Thumbnail Sketches Made Easy

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In this lesson I share my secrets for creating effective thumbnail sketches - the essential first step to stunning portrait paintings. My own Dad will serve as our portrait subject for this sketch!

In this live session, you'll discover:

  • A simple system for breaking down values into light, middle, and dark masses

  • How to see and capture abstract shapes that make your portraits powerful

  • Techniques for creating dynamic, striking compositions that command attention

If learning how to paint expressive, lifelike portraits is something that excites you, then be sure to join the waitlist for The Painterly Portrait Online Course! I would love to support your creative develop so you can make a bigger impact through your art.

3 Keys to Painting Aging Faces with Dignity

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There is a profound nobility in the weathered faces of our elders, each line and contour telling stories of decades fully lived. Their expressions carry the weight of experience, the quiet confidence of wisdom gained, and the subtle dignity that comes with advancing years. As artists we have a unique opportunity to capture these qualities through the sensitivity of our medium, creating portraits that honor both the strength and vulnerability present in our seasoned subjects.

I’d love to walk you through three essential keys to capturing their character with authenticity along the way.

Alain Picard, The Fisherman, 18x12” pastel 

1. Master Your Initial Observation

Begin your portrait journey through careful observation and sketching. Document the essential architecture of aging: how surface skin patterns relate to the bone structure beneath, where characteristic wrinkles appear, and how proportions shift with time. Pay particular attention to thinning lips, enlarged noses, and developed ear lobes. Study the depth of eye sockets and how hair patterns change, including areas of thinning and graying. With careful observation you become a student of aging faces.

 
 

2. Build Form Through Light and Shadow

A solid structure is more important than surface details. Start with charcoal or hard pastels, applying thin, controlled initial layers following the fat-over-lean principle. Rather than drawing individual wrinkles, concentrate on how light interacts with the form and surface of the head. Establish your major light and shadow areas first, considering positive and negative shapes. Use the technique of squinting to see broader value patterns clearly. Once confident in your foundational layers, transition to soft pastels, using light, side-stroke applications to build your forms progressively. Let the play of light tell the major story of your subject's features.

3. Suggest Rather Than State

Exercise restraint in depicting age lines – less really is more! Kindness matters at this stage. Use side strokes for broader areas and let your application method create natural texture with soft pastel. Build depth gradually through varying pressure, allowing underlying tones to show through. Pay special attention to areas where blood at the surface of the skin may influence color like around the eyes and use cooler tones in more recessed areas like the jaw or in the hair. If your character is rugged like the weathered fisherman, then hatching with choppy marks is a great way to suggest this quality. Every mark should serve to suggest rather than explicitly state the effects of time.


Remember: Your goal is capturing the essence of the individual, not cataloging their age. Each mark contributes to telling your subject's story with dignity and grace.

Enjoy this rewarding creative experience as you celebrate the aging faces in your life!

Alain

Weekend Portrait Workshop

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I recently taught a weekend workshop with a group of inspiring artists as we developed our portrait techniques and approaches. What a wonderful time we had together!

The weekend began Friday evening with a full portrait demonstration in pastel. 

It's so exciting to see workshop participants push themselves right out of their comfort zones to apply these new techniques and learnings to their work. The results are always amazing!

6 Basic Skin Types

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While there is a vast array of beautiful people throughout the world and a multitude of ethnic backgrounds, I find it helpful to group them into 6 basic skin types in order to approach the process of painting skin tones in a pastel portrait. Here is a chart I've created representing the 6 basic skin types; pale, fair, medium, olive, naturally brown, and very dark brown/black. My portrait palette box is organized to represent all of these skin types so that I'm always prepared for any skin type I may encounter. Samples of each skin type are represented below. 

If you're passionate about honing your skills in drawing realistic and expressive skin tones, we invite you to join our Painterly Portraits Course. In this comprehensive course, we delve deeply into the art of capturing various hair, skin tones, and facial features with pastels to give your portraits the best photo-realistic look.