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Realistic Animals with Pastels

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Based on 70 ratings
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Mitch Ashford

Create a realistic animal portrait in under 5 hours, using soft pastels and pencils.  Learn how to combine pastels and colored pencil to create touchable, gorgeous animal drawings that you can give to friends, frame for yourself or even sell.  This course contains over 17 hours of instruction, and I cover every nuance and detail that you'll need to be a raving success.

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Create a realistic animal portrait in under 5 hours, using soft pastels and pencils.  Learn how to combine pastels and colored pencil to create touchable, gorgeous animal drawings that you can give to friends, frame for yourself or even sell.  This course contains over 17 hours of instruction, and I cover every nuance and detail that you'll need to be a raving success.

In this course, I teach you step by step how to draw a realistic animals using pastels and colored pencils.  Photo realism is not difficult, it can be super easy when you follow my techniques of just making dashes and dots.  The key is using proper supplies, and drawing in the direction of the fur.

All materials are covered here, including what supplies you'll need to draw the kitten, how to trace the outline and produce a nice base drawing to work from.  Then we'll add the base coats which are broad strokes of pastels intended to get the general color that we need.  After that, we'll dive right into the details with each individual stroke of the colored pencils and pastels that maintain our detail layers.  I literally walk through each step to ensure you understand the process and how tos.

Use this course to master drawing animals, and start pet portraits for extra cash on the side.   You'll see many people on Etsy selling these type of commissions for hundred dollars plus.  But you can do the same thing in half the time and earn some extra cash for yourself.  Facebook local groups are also a great way to advertise yourself and get commissions too, since your neighbors have pets that they'd love to get a portrait of.

And best of all, it's easy.  You don't need to be expert at drawing, a complete beginner can pickup this method and start creating artwork that will amaze everyone in the family.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Getting your supplies ready
Introduction
How to obtain realism in 5 hours.
How to watch these videos
Read more

Clairefontaine Pastelmat Card:

  • Beginner friendly
  • Easy to erase your mistakes
  • Works great with Pan Pastels
  • Expensive

http://www.dickblick.com/products/clairefontaine-pastelmat-card/

Hahnemühle Premium Velour:

  • Instantly get a soft, hair texture
  • Difficult to erase
  • Half the price of Pastelmat, and qualifies for discounts!

http://www.dickblick.com/products/hahnemuhle-premium-velour-paper/

Everyone loves art supply shopping! To tell you the truth, I like all the pastel brands. But for this lesson, we'll cover the top brands that I use.

Rembrandt sets: https://www.jacksonsart.com/talens-rembrandt-soft-pastel-60-assorted-1-2-stick-cardboard-box-set

Emma Colbert sets: https://www.jacksonsart.com/search/?q=emma+colbert

Note: Emma Colbert added HALF STICK sets! Highly recommended you do half sticks, since they're cheaper.

Jason Morgan Pan Pastel set: https://www.jacksonsart.com/panpastel-wildlife-painting-with-jason-morgan-set-of-16

Let's start base coats! We're using Pan Pastels with Sofft Tools, and these colors:

- Grey, Extra Dark

On 11"x14" Clairefontaine Pastelmat Card

Learn all the golden rules of base coats. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP! Let me show you how to get it right the first time, and make your drawing a success.

Angel the cat's base coats are finally complete! Let me guide you through all the details on how to make your first layer really pump up your drawing.

RAWR! Let's start a realistic lion using pan pastels on pastelmat paper. I walk you through all the important steps, and how to get those base coats down with perfection.

Ready for a photo realistic doggie? Of course you are! And in this lesson, I'm teaching you how to create the base coat layer for dogs. Small subtleties you can use to make your next dog drawing a huge success.

This is Willow, a beautiful cat with some stunning eyes. In this video, I will demonstrate how to use soft pastel sticks on Velour paper to create fur-like textures.

Stabilo CarbOthello Pencils:

http://www.dickblick.com/products/stabilo-carbothello-pastel-pencil-sets/

These are OPTIONAL, but add so much value to your drawings.

Girault Pastels at Jerry's:

http://www.jerrysartarama.com/pastels-girault

359/Cobalt Blue

526/Candle Black

525/White

Carl Angel-5 Manual Sharpener:

https://www.amazon.com/Classic-Sharpener-Classroom-Carl-Angel/dp/B005D7S9FI

Stabilo All Colored Marking Pencil:

http://www.dickblick.com/products/stabilo-all-colored-marking-pencils

Prismacolor Pencils:

http://www.dickblick.com/products/prismacolor-colored-pencils/

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Breaks down photorealistic drawing into manageable steps, making it accessible even for complete beginners who want to create impressive artwork
Covers a range of techniques, including base coats, layering, and detailing, providing a comprehensive understanding of the pastel and colored pencil drawing process
Explores various animal subjects, such as kittens, lions, dogs and birds, allowing learners to apply the techniques to a diverse range of subjects
Recommends specific art supplies, including brands and types of pastels, pencils, and paper, which may require learners to purchase these items to fully participate
Includes bonus content demonstrating techniques on different animals, which provides additional learning opportunities and reinforces the core concepts
Teaches how to create pet portraits for potential income, which may appeal to learners looking to monetize their artistic skills through commissions

