# Expressive Portrait Drawing with Soft Pastels | Domestika

> A course by Chris Gambrell · Illustration · Beginner
> 16 lessons (3h 18m) · 97% of the 309 student ratings are positive

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.

## Who is this online course for?

This course is for drawing enthusiasts and anyone interested in using soft pastels to create striking portraits.

## What is this course's project?

Draw a portrait with soft pastels using a reference photograph.

## 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.

## Content

### Introduction

Hi! Welcome to my Domestika course on artistic pastel portraiture. I hope you enjoy it.

In this unit you’ll learn about me as an artist and a person to understand where the passion to do what I do comes from.

### Pastel Portraiture Fundamentals

In this unit I’ll introduce you to the materials we’ll be using as we progress through the course. We’ll be looking at a range of different marks and how to make them. I also take you through the important points of keeping a sketchbook both for practical short-term application and for long term development. And finally we’ll go over where to source references and some useful considerations when choosing your subject image.

### Creating Your Pastel Portrait

In this unit you will produce a finished piece using the materials we’ve introduced and begun to work with on the paper of your choice. You will use the process we covered in the previous lesson to create the reference and you’ll introduce more colour combinations to your work.

### Sharing Your Work

In this unit you will learn what you can do with your drawing once you have finished making it.

## Audio and subtitles

**Audio:** English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish

**Subtitles:** Spanish, English, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Polish, Dutch, Turkish, ro, id

[Expressive Portrait Drawing with Soft Pastels](https://www.domestika.org/en/courses/2742-expressive-portrait-drawing-with-soft-pastels)