Animals with Pastels from Udemy

In this course, we take a look at drawing four different animals with pastels and pastel pencils. Each in-depth lesson series demonstrates and explains every step of the process. Learn how to master pastel techniques while exploring the subject of animals. See why this medium is perfectly suited for this subject.

The course is designed to expose the learner to a variety of animals as well as surfaces and techniques.

In the first series of lessons, we take a look at drawing a cat with soft pastels and pastel pencils on PastelMat paper. The second series features a drawing of a dog with pastels and pastel pencils on green pastel paper. After this, we explore drawing a tropical bird on pastel board with soft pastels and pastel pencils. And lastly, we draw a cow in a field with oil pastels.

This course is clearly a video course. But not all of us prefer to learn from watching videos. Some of us prefer to learn from books as well as videos, so ebooks are included as well. This course has been developed to accelerate learning by teaching to many different learning styles. Each course module includes an illustrated ebook that corresponds with the video. Every step and concept is clearly illustrated and described in each ebook.

What's inside

Syllabus

Background and the Eyes

Draw a fluffy cat with soft pastels.

Introduction, Materials, and Transfer

Underpainting

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores pastel techniques for drawing animals, which is a popular subject for artists of all skill levels

Includes both video lessons and illustrated ebooks, which caters to different learning styles and reinforces concepts

Covers a variety of animals, surfaces, and techniques, which allows learners to experiment and expand their artistic skills

Focuses on pastels and pastel pencils, which are traditional art mediums that offer unique textures and effects

Requires specific types of paper and pastels, which may not be readily available or affordable for all learners

Reviews summary

Drawing animals with various pastels

According to learners, this course offers an exploration into drawing four different animals, including a cat, dog, tropical bird, and cow, using various pastel mediums. Students learn techniques for working with soft pastels, pastel pencils, and oil pastels on different surfaces like PastelMat and pastel board. The course structure features an in-depth lesson series for each animal, promising to explain every step from materials and underpainting to finishing details. Available as a video course, it also includes corresponding ebooks included to support multiple learning styles, providing both visual and written guidance, which many find helpful for reinforcing concepts.

Concentrated on animals using pastel mediums

"This course is very focused on a niche: drawing animals with pastels, which is what I wanted."

"It's great if you're specifically interested in this subject matter and medium."

"If you need a broad drawing foundation or want to explore other subjects, look elsewhere."

Offers flexible learning with video and text

"Having both the video demonstrations and the illustrated ebooks was fantastic for learning."

"I really appreciated the ebooks; I could review steps easily without rewatching videos constantly."

"Being able to switch between watching and reading suited my learning style well."

Learn varied animals with different pastels

"I enjoyed tackling different animals; the cat, dog, bird, and cow offer good variety."

"It was great experimenting with soft pastels, pastel pencils, and oil pastels in one course."

"Trying the different surfaces mentioned like PastelMat and pastel board added another interesting dimension."

"The course covers a nice range of subjects and mediums, which keeps you engaged."

Instructions are detailed and easy to follow

"The lessons are broken down into very manageable, clear steps for each drawing."

"I found the explanation of each stage, from underpainting to details, easy to follow."

"Even parts like the eyes or fur are explained methodically, which is very helpful."

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 Animals with Pastels with these activities:

Practice Basic Sketching

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Improve your ability to quickly capture the form and proportions of animals before starting the pastel drawings.

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Find reference photos of animals.
Practice sketching the basic shapes and forms.
Focus on capturing proportions accurately.

Review 'Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain'

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Improve your observational skills and learn techniques to accurately represent animals in your pastel drawings.

View Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain on Amazon

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Read the book and understand the core concepts.
Complete the drawing exercises in the book.
Apply the techniques to animal subjects.

Create a Pastel Color Chart

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Familiarize yourself with your pastel colors and their properties to make informed decisions during your drawings.

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Gather all your pastel sticks and pencils.
Create a chart with each color labeled.
Note the properties of each color (e.g., opacity, value).

Four other activities

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Practice Blending Techniques

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Master blending techniques to create smooth transitions and realistic textures in your pastel animal drawings.

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Choose a few pastel colors to blend.
Experiment with different blending tools (fingers, tortillions, etc.).
Practice creating smooth gradients and soft edges.

Create a Study of Animal Fur Textures

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Develop your ability to render realistic fur textures using pastels, which is crucial for drawing animals convincingly.

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Find reference photos of different animal furs.
Practice rendering the fur textures using various pastel techniques.
Pay attention to the direction and length of the fur.

Review 'Pastel Painting Techniques'

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Expand your knowledge of pastel techniques and learn new ways to approach your animal drawings.

View Putting Knowledge to Work on Amazon

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Read the book and take notes on key techniques.
Experiment with the techniques in your own drawings.
Adapt the techniques to suit your style.

Create a Series of Animal Portraits

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Solidify your skills and knowledge by creating a series of animal portraits using pastels.

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Choose a variety of animals to draw.
Plan each portrait carefully, considering composition and color.
Execute the portraits using the techniques learned in the course.
Reflect on your progress and identify areas for improvement.

Career center

Learners who complete Animals with Pastels will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Pet Portrait Artist

A pet portrait artist specializes in creating portraits of animals, often as commissioned artwork for pet owners. This course directly aligns with this career. The course focuses explicitly on drawing animals using pastels and pastel pencils. Learners gain experience in capturing the likeness and personality of various animals like cats, dogs, birds, and cows. The detailed lessons and ebook resources are particularly valuable in honing the skills needed to create realistic and expressive pet portraits, and could very well contribute to a fulfilling career as a pet portrait artist.