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Reviews summary

Realistic animal portraits with pastels

According to learners, this course provides highly effective techniques for creating realistic animal portraits using pastels and colored pencils. Students praise the step-by-step instruction and guidance on drawing eyes and fur. The dots and dashes method and building base coats are highlighted as transformative for achieving realism. While the course recommends specific, sometimes expensive, supplies and portraits take longer than the stated 5 hours, many find the results are well worth the investment. Reviewers feel it is excellent for beginners with some drawing foundation or intermediate artists.
Ideal if you have basic drawing skills.
"Great course if you have some basic drawing skills; might be tough for absolute novices."
"While it says beginner, having some familiarity with drawing helps immensely."
"An absolute beginner might need to practice foundational skills first."
Achieve stunning animal portraits.
"I'm amazed at the results I got! My first portrait looks genuinely realistic."
"The section on drawing eyes is phenomenal; it really brings the animals to life."
"Learned how to make fur look soft and touchable."
Easy-to-follow, detailed guidance.
"Instructor explains everything clearly and takes you through each step patiently."
"The step-by-step breakdown makes a complex process feel achievable."
"I appreciated how detailed the instructor was, showing every stroke."
Learn proven steps for realism.
"The method of building layers with base coats before details was a game-changer for me."
"Using the 'dots and dashes' for fur texture is brilliant and surprisingly easy."
"I finally understand how to achieve photo-realistic fur textures thanks to this course."
Portraits take much longer than estimated.
"The 5-hour claim is misleading; one portrait took me closer to 20 hours."
"Don't expect to finish in 5 hours, but the in-depth coverage is worth the extra time."
"Took me several sessions over days to complete, not just one sitting."
Course recommends specific, costly supplies.
"Be prepared for the cost of materials; the recommended paper alone is pricey."
"Had to invest quite a bit in the specific pastels and pencils recommended."
"Wish there was more guidance on cheaper alternatives to the high-end supplies."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Realistic Animals with Pastels with these activities:
Review Color Theory Fundamentals
Reinforce your understanding of color theory to make informed decisions about color choices when creating realistic animal portraits with pastels.
Browse courses on Color Harmony
Show steps
  • Review the color wheel and color relationships.
  • Study examples of color palettes used in realistic animal art.
  • Practice mixing colors with pastels to achieve desired hues.
Read 'Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain'
Improve your observational drawing skills, which are crucial for capturing the likeness and details of animals in your pastel portraits.
View Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the book and complete the drawing exercises.
  • Focus on exercises that emphasize seeing shapes and edges.
  • Apply the principles to drawing animal subjects.
Practice Fur Texture Exercises
Refine your pastel and colored pencil techniques for creating realistic fur textures, a key element in animal portraits.
Show steps
  • Gather reference photos of various animal furs.
  • Practice creating short, medium, and long fur textures with pastels and pencils.
  • Experiment with layering colors to achieve depth and realism.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Create a Pastel Color Chart
Familiarize yourself with your pastel collection and understand how different colors interact, which will aid in color selection and mixing for your animal portraits.
Show steps
  • Organize your pastels by color family.
  • Create a chart with swatches of each pastel color.
  • Note the pigment information and lightfastness of each color.
Pet Portrait Commission Mockup
Simulate a real-world commission to practice your skills and build confidence in creating animal portraits for potential clients.
Show steps
  • Find a reference photo of a pet online or from a friend.
  • Create a pastel portrait of the pet, focusing on realism and detail.
  • Present the finished portrait as a commission mockup.
Explore 'Carl Rungius: Artist & Sportsman'
Gain inspiration and learn from a master wildlife artist to enhance your understanding of animal anatomy, composition, and realism.
View Putting Knowledge to Work on Amazon
Show steps
  • Browse the book and study Rungius's paintings.
  • Analyze his use of color, light, and composition.
  • Consider how you can apply his techniques to your pastel work.
Provide Feedback on Peer Artwork
Reinforce your understanding of the course material by providing constructive criticism and guidance to fellow students on their animal portraits.
Show steps
  • Join an online art forum or community.
  • Offer feedback on other artists' pastel animal portraits.
  • Focus on areas such as anatomy, color, and texture.

