POSCA PASTELs have been formulated with the artist in mind. Here are five fabulous arty POSCA PASTEL projects to try so you can get the best out of them.
Their unique formula contains more wax than oil, so colours are vivid with a smooth finish. POSCA PASTELs are also very clean to use, leaving hardly any residue on the page. POSCA PASTELs have been ergonomically designed so they are easier to hold, giving you more control. Their slim body allows them to be given a sharp point with a pencil sharpener or blade.
Working with POSCA PASTELS is exciting because you can really celebrate colour and texture. Their vibrance and luminosity are just made for colourful and expressive work.
You can employ a wealth of drawing techniques to get the absolute best from your POSCA PASTEL colours. Explore these methods to achieve different looks and finishes for you to create some really impressive art. Take a look at our list of projects to try and give them a go yourself.
Start with a simple shape
A great way of starting off a drawing project is by beginning with a simple shape to study.
A shell study is ideal for this. It really is one of our favourite POSCA PASTEL projects to start your art journey. This swirly shell was brilliant subject as it gave as a great basis to then add colour, form and texture. We’ve worked on cardboard here. As as you can see the study sits slightly raised from the surface. The waxy quality of the POSCA PASTEL creates a shiny finish on this uncoated card.
Draw a pet
Capture your family pooch or kitty while trying out different methods with your POSCA PASTELS.
You can be playful with colour and use blending and softening techniques to build colour. Then you can create detail by overlaying expressive strokes with the contrasting POSCA PASTEL colours.
Compose a still life
A still life is one of those great POSCA PASTEL projects to try for when you want to explore scale and shape. Put together some items from your home and arrange into a still life.
We would recommend using objects of different heights and shapes, that way you create a more interesting composition. We worked this very simple still life on traditional pastel board. The surface was ideal for showing off a range of hues; from the subtle light whites and greys of the table cloth, to the vibrant reds and yellow tones in the apple.
Layer a owl artwork
Use your POSCA PASTEL strokes to create a simple portrait of an owl.
Layering strokes and colours over each other will add interest to your drawing. It will create depth and texture. Take a look at our tutorial here and watch the video below to see how we worked with the POSCA PASTELs.
Experiment with texture
Take a classic subject, we’ve used a horse in this instance, and apply some fun techniques when you’re working it up. Here we used cross-hatching, melting and sgraffito techniques in this expressive horse artwork piece on black card.
You can see that layers of pastel has been layered then scraped away to achieve a rough texture. A white POSCA PASTEL was held over a flame and applied to the horse’s face to create highlights. Then we used the same melting technique on a brown POSCA PASTEL for the man to get a raised effect.
You can have a look at the various techniques you can try with POSCA PASTELs here…
