Colored Pencil Portraiture | New Masters Academy

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In this course, instructor Fei Meng will introduce students to the fundamentals of creating captivating portraits with traditional colored pencils. The skills acquired in this course will also be transferable to digital mediums. Students will learn how to create stunning color palettes, execute delicate blending techniques, and develop a fully realized portrait from start to finish. The construction of individual features of the face, such as the eye, nose, mouth, and ear, will also be covered. Upon completion of this course, students will have a strong foundation in portrait drawing that can be applied to any medium. This course is suitable for art students looking to improve their skills and expand their artistic abilities.

10 Lessons 43h 2m 22s of videos

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Week 1: Overview of Materials and an Eye Color Study WithFei Meng

In week one, you will discover the tools needed to create colored pencil portraiture. You will learn how to create color palettes and discover a variety of blending techniques. Then, Fei will show you how to make a color sketch of an eye.

Week 2: The Eye WithFei Meng

In week two, you will learn how to fully render an eye with colored pencils. Fei will demonstrate how she utilizes a color study to develop a complete drawing. You will learn how to blend colors on the paper.

Week 3: The Nose WithFei Meng

In week three, Fei will demonstrate how to render the nose using colored pencils. You will learn to draw the critical anatomical landmarks of the nose. Then, Fei will teach you how to create a color study before moving on to a fully rendered drawing.

Week 4: The Mouth WithFei Meng

In week four, Fei will demonstrate her working process for establishing the structure and luscious qualities of the lips. You will learn to select the appropriate colors and create a color study; then, develop a fully rendered colored pencil drawing.

Week 5: The Ear WithFei Meng

In week five, Fei will illustrate the principles for drawing an ear with colored pencils. You will learn about the anatomical structure of the ear and how it interacts with light and shadow.

Week 6: Full Portrait - Construction Drawing and Color Study WithFei Meng

In week six, you study the fundamentals needed to create a full portrait drawing with colored pencils. Fei will walk you through how to establish the structure of the head. You will learn how to create a full-color palette and draw a color study.

Week 7: Full Portrait - Eyes and Nose WithFei Meng

In week seven, Fei will begin a portrait drawing using colored pencils. You learn how to start with rendering the eyes. Then, Fei will move to the nose.

Week 8: Full Portrait - Mouth and Facial Planes WithFei Meng

In week eight, you will learn how to render the head. Fei will start where she left off in the last session, working on the mouth and into planes of the head.

Week 9: Full Portrait - Hair WithFei Meng

In week nine, you will discover how to capture the hair in a portrait drawing with colored pencils. Fei will demonstrate her way of building the hair in layers and grouping the values.

Week 10: Full Portrait - Neck and Garment WithFei Meng

In week ten, Fei will demonstrate the finishing touches to her portrait drawing with colored pencils. You will learn how Fei establishes the neck and fabric.

Common Questions

Is this course beginner-friendly?

This course is for intermediate to advanced artists.

What materials do I need to get for this course?

A material PDF list is linked in each lesson under the description. Please check the file to see what you need to prepare.

Are there any assignments in this course?

This course includes downloadable assignment PDFs, that help you practice the materials taught by instructor Fei Meng. Keeping up with these assignments will maximize your learning outcomes.

Can I do this course digitally, using Photoshop or Procreate?

Most New Masters Academy courses are designed to be done traditionally or digitally. Software changes constantly, but the fundamentals stay the same. It will be up to you to translate the information that you are learning to your software of choice.