Career center

Learners who complete Realistic Animals with Pastels will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Pet Portrait Artist
A pet portrait artist creates custom artwork of animals. This course provides a strong foundation for drawing realistic animals using pastels and colored pencils, which are common mediums for pet portraits. The course emphasizes techniques for creating realistic fur textures and capturing animal features, essential skills for any pet portrait artist. The step-by-step instruction, including how to trace outlines and build layers of detail, helps a Pet Portrait Artist create high-quality, lifelike portraits; furthermore, the course provides a solid understanding of materials, especially the subtle and sophisticated use of soft pastels.
See salaries and explore the career path for Pet Portrait Artist
Wildlife Artist
The wildlife artist creates artwork depicting animals in their natural habitats. With its focus on drawing realistic animals using pastels and pencils, this course is highly relevant. It covers techniques for achieving photo realism, including creating fur textures and capturing intricate details. The course's step-by-step approach, from base coats to individual strokes, translates directly to creating detailed wildlife art. A Wildlife Artist will especially benefit from the instruction on drawing various animals, as well as the course's attention to proper supplies, which leads to better work. The course is an efficient method for mastering animal drawing for a wildlife artist.
See salaries and explore the career path for Wildlife Artist
Freelance Artist
A freelance artist works on a variety of art projects for different clients. This course prepares a Freelance Artist to offer realistic animal portraits as one of their services. The course provides a step-by-step approach to drawing animals with pastels and colored pencils, which makes learning the techniques efficient. The course's emphasis on creating realistic fur textures and details allows a freelance artist to produce high-quality portraits that clients will appreciate. Moreover, mastering these skills will enable you to offer pet portrait commissions, potentially increasing your income. Knowledge of which materials to use can also make this artist's work easier.
See salaries and explore the career path for Freelance Artist
Fine Artist
A fine artist creates original artwork for exhibition and sale. This course prepares a Fine Artist to create realistic animal portraits using pastels and colored pencils. The course's focus on achieving photo realism and capturing intricate details allows a fine artist to produce high-quality, marketable artwork. The step-by-step instruction, from base coats to individual strokes, provides a structured approach to creating detailed animal art. A Fine Artist will especially benefit from the instruction on drawing various animals and creating realistic fur textures. The course emphasizes an easy method for producing artwork.
See salaries and explore the career path for Fine Artist
Illustrator
An illustrator creates images for books, magazines, and other media. This course may be helpful for an illustrator seeking to add realistic animal portraits to their portfolio. The course's instruction on using pastels and colored pencils to create detailed animal drawings directly applies to illustration work. The step-by-step guidance, from tracing outlines to adding individual strokes, provides a structured approach to creating high-quality illustrations. Mastering the techniques taught in this course can add a valuable dimension to an illustrator's skillset. The course provides a solid foundation in drawing animal portraits.
See salaries and explore the career path for Illustrator
Tattoo Artist
The tattoo artist applies permanent designs onto clients' skin using needles and ink. This course may be helpful for a tattoo artist to improve their skills in creating realistic animal tattoos. The course's focus on drawing realistic animals with pastels and colored pencils can be translated to tattoo design. The techniques for creating fur textures and capturing animal details are particularly relevant. The course's step-by-step approach helps a tattoo artist create detailed and lifelike animal tattoos. The course could give a tattoo artist a new direction for their work.
See salaries and explore the career path for Tattoo Artist
Concept Artist
A concept artist creates visual representations of ideas for various projects, such as video games or movies. This course may be useful for a concept artist who needs to design realistic animals or creatures. The techniques taught in the course can be applied to creating detailed concept art for animal characters or environments. The step-by-step instruction on using pastels and colored pencils can help a concept artist quickly develop high-quality visuals. The course's focus on realism and detail is valuable for creating believable animal designs. The artist benefits from the focus on drawing in the direction of fur.
See salaries and explore the career path for Concept Artist
Art teacher
An art teacher instructs students in various art techniques and mediums. This course may be useful for an art teacher to expand their knowledge of pastel and colored pencil techniques for drawing realistic animals. The detailed instruction provided in the course can be adapted for teaching students of different skill levels. Learning the specific techniques for creating fur textures and capturing animal details can be incorporated into art lessons. An Art Teacher can also use the course as a resource for teaching students how to create pet portraits. By sharing this knowledge, an art teacher can help students develop their artistic skills.
See salaries and explore the career path for Art teacher
Muralist
A muralist creates large-scale artworks on walls or other surfaces. This course may be helpful for a muralist to incorporate realistic animal imagery into their murals. The skills learned in the course, such as creating fur textures and capturing animal details, can be adapted for larger-scale artwork. The course's instruction on using pastels and colored pencils can inform the muralist's approach to color blending and detail work. Furthermore, the knowledge gained from the course allows for the creation of eye-catching animal-themed murals. The course is suitable for beginners.
See salaries and explore the career path for Muralist
Animator
The animator creates moving images for films, television, and video games. This course may be useful for an animator who needs to create realistic animal characters. The course provides a strong foundation in drawing animals and capturing their unique features. The techniques for creating fur textures and detailed animal features can be incorporated into animation. The course's emphasis on realism helps an animator create believable and engaging animal characters. The course focuses on using pastels and colored pencils.
See salaries and explore the career path for Animator
Surface Pattern Designer
A surface pattern designer creates repeating designs for textiles, wallpaper, and other products. This course may be useful for a surface pattern designer to create animal-themed patterns. The realistic animal drawings created using the techniques taught in the course can be incorporated into repeating patterns. The course's instruction on using pastels and colored pencils can help a surface pattern designer create visually appealing and detailed designs. The skills gained from the course allow for the creation of unique and marketable surface patterns. The course emphasizes the easy production of photo realism.
See salaries and explore the career path for Surface Pattern Designer
Art Director
An art director oversees the visual style and images for various projects. This course may be helpful for an art director who wants to gain a better understanding of realistic animal art. The course provides insight into the techniques and processes involved in creating detailed animal portraits. This knowledge allows an art director to better guide and provide feedback to artists working on animal-related projects. The course's focus on realism and detail can inform the art director's decisions about visual style and image selection. The course covers a wide range of materials.
See salaries and explore the career path for Art Director
Custom Toy Designer
The custom toy designer creates original toy designs or modifies existing ones. This course may be valuable for a custom toy designer seeking to create realistic animal-themed toys. The skills learned in the course, such as capturing animal features and creating fur textures, can be applied to toy design. The knowledge of pastels and colored pencils can inform the designer's choices about color palettes and surface finishes. The course's focus on realism allows for the creation of highly detailed and lifelike animal toys. The course emphasizes techniques for creating stunning eyes, which are a focus for toys.
See salaries and explore the career path for Custom Toy Designer
Art Restorer
The art restorer repairs and conserves damaged artwork. This course may be useful for an art restorer who specializes in restoring pastel or colored pencil drawings of animals. The detailed knowledge of these mediums and techniques is helpful for understanding how to properly restore and preserve such artwork. The course's emphasis on realism and detail allows an art restorer to make informed decisions when repairing damaged areas. The course provides insight into the materials and processes used in creating realistic animal art. As a result, a restorer's work is more effective.
See salaries and explore the career path for Art Restorer
Art Gallery Owner
The art gallery owner manages and curates art exhibitions. This course may be helpful for an art gallery owner who wants to better understand the techniques and processes involved in creating realistic animal art. The course provides insight into the materials, methods, and artistic considerations that go into making detailed animal portraits. This knowledge allows an art gallery owner to better evaluate and promote artwork of this type. The course's emphasis on realism and detail can inform the gallery owner's decisions about which artists to represent. The gallery owner learns about the time required to produce realistic animals.
See salaries and explore the career path for Art Gallery Owner

