Mastering the art of drawing faces begins with understanding composition, a key element that brings balance, harmony, and personality to your pastel portraits.

Top tips for successful portraits

Andrea Naylor talks us through all the pertinent points of crating successful pastel portraits including  a closer look at skin tones.

Understand the rule of thirds 

Divide your canvas into thirds both horizontally and vertically. Place key facial features, like the eyes, along the upper horizontal line. This alignment draws the viewer’s attention naturally and enhances visual harmony. 

Choose a strong focal point 

Decide which part of the face you want to emphasize. The eyes are often the focal point because they convey emotion and depth. Use detail, contrast, or colour to make your focal area stand out. 

Experiment with angles and cropping 

Dynamic angles (e.g., a three-quarter view) add depth and interest. Cropping the face can also create drama. Try focusing on just the eyes or lips for a striking composition. 

Balance positive and negative space 

Ensure the surrounding negative space complements the face’s placement. A face centered with excessive empty space may feel static, while careful asymmetry can lead to a more dynamic and engaging composition. 

Consider lighting and shadows 

Strategic lighting can create mood and dimension. Use chiaroscuro (contrast between light and dark) to direct attention and define facial structure. 

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.

Simplify backgrounds 

A cluttered background competes with the subject. Keep it simple or use abstract elements that enhance, rather than distract from, the face. 

Apply leading lines 

Use lines, such as those from hair, necklines, or accessories, to guide the viewer’s eye to the focal points.

Emphasize proportions and symmetry

While perfect symmetry isn't necessary, balanced proportions ensure the composition feels stable. Use tools like grid lines or digital guides to check alignment. By combining these techniques with your unique artistic style, you'll create compositions that not only capture the subject’s likeness but also draw the viewer into the emotion and story behind the portrait. 

Skin tones

Achieving realistic skin tones with pastels involves careful layering, blending, and colour mixing. Follow this guide to help create lifelike skin tones in your portraits.

Gather the right colours: 

• Base colours: Peach, beige, ochre, light pink
• Shadows: Browns, deep reds, purples, and greys 
• Highlights: White, cream, and pale yellows 
• Adjustments: Greens, blues, and reds for undertones 

Understand skin undertones - observe your subject: 

• Warm undertones: Use golden yellows, peach, and orange
• Cool undertones: Use soft pinks, purples, and blues 
• Neutral undertones: Mix balanced tones of both warm and cool colours 

Build a base layer:

• Lightly apply a base colour that matches the overall tone of the skin
• Use broad strokes and blend with your fingers or a blending tool to smooth out the colour

Add shadows: 

• Identify shadow areas (under the chin, around the nose, under the eyes) 
• Layer in darker tones like browns, purples, or reds
• Blend gently to avoid harsh lines, maintaining soft transitions

Create highlights: 

• Use lighter tones on areas where light hits (cheekbones, forehead, nose bridge) 
• Apply sparingly to keep the skin looking natural 

Introduce depth with undertones:

• Add hints of green or blue for veins or cooler areas
• Use reds or oranges for warmth in cheeks and lips 
• Blend these colours softly into the base to maintain realism

Blend and layer: 

• Use light pressure to layer colours without overpowering earlier work
• Blend with fingers, cotton swabs, or blending stumps for a smooth finish 

Add fine details: 

• Use pastel pencils for precise features like wrinkles, pores, or freckles
• Work on subtle textures to avoid an overly smooth or flat look 

Final adjustments:

• Step back to evaluate tones and contrasts 
• Add or refine shadows and highlights as needed 
• Use a soft fixative spray to preserve the layers

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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