Drawing eyes with pastels will bring life and emotion to your artwork. This simple guide will help you master this important element in portraits.

Step 1

• Sketch the eye shape.
• Lightly outline the basic shape of the eye (almond or oval) with a pastel pencil.
• Include the iris, pupil, and a hint of the eyelid and tear duct.

Step 2

• Base colours - use light tones to fill the sclera (white of the eye), avoiding pure white.
• Add a base colour for the iris, such as blue, green, or brown.
• Shade the skin around the eye with soft, warm tones. 

Step 3

• Add shadows and highlights - use darker shades for shadows under the eyelid and around the tear duct.
• Blend lighter colours to create a smooth transition on the sclera.
• Add highlights with a small stroke of white pastel on the iris and along the tear line. 

Step 4

• Detail the iris - add radial lines within the iris using complementary or darker shades of the base colour.
• Blend lightly to soften transitions, but leave some texture for realism.
• Draw eyebrow. 

If you're new to pastels, don't stop here! Explore our other beginner-friendly guides to learn all you need to progress and develop your pastel skills.

Step 5

• Create the pupil - fill the pupil with deep black for contrast and precision.
• Add a bright white dot for a catchlight to give the eye life. 

Step 6

• Draw eyelashes - use a sharpened pastel pencil for thin, curved lines.
• Follow the natural growth pattern for realism. 
• Blend and refine - use blending tools to smooth skin tones and the sclera.
• Adjust shadows and highlights to add depth and dimension.

Andrea Naylor is a self-taught professional award-winning artist. Andrea has been teaching, demonstrating and creating commissioned artwork for over 20 years, specialing is hand-painted portriats of pets, people and wildlife. Find out more on her website or via social media

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