Category Pastels, Pastel Portraits, Alain Picard, Portrait Week

Another Self-portrait

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Pastel on Pastelmat, 12x12ins.

This was from a screenshot I took of myself, while waiting during a video call. I liked the colors, and the different-than-usual head position.

The original photo
Composition ideas explored. I decided I liked the top right one best.

My pastel palette selected
Initial block-in, washed with rubbing alcohol; also showing my skin tone square and other necessary colors.
First layers. I worked over these, redefining, shaping and altering colors and values, until I reached the finished painting at the top of this post. Fun!

Painterly Portrait Course, Spring 2024

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Self-portrait, 9 x 12 ins, pastel on Pastelmat
Photo taken by my sister. I was sitting by a north facing window: there was no other illumination.
Composition Explorations
Color choices and color study, 9 x 12
Placing the features by using comparative distances (with a skewer!) I am really glad to have improved at this skill from the teaching in the Painterly Portrait Course.
The color chart and underpainting (a thin layer of pastel in local colors, brushed with rubbing alcohol).

Learning Pastels

mayhewjnm 2 Comments

For a long time I have admired the luminosity and colors of paintings done using the pastel medium, but have considered it too messy of a process.

In February, I saw Alain Picard’s ‘Portrait Week’ advertised. His portraits really appeal to me, and I wanted to know how he achieved his effects, so I signed up.

I found that he is a very well-organized, knowledgeable, and encouraging teacher.

My reference photo, from Raw Umber Studios, UK
The monochrome sketch, with some initial color choices
Trials of 3 composition ideas
Preparations for Painting a portrait
The finished product, at the end of the week.

This painting has some wild color choices (how do pastel artists achieve color harmony!?—in oils we use a limited palette of colors; I have a lot to learn!).

Additionally, the pastel marks are too linear and scribbly. Making more blocky marks requires breaking the pastel sticks into smaller pieces; I just couldn’t bear to break up my lovely sticks yet!

The 3 x 3 block on the lower left shows my color choices for the skin tone palette, cool to warm across, and light to dark downwards. (This seems to be the first step in controlling color harmony).

Overall, for a first attempt I was encouraged enough to keep going!

So I signed up for his six week ‘Painterly Portrait Course’, held in March and April…