A few days ago I shared my thumbnail for my black fur in pastels tutorial. Here is the video with voice over :). There are some basic tips and techniques to remember.
I have listed my top 3 below 🙂
Layers
This is one of the most important aspects of creating realistic artwork. The more layers you add the more detail and realism you can capture. In order to add this detail you need a good base foundation. In each of my videos I talk about how I get my base layers as accurate as I can. Never using just one block colour for the base.
Good paper and supplies
When it comes to pastel pencils I use a few brands. There are other brands I would like to add to my supplies so there are other fantastic brands out there to use but the ones I have are the Carbothello, Pitt, Derwent and Caran d’Ache. All of the colours I buy open stock and select the best lightfast rated ones. Archival properties are very important for me and I do not want to choose supplies that will fade.
Next after the pencils is the paper.
This is really important. There needs to be the right amount of tooth for the pastel to be able to grip and which also enables you to layer. For me, so far the best paper and my paper of choice is Pastelmat.
Tips & Technique
Sharp pencils. To get the best detail and crisp lines a light hand and sharp pencil is a must. I use a blade and sand paper to file a super sharp point.
Pay really close attention to your reference photo. Fur direction, thickness of the fur strokes and how they layer and overlap are all things to observe accurately.