Painting with pastels is exciting and interesting. There are of course different types of pastels- soft, hard, pencils, oil, and pan pastels. Apart from that, there are various mediums that make pastel art a beautiful form of painting.
If you are planning to paint with pastels, then you need to make sure that you have all the necessary mediums at your disposal and a subject to draw. In the absence of the required pastels, the right surface and a perfect-size board, painting with pastels becomes tricky.
Choosing the right subject to draw is also important before starting the painting procedure. We are surrounded with countless objects which may make an amateur artist feel that choosing a pastel painting subject is easy. But it is a complex task in reality. There are many types of subjects to choose from. Apart from your own interests, you may need to analyse many other things to pick the right subject to paint. These may in fact include pastels and other mediums.
As pastel art is often inspired by real world subjects, you cannot entirely depend on your imagination to design a painting. You can make a few alterations while drawing the subject on paper, but it should be inspired by a real-world scenario.
Here are some more effective tips to remember when choosing a pastel art subject:
Ensure that you have a high-quality picture of the subject.
You must have a range of different pastels colours. The colours you are choosing must provide a realistic appearance of the subject.
The subject should be something that interests you. Make sure it is not too complex to work on.
Ensure that you have all the required mediums to work on the subject.
From animals, beaches, still life, birds, and boats to landscapes, there are many categories from where you can choose a subject for your pastel painting. It can be anything that you have seen or photographed. Use the image to draw the subject outline before selecting the right combination of pastels.
Some of the most popular pastel prints subjects are:
I. Landscapes
Landscape painting includes mountains, greenery, beaches, rivers, forests, and several other natural settings that offer a beautiful view of nature. One of the most amazing benefits of choosing landscapes for pastel painting is that you have a wonderful variety to draw.
There are many famous artists throughout history who painted some priceless landscape paintings which today are of course impossible to replace.
You may choose a view near your own home. Take a picture and make it a subject of your next pastel painting.
Pro Tip: Use pencil pastels to make your landscape painting look fantastic.
II. Animals
All kinds of animals– wild and domestic- are amazing in their own way. You can also make them a part of your pastel drawing. An advantage of choosing an animal as a painting subject is that you get an opportunity to know more about the animal.
Your expedition to choose a pastel painting subject will also give you an opportunity to explore wildlife from the viewpoint and perspective of an artist.
You may of choose your favourite animal or pet as a subject for your painting.
III. Still Life
Still life is an interesting painting subject. Lots of people hesitate to create a still life pastel art painting because they are afraid their work won’t justify the subject. Still life can be complex to work on but it is enjoyable in so many ways.
The field of still life as a subject for painting is vast. There are some common topics like fruit and furniture, but you can choose anything that attracts you. It can be a vase, a sofa, or anything else.
While working on a still life drawing, ensure that the subject stays in its original position until you finishing the painting.
Pro Tip: Choose one subject, instead of many.
Conclusion
These are three subjects to draw using pastels as colours. You can also choose a beach, a group of people, boats, or birds as a subject for your painting. Whatever you choose, ensure that you have a picture of it. A clear and concise image will let you work on the painting even after hours witnessing a scene.
