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THE MANY FACES OF PASTEL

explore the endless possibilities of pastel portrait drawing

THE MANY FACES OF PASTEL

explore the endless possibilities of pastel portrait drawing

Would you like to learn all about pastel and create beautiful portraits with this wonderful and versatile medium? That’s what we’re going to do in The Many Faces of Pastel! So come and join me in this in-depth online course and explore the fun of working with pastel.

Pastel is a fantastic medium that can be used in many different ways: from soft and smooth to raw and expressive. It comes in beautiful colors and can be applied using a wide range of techniques, creating colorful drawings or more painterly styles. It can be blended into gorgeously soft gradations, or applied more roughly, with luscious textures.

This versatility and the ease of use makes pastel one of my favorite supplies of all times. So let’s dive into it and experience the fun & creativity of working with pastel!

In this class you’ll learn all about pastel. We’re going to work with soft pastels, hard pastels and pastel pencils, and explore a variety of techniques to use them. That way you can find the styles and techniques that you like best, and incorporate them in your own work.

This course is for everyone who is interested in working with pastel: whether you’re totally new to this medium, or have more experience but want to learn new techniques. Pastel is a wonderful supply for everyone!

Click the button below to sign up now, or continue reading for all details and practical info.

About this class

The Many Faces of Pastel is an online pastel portrait course which runs for six weeks.

Each week we’ll do a full, in-depth project in which we’re going to create a pastel portrait from start to finish. Every project will be different, using different techniques or styles. I will show and tell you exactly what I do and why I do it, so you can learn & practice the techniques and implement them in your future work.

Besides the full-length weekly projects, we will also do weekly exercises where you’ll learn about the materials & supplies, exploring various options, and practice the techniques. This provides not only a good preparation for the weekly projects, but gives you also a solid foundation to incorporate what you learn into your future work.

This course is not just about creating the specific projects that I’m demonstrating, but gives you tools and techniques so you can continue to explore and implement this versatile medium on your own, to create pastel work in your preferred and unique style.

This is an online class, so the lessons are taught in video format and you can watch them from the comfort of your home. All videos are available on-demand and in real-time, so not sped up or partially skipped. You can watch me draw and hear me explain my process, what I do and why I do it. This means that you can follow exactly what I do, and if you want you can go back and watch certain parts again if you missed anything or something was unclear. You can watch the videos whenever you like and as many times you want!

Color is a power which directly influences the soul.  WASSILY KANDINSKY

The Projects

Want a little sneak peek? Here are close-ups of the projects that we’re going to create.

Supplies

Curious to know what types of pastel and other supplies we’re going going to use in this class? Click the button below to download the full supply list! 🙂

Sneak Peek

To give you an impression of what we’re going to create in this class, here’s a little sneak peek of one of the full-length projects that we’re going to make.

In this particular lesson we’re going to work with a beautiful, soft & blended pastel technique and focus on creating a likeness to the reference photo. The video below is a little sneak peek, but in the actual lesson you’ll get in-depth instruction. I’ll share with you the tools and techniques that I use to stay close to the likeness of the reference photo, and show you from start to finish how this portrait was made.

What will you learn in this class

In this class you’ll learn to work with a variety of supplies and techniques, which you can then incorporate in your future work. Some of the things you will learn:

  • Working with a variety of pastel supplies, including soft pastels, hard pastels, and pastel pencils
  • Using different techniques to create various styles, from soft & smooth to raw & expressive
  • Using additional tools to work with pastel, such as brushes, various erasers, and more
  • Various ways to combine pastel with other materials, such as gesso and water
  • Building up the portrait in layers
  • Creating expressive marks, line work, and texture
  • Techniques to create a likeness to your reference photo
  • How to finish, store and frame your pastel portraits

Practical Info

The Many Faces of Pastel is a self-study class. After purchase you get immediate access to all the lessons, so you can do the course comfortably in your own pace. You get lifetime access to the course website and all videos can be downloaded so you can keep them forever and do the lessons as many times as you like.

You will also get access to a dedicated Facebook group, where you can show your work, connect with fellow students, ask questions, and share tips.

What will you receive

16+ hours of video lessons

Over sixteen hours of video lessons, recorded in high-quality and real-time.

Downloadable videos

You can download all the videos, so you can do the lessons any time and keep them forever.

Lifetime access

You get life-time access to the course website, so you can do the lessons at your own pace.

Additional Course Materials

Additional course materials, such as weekly supply lists and reference photos. Can be downloaded for future reference.

Dedicated Facebook Group

Access to a dedicated private Facebook group for this class, where you can share your work and connect with other students.

Sign Up Now!

Self-study course

  • 16+ hours of video lessons
  • Get immediate access to all content
  • Take the course at your own pace
  • Lifetime access
  • All videos & materials can be downloaded
  • Payment plan available (click here for info)
 149.00
Sign Up Now

Prices in Euro will be used for the actual purchase.

Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.  THOMAS MERTON

Frequently Asked Questions

I’ve never taken an online course. How does it work?

If this is the first time you sign up for any of my courses, you will create an account during the registration process. You can access the private website of the course with the email address that you signed up with and the password that you chose for your account.