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Realistic Animals with Pastels.
Cover image
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
Save
Teaches you how to draw what you actually see, rather than what you think you see. It's a classic guide to unlocking your artistic potential by tapping into the right side of your brain. This book is particularly helpful for improving observational skills, which are essential for creating realistic animal portraits. While not specific to pastels, the core drawing principles are universally applicable.
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
Paperback
Check
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
Kindle Edition
Check
Cover image
Putting Knowledge to Work
Save
Showcases the work of Carl Rungius, a master of wildlife art. Studying his techniques and compositions can provide inspiration and guidance for creating your own realistic animal portraits. While Rungius primarily worked in oils, his approach to capturing animal anatomy and behavior is relevant to pastel artists. This book is more valuable as additional reading and inspiration than as a direct reference for pastel techniques.
Putting Knowledge to Work
Paperback
Check
Putting Knowledge to Work
Kindle Edition
Check

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Rating
4.4 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Empty star
Effort
17.5 total hours
Via
Udemy
Instructor
Mitch Ashford
Language
English
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Breaks down photorealistic drawing into manageable steps, making it accessible even for complete beginners who want to create impressive artwork
Covers a range of techniques, including base coats, layering, and detailing, providing a comprehensive understanding of the pastel and colored pencil drawing process
Explores various animal subjects, such as kittens, lions, dogs and birds, allowing learners to apply the techniques to a diverse range of subjects
Recommends specific art supplies, including brands and types of pastels, pencils, and paper, which may require learners to purchase these items to fully participate
Includes bonus content demonstrating techniques on different animals, which provides additional learning opportunities and reinforces the core concepts
Teaches how to create pet portraits for potential income, which may appeal to learners looking to monetize their artistic skills through commissions
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