Autumn Leaf in​ Soft Pastels

Artist level: Beginner

Welcome to this Step by Step Tutorial of an Autumn Leaf in Soft Pastels on White Pastelmat paper. The tutorial below is for those looking to learn how to layer with soft pastels to create fine detail and is based on my own working preferences however it is not the only way to work with Pastels, different artists will have their own way of working and you will probably acquire your own style the more you do. Pastels are a great medium as you can easily cover up mistakes by simply applying another colour over the top and are fun to work with.

The pastels used in this demo are the student quality Prismacolor Nu Pastels, but any brand can be used. A colour chart is found below but it is not important to match precise colours, simply use as a guide. You can work with a wider colour palette than those used in this tutorial if you wish as the more colours used, the more effective your results will be. The Pastelmat paper is ideal to begin with as it is smoother than most, allowing easier layering and blending, however if you cannot access Pastelmat or have some other brand to hand, you can use that instead, just be aware that results can vary. I don't blend pastels using my fingers as this can be achieved by overlaying tones, however I used a sponge to soften the initial base tones. 

The reference image can be found below, which you can screen grab and print out or view on a tablet whilst reading the instructions on a smartphone or computer.

I hope you enjoy this tutorial and if you would like to request a subject for inclusion of a future mini tutorial, please get in touch!

The Products you will need
​
​Paper Used: Clairfontaine Pastelmat        Pencil range Used: Prismacolor NuPastels
Pastelmat white   -    Soft pastel sticks
Soft sponge   -   Damp cloth    -   Dry towel

---

​IMPORTANT TIPS:  
* Working with long length pastels are ideal for large portraits, for smaller ones you can break the pastels in half using one side for covering large areas and the other side for fine details.
* This medium can produce a lot of dust so it may be recommended that you wear a mask or if you will be using pastels on a regular basis, ensure you work in a well ventilated room or purchase a  filter system to eliminate as much of the airborne dust as possible.

---

---

An article all about the Pastelmat paper

Prismacolor Nu Pastels

The perfect article for those new to soft pastels

Try one of our other Art Tutorials

---

Stage 1 - Base Tones

FIG 1

FIG 2

I began applying colours loosely as the Pastelmat paper grabs pastel so well that you do not need to apply much pressure. This is simply the base layer and so placement does not need to be neat. Using the reference image on this page to guide you and FIG 1 above, use the following colours to cover:  Khaki Green, Fern green, Sand Yellow, Orange and Terracotta
Aim for around 80% coverage but do not saturate. Once all the colours have been placed, using your fingers or a sponge (which you can buy from most Art outlets and online stores) smooth the pastel colours downwards following the same direction as the veins on the leaf (FIG 2) blend in a small, circular pattern to ensure all the pastel fills the fine grit of the paper. 

---

Stage 2 - Layering

FIG 3

FIG 4

To aid you with application, using the Terracotta pastel (or pastel pencil if you have some), draw in the veins of the leaf, apply a second layer using the Sepia Brown tone as you can see above, I intentionally applied the second line a little way off the first line. Begin by applying the darker mottled sections on the leaf using the Sepia Brown and follow this up with the Terracotta  tone. These 2 colours help to add depth before I start applying the Vibrant Red tone followed by the Orange tone, always follow the same direction as the veins. When applying the orange over the top of the red, you will find that these colours easily blend together without the need for additional help from a sponge or finger. Apply speckles of Terracotta to darken up the edges (see FIG 4) then begin adding highlights of Sand Yellow and Light Yellow Green to the upper section of the leaf.  

---

Stage 3 - Detailing

FIG 5

FIG 6

Over on the left side of the leaf, the colours are mostly rust and green tones so the following colours can be used for this section: 
​Terracotta, Sepia Brown, Khaki Green, Fern Green, Cool Dark Green, Light Yellow Green and Sand Yellow
Using FIG 5 above as reference, begin by applying the darker Fern Green to the edge of the leaf, follow up with a layer of Khaki Green over this and apply the Light Yellow Green to the paler under-section of this area and then create the mottled effect of the leaf with the Cool Dark Green.  For the bottom section of the leaf where there are more mottled effects, build up the tones using the Vibrant Red and Terracotta before applying the mottled effect with the Sepia Brown, also darken up the veins again and apply any shading beneath the veins ideally with a slightly lighter tone (apply Sepia and then Terracotta to get the same effect). Use the Sand Yellow and Khaki Green to add in some highlights and use the Flesh Pink to finish off the stalk at the end. Apply a serrated edge effect all the way around using the corresponding colours in that section or use the Sepia Brown for a darker effect. 

---

Finally....

How much time you choose to spend on a subject like this will depend on how much realism you want in your work. No blending was undertaken on this demo piece, simply applying colours over the top of the other aids the blending process when working on a paper like Pastelmat, which is why it is such a great paper for those new to soft pastels.

In the image, the left side of the leaf show the smooth base layers. This is made up of different tones, blended to create a base with which to apply the finer detail, seen on the right section of the leaf. With any piece of art, tweaking* can take as long as the base application and for more complex work, we recommend that you step away from your art for a few hours or a few days so you can see your work with fresh eyes.

I hope this tutorial was helpful and you enjoyed it!
​

* Tweaking means to tidy up the final piece of artwork, adding to areas that may need a little more work, darkening or lightening areas and erasing untidy edges.

View our other Soft pastels tutorials

Soft pastels for beginners

Base layers and high detail creation

Drawing a flower with water droplets

View all other tutorials >>>>