PASTEL ON STENCIL PAPER –
Lorna May Wadsworth
Reference Image
Materials
Polyester drafting film
White cartridge paper
Soft pastels
Charcoal
Putty eraser
Soft brushes
Reference photo
Studio light or standard lamp
Fine detail brush
White acrylic paint
Cloth or tissue
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Setting up your subject and your workstation
If you can work with a live model have a go at lighting them with a directional light so that some of their face is cast in shadow. The contrast will really help you to create depth in your piece. If you’re working from a photograph look for one with strong contrasts.
Top Tip: If you don’t have a specific directional light just put a standard table light on its side
Secure your polyester drafting film onto a drawing board, placing white cartridge paper underneath to ensure a bright background. As well as working from life it can be useful to also use a gridded reference photo to help scale and position the subject correctly.
Creating the Under-drawing in Charcoal
To begin your piece sketch basic shapes and composition lines lightly with charcoal. Start with loose, feathery marks to outline the face and key features and use a soft brush to subtly blend charcoal for shadows without over-smudging. Keep the under-drawing structural but not too detailed, as pastel layers will define the final form.
Top Tip: The great thing about polyester film is its always possible to remove marks you have made using a putty rubber leaving no trace.
Top Tip: Before you move on to pastels make sure you have clean hands
Layering with Pastels
When you are happy with the charcoal drawing place a fresh sheet of polyester film over the charcoal drawing, allowing it to serve as a guide. Choose some bold, expressive colours for initial pastel strokes as pastel thrives on strong contrasts and layered depth. Experiment using different parts of the pastel stick- the edge for precise lines and the broad side for covering larger areas.
Top Tip: Work in scribbles and bold marks first, avoiding over-blending to maintain vibrancy.
Building Up Colour and Texture
Start with the larger colour blocks, such as clothing, hats, or background elements, to balance the composition in the initial stages. Where possible use some of the colours from the clothes in the skin as well to create harmony, using gentle smudging to create smooth transitions. Apply lighter shades to highlight feathers or textured fabrics, using short, flicking strokes to suggest movement.
Refining Details and Contrast
Work from general to specific, slowly refining facial features while keeping an eye on the balance of the whole portrait. Deepen shadows in areas like the neck, eye sockets, and where hair meets skin, using darker pastels with controlled, directional marks. Adjust highlights by layering soft pastel whites over mid-tones for a luminous effect. Use staccato, crisp marks for sharp details, such as jewellery or reflections, to contrast with the soft blended areas.
Enhancing Facial Features
As you reach the final stages look for pops of colour you can introduce like a deep reds or coral for the lips, carefully balancing vibrancy with the surrounding skin tones. Choose a rich blue for the irises, ensuring contrast with the whites of the eyes. Keep mark-making varied- smooth shading for skin, structured lines for hair, and gentle stippling for softer transitions.
Top Tip: Use a cloth or tissue to wipe hands frequently and prevent unintentional smudging.
Top Tip: Add a touch of red to the inner lid of the eye where the blood is close to the surface of the skin. It will make your image look more lifelike.
Drawing Jewellery
Jewellery can be a great way to add narrative and glamour to a piece. It might be too complicated to include every detail so use expressive marks to suggest the light bouncing off.
Final touch
As the last thing you do experiment with adding the tiniest bit of white acrylic to the highlights on the eye balls.