Stylized portrait drawing with Neocolor II – real-time video lesson

Curious to see how I draw portraits with water-soluble Caran D'Ache Neocolor II pastels? Want to pick up some of my layering and blending techniques, and learn how to get the colors really vibrant and opaque?

I'm releasing an exclusive uncut, 105-minute recording of my drawing process in actual speed.
This technique can be used for any style of portrait drawing – from realism, fantasy illustration, to caricature.

I've tried nearly every drawing and painting technique, and I find that water-soluble pastels are the easiest and fastest method to draw portraits in color (and they don't make a dusty mess like soft pastels). They blend so easily and provide a rich, painterly look. You only need a few basic colors, and you can mix them easily.

The video is lightly narrated without any music, so you're free to listen to any music you want while you watch it and draw alongside of it.

Is this video suitable for beginner artists?

I'm sure you'll be able to get value out of it no matter your experience. But I'm not explaining how to draw the features of the face, or other art basics. You'll need to rely on your own portrait drawing skills to sketch your character in your desired style.

Will this work with other brands of water-soluble pastels?

Neocolor II is the best water-soluble pastel out there, but it is pretty expensive if you're buying large sets. I buy mine per-piece so I can spread the cost over time, and I use a limited color palette anyway.

These techniques will work with water-soluble pastels that are of medium softness and opaque. (Look up Maremi SmallArt 12 art crayons test video to see which brands have these properties.) Crayons that are too soft won't be very good for details, and crayons that are too hard won't blend that well. But try to make use of what you already have at home! You can adapt your technique to the properties of the crayons you're working with.

Will this work with regular wax or oil pastels?

You can certainly try, but it will require a lot more effort. I've never gotten on with regular wax and oil pastels. I do often blend Neocolor II and Stabilo Woody crayons with fingers, but I always blend the first layer with water so the paper doesn't show through. Neocolor II pastels are softer than Neocolor I pastels, so blending the latter with fingers may be difficult. Oil pastels tend to be softer, so you may be able to blend them better.

Do I need any other art supplies apart from water-soluble crayons?

Required materials are: paper that will tolerate a bit of water (preferably mixed media paper), and any kind of medium-sized brush with a pointed tip. You can use multiple brushes of different sizes for details and larger areas.

Optional supplies include:

• Any kind of erasable pencil for sketching (you can sketch directly with a crayon too).
• Matte acrylic paint in a light neutral color, matte medium, or gesso to prime the paper. (If you're working on paper that isn't suitable for wet mediums, this will help a lot).
• Stabilo All black pencil, or any soft black pencil that can draw over wax crayons (test what you have at home).

How long do I get access to the video?

In addition to streaming the video from the Gumroad app, you can download the video to your device. If I ever delete this product from Gumroad, you will still have access to your downloaded copy, so essentially you get unlimited access.

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Pay what you can!

I set the price low at $5 USD so people with limited means can afford it. You're free to offer more if your financial circumstances allow it.