7 Beginner-Friendly Pastel Drawing Books to Build Your Skills

After years honing her craft in theatre and interior design, Rebecca de Mendonça channels her expertise into guiding beginners through the pastel medium with clarity and patience. You’ll learn everything from setting up your workspace to specific pastel techniques, including color application, composition, and capturing landscapes or animals. The book’s structured projects walk you through various exercises that build your confidence and skills steadily, making it approachable if you’re new to pastels or drawing in general. Its value lies in blending practical how-tos with creative inspiration, ideal for anyone wanting to explore pastel art without feeling overwhelmed.

Dawn Emerson, a seasoned artist and educator, invites you to rethink pastel painting beyond traditional boundaries. You’ll learn over 60 inventive techniques and exercises that encourage experimentation with layering, textures, and underpainting methods, transforming how you approach pastel art. The book guides you through 20 incremental exercises that build your skills and confidence, while also sharpening your self-critique with thoughtful questions and checklists. Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced artist feeling stuck, this book offers a refreshing way to unlock creativity and embrace the process of painting what could be, not just what you’ve seen before.

This tailored pastel drawing book offers a progressive, beginner-friendly journey designed specifically around your experience level and artistic goals. It examines essential techniques step-by-step, helping you build confidence through a comfortable learning pace that respects your individual progress. The content focuses on foundational pastel skills, color blending, and composition, carefully tailored to reduce overwhelm and make creative expression accessible. Each chapter reveals methods and exercises that match your interests, ensuring the learning process feels engaging and achievable as you evolve from novice to artist. By addressing your specific needs and goals, this personalized guide supports a rich, satisfying exploration of pastel drawing, making artistic growth both clear and inspiring.

After decades mastering landscapes in pastel, Elizabeth Mowry offers a guide rooted in firsthand experience and a deep love for nature’s changing moods. You’ll explore how to select palettes that capture seasonal shifts, work through 20 demonstrations including tricky effects like fog and reflections, and learn a five-step critique method to refine your style. Whether you’re just starting or have some experience, the chapters on composition and nature journaling connect technical skill with personal expression, helping you translate what you see into evocative paintings. This book is ideal if you want a calm, methodical approach to building pastel landscape skills rather than flashy shortcuts.

Paul Pigram's decades of experience as a full-time pastel artist shapes this accessible guide designed specifically for beginners eager to explore pastel painting. The book breaks down essential skills such as selecting appropriate paper and pastels, and mastering foundational techniques like blending and masking, illustrated with clear, step-by-step exercises. You'll appreciate how it demystifies what many consider an advanced medium by guiding you from a blank canvas through practical projects that build confidence and competence. This book suits anyone new to pastel art looking for a straightforward introduction without overwhelming detail.

What happens when an experienced art educator turns her focus to pastel techniques? Sally Harper’s "The Pastel Artist's Handbook" methodically breaks down pastels’ unique versatility and ease, guiding you through drawing, shading, and color mixing. The book dives into how pastels can enrich mixed-media projects and features examples from renowned artists that illuminate each technique. Its spiral binding design is practical for hands-on use, letting you keep the book open while you work. Whether you’re taking your first steps or refining your style, this handbook offers clear, approachable instruction tailored to your pace.

This tailored book explores the core pastel methods designed specifically for new artists stepping into this vibrant medium. It offers a gentle, progressive introduction that builds your confidence by matching the learning pace to your unique background and comfort level. The content carefully focuses on essentials like color blending, layering, and basic compositions to help you gain mastery without feeling overwhelmed. By addressing your individual goals and interests, this personalized guide reveals foundational pastel techniques and encourages your artistic growth through focused practice. It’s an inviting resource that supports your journey to becoming a skilled pastel artist with ease and enjoyment.

Drawing from Paolo Lopez de Leon's extensive experience as a bestselling author and art educator, this book simplifies the art of painting animal portraits with pastels, making it approachable for beginners. You’ll explore fundamental pastel techniques like blending with fingers, cotton swabs, and brushes, as well as color theory essentials including primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. Specific chapters guide you through rendering different animal furs, such as wolves and pandas, with clear exercises that develop your skills step by step. If you’re new to pastel art and want a focused introduction on animal subjects, this book offers a gentle, encouraging path without overwhelming you.

Barchi Adlers crafted this guide to gently usher newcomers into the world of pastels, blending practical instruction with creative exploration. You’ll explore how to make soft pastels and understand pastel quality, alongside techniques for using pastel pencils and selecting surfaces, all supported by step-by-step exercises and projects. Chapters on color theory and drawing fundamentals help you grasp essential skills while inspiring you through diverse examples like landscapes and still life. This book suits anyone eager to build a solid foundation in pastel drawing without feeling overwhelmed, providing a clear path from basics to confident application.