#045 Monochromatic Scene with Soft Pastels

Summer vacations offer us a look new subjects. For this picture you will select a subject and a background that is of the same hue. Choosing a scene where the background and subject are of the same hue can be simple when you look underwater! This picture was taken in an underwater display at Sea World. Zoo’s often have underwater displays such as this. You can also use photographs from an image search on the internet.

Gather materials and reference.

Step One: Line Drawing

Monochromatic colors are all the variations in value (lighter and darker) of a single hue.

A single hue (color) can be made darker by adding black in varying degrees. 

A single hue (color) can be made lighter by adding white in varying degrees.   

Artists often expand this clearly defined definition to include the many types of any single color. Blue might also include blue-greens, aqua, blue-violets, ultramarine, Prussian blue, etc. 

Select a sheet of pastel or construction paper that is the color you’ve chosen for your monochromatic drawing. Select a pastel that is a bit different from the color of the paper so that you can see the lines as you draw onto the paper. Draw an outline of the subjects and the background. Use the tip of the pastel to make lines. Start by drawing lines that show the edges. Draw and redraw until you are happy with the results. Changes to your line drawing can easily be made as you wipe out your lines with a tissue, your fingertip, or a cotton ball  and redraw them to get more accurately placed lines.

Step Two: Blending Values

You will need your photograph, a set of chalk pastels selecting all the variations of a single hue plus white and black, and a sheet of colored pastel paper in that same hue. Draw the lightest values and the dark values. You can see how the pastel looks when added to paper by observing the top dolphin. Next use your finger to blend the colors into the paper and into each other. Observe the lower dolphin to see what blending looks like. You can blend in places where you want the colors to look smooth and blend. You can leave places unblended in areas that you want a more textured appearance. 

Step Three: Adding Background Values

This is the time to clearly define the edges and tighten up any fuzzy edges with the background color. Draw an outline carefully around the subjects in the places that will touch the background color. Then fill in the spaces that are the background. This will eliminate any lines that were corrected in previous steps and that you don’t want to show. Here a very dark blue was used in the upper part of the picture. It is important that you do not try to draw everything you see in the background. Chalk pastels are bulky so the background needs to be simplified. Use the side of the pastel to cover broad areas of your picture. Use your finger to blend and soften areas of the picture.  

Step Four: Details and Finishing Touches

Add the details. At this point the whites and darkest blacks should be added. In this picture of two dolphins the lightest areas are the reflections of water onto the surface of the ground and the dolphins’ backs. In some areas I used a blue-green and in others places I used white. In other places the color of the paper was left to show through. I added some darker areas to the dolphin’s fins to make them stand out.

Secure the pastel surface with hairspray. The powder will continue to fall off the paper unless it is secured. One of the safest and easiest ways to secure the pastel to the paper is to lightly coat it with hair spray. To do this, hold the picture in one hand, in the air, then with the other hand hold the spray about 12 inches from the picture and give it a light coat, covering the entire picture. The paper will curl, but don’t worry. It will straighten out within moments as it dries.

Congratulations on completing your monochromatic chalk pastel picture. I hope you liked the way that changes could so easily be made by drawing in pastel and wiping out to redraw. 

This is our final FREE summer drawing lesson for the year of 2024. It's been a joy to guide you as we made drawings with colored pencils, graphite, chalk pastels and oil pastels. There is so much more to learn. You can look at artwork by the masters, learn about using the elements of art and see the art materials used in video instruction through our books. If you want to learn more go to Artistic Pursuits. For questions on placement contact me at: [email protected]

Your art teacher,

Brenda Ellis