I'm not telling you anything you don't already know when I say that successful portraiture is successful when the portrait artist, foremost, captures a likeness. Yes, I ardently believe that there has to be something more to the story—a sense of the subject's spirit or personality,...
Modulate contrast to keep the attention on the focal point. by Dawn Whitelaw The Old Man Pastel, 23 x 17. The artist has done an excellent job with this pastel portrait—the drawing and the use of color are quite effective. My only suggestion would be to lower the contrast on the ear. This adjustment...
In her colored pencil and graphite drawings, Dee Overly invites viewers to admire the unique details of natural objects. by Lynne Moss Perricelli Raindrops 2007, colored pencil drawing, 8½ x 7. This piece won second place in American Artist’s 70th Anniversary competition in the colored pencil...
Painting the expressiveness of a person’s mouth helps establish his or her likeness, personality, and vitality in a portrait, yet many artists have difficulty representing that facial feature. Here’s how I teach students to paint a mouth in either oil or pastel. To read more features like...
We present the semifinalists in the pastel category. by Karen Stanger Johnston Changing Channels by Mike Barret Kolasinski, 2007, pastel on archival foam board, 12 x 24. First Place: Mike Barret Kolasinski Chicago artist Mike Barret Kolasinski is passionate about nature. He calls his pastel landscapes...
Posted to
The Pastel Blog
by
American Artist
on
7 Mar 2008
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Filed under: how to paint, Pastel, oil painting, plein air, landscape painting, art competitions, Painting, Still Life, Watercolor Painting, Drawing Basics, Art, colored pencil, Landscape Drawing, Artist Daily
It is important to consider the background color in a portrait. by Dawn Whitelaw Kate Menendez 2006, pastel, 21 x 19. The critic created an adjusted version of the painting in Photoshop to supplement her critique. This artist asked for help with the background in this pastel portrait. The value of the...