Detailed Vs. Loose Style

I have two styles available, a detailed and loose style. Both are created with pastels, just in a different way. In my detailed style, I am aiming to capture each individual hair. I spend time building up the layers to create depth and pay attention to every little detail. I use pastel pencils for nearly the entire piece. The pencils give me a lot of control over where I lay down color and how it is laid down.

In my loose style, I let color and value tell the story. I like to push the colors that I see in the reference photo, often adding splashes of pinks and blues. I use soft pastel sticks for the majority of the piece. These sticks put down brighter and bolder colors, leading to a portrait with a larger range in value. This style takes less time than the detailed style, and the price reflects that.

Below are two portraits of the same caracal. The one on the left is done in my detailed style, and the one on the right is done in my loose style. For more examples, please visit my galleries.