizing artwork.
You’ll learn pastel techniques for portraits, fashion illustration basics, color theory, mark-making, sketchbook routines, digital coloring in Photoshop, and how to share and protect your art.
Yes, the course teaches layering, blending techniques with fingers and stumps, and creating depth and texture in pastel portraits.
Yes, you’ll learn how to select, evaluate, and obtain permission for reference photos, including using apps like Skitchy and understanding contrast and pose.
Yes, you’ll learn how to use fixative, cellophane sleeves, and proper packaging techniques to safely store and ship pastel drawings.
The course covers photographing, cropping, editing, and posting your artwork on Instagram, as well as tips for hashtags and engaging your audience.