Mixed Media Portrait Drawing
Join artist Nitika Ale to create vibrant mixed media portraits with charcoal, pastels, and watercolor. Explore bold color blends, layered textures, and dynamic compositions in this creative course.
- Beginner
- 0 (0 Reviews)
- 1.2 hours
- Closed Captions
Learn to create bold mixed-media portraits
Create expressive mixed media portraits with artist Nitika Ale. This course covers charcoal, soft pastels, and watercolor techniques, showing you how to blend colors, layer textures, and design compelling portrait compositions step by step.
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Introduction
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Materials
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Materials List
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Proportions
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Exercise Reference Photos
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Working With Charcoal
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Watercolor Techniques
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Soft Pastel Techniques
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Putting It All Together
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Final Project Reference Photo
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What's Next
Are you ready to create your own mixed-media portrait
from start to finish?
Meet your instructor Nitika. Floral and Portrait Artist.
Nitika Alé is a self-taught artist based in Dehradun, India best known for her abstract florals and portraits. Art has always fascinated her in all its wondrous forms. Whatever the medium—oils, acrylics, watercolors, or mixed media (an array of other mediums like soft pastels, oil pastels, inks, charcoal, etc.), she is always drawing from a life lived close to nature’s rhythms.
I created this course to help artists discover how fun and approachable mixed-media portraits can be . By combining simple techniques with charcoal, watercolor, and pastels, the process becomes playful and expressive rather than intimidating.
In this class, we’ll explore how to build a portrait step by step—starting with structure, adding washes for depth, and finishing with bold pastel highlights. My goal is for you to feel confident experimenting with different materials and to see portraits as a creative exploration instead of a challenge. By the end, you’ll have both a finished artwork and a toolkit of techniques you can return to in your own practice.
Create Striking and Vibrant Portraits
- Learn the basics of portrait drawing
- Work with and layer charcoal, soft pastel, & watercolor paint
- Create a dynamic and bold mixed-media portrait in your own way
with Nitika Ale
$34.95
Portraits may feel intimidating, but they don’t have to be. In this class, I’ll guide you step by step in using charcoal, watercolor, and pastels to create expressive portraits.
Nitika Ale
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Every skill level is welcome. We will go through the foundations of drawing simple portraits, and then move through experimentation with different mediums to achieve a colorful, effortless look. Whether you're familiar with these materials or not, you'll be able to successfully complete this course.
Nitika has provided reference photos for the two exercises you will practice with for the course, as well as another reference image for the final project. However, if you feel inclined, you are more than welcome to work with a different reference photo and follow along for her tips and tricks!
You will be using charcoal, soft pastels, and watercolor to create your portrait. Below are some of the specific colors of pastels and paint you will need:
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Soft pastels:
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Watercolor paints:
There are more supplies that will be helpful, which you will receive a full list of when you enroll in the course.
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