Hair: Treating hair as a soft shape rather than drawing individual strands. Backgrounds: Creating a moody, atmospheric background that fades out. Final Details: Adding the brightest highlights (the 'pop') and deepest shadows. Preservation: How to use fixative and store your drawing safely.

Services

Online Workshop

Drawing with Chalk Pastels

Q: Week 1: The Foundation & The Eyes

Materials: Choosing the right toned paper and pastel brands. The Subtractive Method: Covering the page with pigment and using an eraser to 'carve' out the light. Proportions: Quickly blocking in the head shape and feature placement. The Focal Point: Detailed instruction on drawing realistic, glossy eyes.

Q: Week 2: Skin Tones & Structure

Color Mixing: How to layer colors to create realistic skin tones without making 'mud.' Form: Using light and shadow to make the face look 3D (cheekbones, chin, forehead). Nose & Mouth: Simplifying these complex shapes using shadow shapes rather than outlines. Edge Control: Softening edges to make the skin look smooth.

Q: Week 4: Refinement & Critique

Edge Control & Hierarchy: Refining hard vs. soft edges to guide the viewer’s eye and enhance realism. Color Harmony & Accents: Subtle temperature shifts and color accents to unify the portrait and add life. Likeness & Character: Pushing beyond accuracy to capture mood, personality, and emotional presence. Final Pass & Critique: Guided final refinements, common mistakes to avoid, and instructor critique focused on growth and consistency.

From process & technique to a finished piece

Taught by Ashly Lovett

A vibrant artwork showcase featuring contemporary and abstract paintings at Visual Arts Passage art gallery.

Live & Online

Beautiful red heart symbol representing love and emotion.

Interactive

Sand hourglass timer with flowing sand in a glass and wood frame.

4 Weeks

All Skills

Dates: Feb. 19 – March 19, 2026
Course Time: Thursdays, 4-6pm PT (6-8pm ET)
Flexible: Attend live or on-demand

Add expressive mark-making, intentional composition, and nuanced color with pastels to create emotionally compelling portraits.

Develop a competent understanding and application of the soft, painterly aesthetic of chalk pastels. You will progress beyond simple sketching to create portraits that feel alive with atmosphere and depth.

With Ashly Lovett’s guidance, you will learn advanced skills using chalk pastels. Students will learn how to control the medium to achieve smooth gradients, striking contrast, and the delicate nuances of your subject. Whether you want to loosen your stroke or sharpen your realism, this course will change the way you see and capture the face.

Course Overview

Week 1: The Foundation & The Eyes

Materials: Choosing the right toned paper and pastel brands.
The Subtractive Method: Covering the page with pigment and using an eraser to "carve" out the light.
Proportions: Quickly blocking in the head shape and feature placement.
The Focal Point: Detailed instruction on drawing realistic, glossy eyes.

Week 2: Skin Tones & Structure

Color Mixing: How to layer colors to create realistic skin tones without making "mud."
Form: Using light and shadow to make the face look 3D (cheekbones, chin, forehead).
Nose & Mouth: Simplifying these complex shapes using shadow shapes rather than outlines.
Edge Control: Softening edges to make the skin look smooth.

Week 3: Atmosphere

Hair: Treating hair as a soft shape rather than drawing individual strands.
Backgrounds: Creating a moody, atmospheric background that fades out.
Final Details: Adding the brightest highlights (the "pop") and deepest shadows.
Preservation: How to use fixative and store your drawing safely.

Week 4: Refinement & Critique

Edge Control & Hierarchy: Refining hard vs. soft edges to guide the viewer’s eye and enhance realism.
Color Harmony & Accents: Subtle temperature shifts and color accents to unify the portrait and add life.
Likeness & Character: Pushing beyond accuracy to capture mood, personality, and emotional presence.
Final Pass & Critique: Guided final refinements, common mistakes to avoid, and instructor critique focused on growth and consistency.

Full Course Access

$399 one time payment

Reserve Your Spot

Course Resources

Portrait of a young woman with long brown hair and dark lipstick in a natural outdoor setting, emphasizing modern art and photography styles.

About Illustrator & Painter, Ashly Lovett

Ashly Lovett is an illustrator and gallery artist celebrated for her distinctive, hauntingly beautiful work in chalk pastel. With a style defined by “dark romanticism,” she creates ethereal portraits and narrative scenes that glow from within, balancing soft atmosphere and striking emotional depth.

She has worked with major entertainment clients including Netflix, Adult Swim, The Jim Henson Company, SEGA, and Focus Features. She was commissioned by Fox Searchlight to create promotional artwork for Guillermo del Toro’s film Nightmare Alley. Her work has been featured in Spectrum Fantasy Art Annual and recognized by the Society of Illustrators.