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Animal Illustrator

An animal illustrator creates illustrations of animals for various purposes, such as children's books, educational materials, or scientific publications. This course provides a strong foundation in drawing animals with pastels. The course includes drawing a fluffy cat, a golden retriever, a parrot, and a cow. The course covers a variety of animals as well as surfaces and techniques, which can be useful for the animal illustrator. The inclusion of ebooks further helps the animal illustrator master the material.

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Art teacher

An art teacher instructs students of all ages in various art techniques and concepts. The course's focus on pastel drawing, with step-by-step video lessons and accompanying ebooks, can be directly translated into lesson plans and teaching resources. The course's structure, covering different animals and pastel techniques, provides a framework for teaching similar skills to students. An art teacher can use this structured course to help students understand the materials and techniques required to draw fluffy cats, golden retrievers, parrots, and cows.

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Wildlife Artist

A wildlife artist captures the beauty and essence of animals in their natural habitats through various artistic mediums. This course may be useful to aspiring wildlife artists who want to specialize in pastel techniques. The course provides instruction on drawing a diverse range of animals, including a tropical bird and a cow in a field. A wildlife artist would benefit from the course since the modules are designed to showcase the subject of animals. The drawing of the cow in a field may serve as inspiration for the aspiring artist of animals in their habitats.

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Concept Artist

A concept artist creates visual representations of ideas for various projects, such as video games, films, and animated series. Pastels may be used as one of the mediums of choice for concept artists, who may be tasked with drawing animals. The course provides a foundation for capturing the likeness and essence of animal subjects. The detailed lessons and ebooks are valuable in honing animal drawing skills. This may be a valuable asset to becoming a great concept artist.

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Illustrator

An illustrator creates images for books, magazines, and other media. This course may provide a foundation for capturing the likeness and essence of animal subjects. The course specifically focuses on pastels and pastel pencils, mediums commonly used in illustration. Practice drawing a cat, dog, tropical bird, and cow through the course. This may further enhance observational skills and technical abilities in pastel drawing, essential for any aspiring illustrator.

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Fine Artist

A fine artist creates original artwork for galleries, exhibitions, or private collections. This course may help any fine artist who wishes to hone their skills with pastels. The course explores drawing animals using pastels and pastel pencils. The course is designed to expose the learner to different surfaces and techniques. Aspiring fine artists will benefit from learning how to create a drawing of a dog with pastels and pastel pencils on green pastel paper.

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Multimedia Artist

A multimedia artist creates art using a combination of different media, such as video, animation, and digital images. This course may be useful to multimedia artists who want to incorporate traditional art techniques into their digital work. The course focuses on drawing animals with pastels, which can add a unique and tactile element to digital art. Mastering pastel techniques while exploring the subject of animals may prove very useful.

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Animal Sculptor

An animal sculptor creates three-dimensional representations of animals using various materials, such as clay, bronze, or wood. Although this course focuses on two-dimensional pastel drawings, it provides valuable insights into animal anatomy and form. The course may help an animal sculptor better understand the proportions and details of different animals. The course could provide animal sculptors with a basis to create more accurate and lifelike sculptures.

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Art Director

An art director oversees the visual style and images for various projects, such as magazines, advertising campaigns, or film productions. While this course focuses on a specific art medium and subject matter, it may be helpful to an art director. The art director can use knowledge of this course to better understand and communicate with artists who create animal illustrations or pastel artwork. The course's exploration of different animals and techniques provides an appreciation for the creative process involved in this type of artwork.

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Art conservator

An art conservator preserves and restores artwork, ensuring its longevity and integrity. While this course focuses on creating pastel drawings rather than conserving them, it may be useful to an aspiring art conservator. This is because they may better understand pastel as a medium and how it degrades and decomposes. The course may provide insights into the materials and techniques used in pastel drawing, which can inform conservation efforts.

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Surface Pattern Designer

A surface pattern designer creates original designs for textiles, wallpaper, and other surfaces. Surface pattern designers typically work digitally. However, it may be helpful to understand how the animals are drawn on paper. The course's focus on animal subjects and pastel techniques may serve as inspiration for new patterns and designs. The course's exploration of different animals, such as the parrot, may provide a useful foundation for creating animal-themed patterns.

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Muralist

A muralist creates large-scale artwork on walls or other surfaces, often in public spaces. Although this course focuses on smaller-scale pastel drawings, the principles of composition, color theory, and animal anatomy are useful for a muralist. The course may help a muralist who is interested in incorporating animal themes into their murals. The techniques learned in the course, such as underpainting and developing details, can be adapted to mural painting.

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Exhibition Designer

An exhibition designer creates visually engaging and informative displays for museums, galleries, and other venues. While this course focuses on creating pastel drawings of animals, it may be useful to an exhibition designer. This is especially true if the exhibition designer wishes to design an exhibition related to animals or pastel art. By understanding the techniques and processes involved in creating pastel drawings, the exhibition designer can create informed and engaging displays.

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Creative Director

A creative director leads a team of creative professionals, such as designers, copywriters, and artists, to develop and execute creative concepts for various projects. While this course focuses on a specific art medium, it may inspire a creative director. The exploration of drawing animals with pastels may provide a deeper understanding of the artistic process and the challenges involved in creating visually appealing artwork. Knowledge of the artistic process can help a creative director communicate effectively with artists on their team.

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Animals with Pastels

What's inside

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Drawing animals with various pastels

Activities

Career center

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