The lessons are taught in video format. You can watch me work and hear me explain what I do and why I do it. This means that you can follow exactly what I do, and if you want you can go back and watch certain parts again if you missed anything or something was unclear.

Since this is a self-study course, you get immediate access to all the videos and course materials. These will all be provided on the course website. You can watch the lessons online, and/or download all videos and coure materials so you can keep them forever and access them whenever and wherever you like.

Besides the course website you will also get access to a private Facebook group for this course. Some courses have dedicated groups, other courses get access to my general Facebook group. The Facebook groups are a fun and safe place to post your work, ask questions, and meet new friends.

Lifetime access, what does that mean in practice?

You get lifetime access to the course. In practice this means that the course website (including all videos and course materials) will remain accessible to you for as long as this course is being offered for sale. If this course at some point in the future isn’t going to be offered for sale anymore, you will have 6 months to download all videos and course materials if you want to keep them forever.

After signing up, do I get access to the lessons right away?

Yes, after signing up you get direct access to all the lessons of the course. You can do them whenever it suits you, at your own pace and in your own time.

Can I download the videos and other course materials?

Yes, you can download all the videos and other materials of this course.

Is there a dedicated Facebook group for this course?

Yes, there is a dedicated Facebook group for this course. It’s a great place to ask questions, share your work, and meet new art friends. You will receive the link to the group after you sign up for the course.

Can I get feedback from you on my work?

Self-study classes don’t include feedback on individual work. However, I am frequently available in the Facebook group if you have questions about supplies or other course related topics.

I have never worked with pastel before. Can I sign up?

Yes, certainly!

If you are completely new to working with pastel, you can definitely sign up for this course. This is an in-depth class that teaches a variety of pastel techniques, and you will learn a lot from it. I will give extensive information about the various pastel supplies and how to use them.

I am a total beginner at drawing faces. Can I sign up?

If you are a beginner at drawing faces, you can certainly sign up for this course. In the videos you can follow exactly what I’m doing and learn a lot about how these portraits are made.

However, this class doesn’t teach the basics of facial proportions and shading, or how to work with tonal values, etc. If you would like to get more in-depth lessons about these subjects, I recommend taking my class Drawing in the Soul first. That will give you a strong foundation for drawing faces, and is very good for beginners because it starts from the very basics and slowly builds up.

I feel a bit insecure about my art and not ready to show it to others. Can I participate without joining the Facebook group?

Yes, you can definitely participate without joining the Facebook group.

However, you can also join the Facebook without having to post your work if you don’t want to. The group is private and provides a safe environment for all participants of every level. It’s also a place where you can get support, ask questions, and meet new friends.

I don't have a Facebook account. Do I need one for this course?

No, you don’t need a Facebook account in order to take this course. The course website is a dedicated website that you get access to after you sign up for the course. The Facebook group is optional.

However, if you do want to join the Facebook group but don’t have a Facebook account (yet), you can also consider creating a Facebook account just for this course alone.

Do you work with reference photos in this course?

Yes, we will be working with reference photos in this course. They will be available for download from the course website.

Will we be using oil pastels in this course?

No, in this course we’re not going to use any oil pastels, but focus on the group of so-called ‘dry pastels’: soft pastels, hard pastels and pastel pencils.

Will we be using panpastels in this course?

I will not use any panpastels in the projects of this course, but they will be discussed and demonstrated in one of the exercises so if you like to use them you can certainly do so.

Do I need any fixative for this course?

No, you don’t need any fixative for this course. It will not be used for the projects and exercises, and I will show you how I store my work without needing any fixative.

I notice that the course is organized into weekly lessons. Do I have to wait every week for my lessons, or can I access them directly after purchasing the course?

You get immediate access to all lessons of the course.

This course was originally set up as a multiple weeks course and that outline is maintained in the self-study version. However, in the self-study version you can access all lessons of all weeks directly after purchase. This means that you can do all lessons whenever it suits you, at your own pace and in your own time.

Is there a payment plan available for this course?

Yes, there is a payment plan available to pay in installments. Click the button below for all details of the payment plan and to sign up.

Can I get a refund after purchasing this course?

Due to the downloadable nature of this course, no refunds are given after purchasing this course.

Can I give this course as a gift?

Certainly! Just contact me here so we can set it up.

How can I contact you?

You can contact me via this link.

Practical Info

Click here to read the practical information before purchasing this course

Access to the course

Once you have purchased your course, you return to a confirmation page with an overview of your registered courses. When you click on a course you should be already logged-in to the course site and have immediate access to the classroom.

If at any time you need to login to the site, you will need your username (the email address that you used to sign up for the course) and the password which you chose when you signed up. With your username and password you can always access your courses by clicking on ‘Login’ at the top of this website.

Practical requirements

This course will be presented online, so you need a web browser. I recommend Chrome or Firefox. Make sure your browser is updated to the latest version.

You will get the best results if you use a laptop or computer. You can use smaller devices (like a tablet) as well, but then the layout may change slightly.

If you want to download the videos, you need space on the hard drive of your computer, or an external storage like an external hard drive or a USB stick.

Other requirements:

  • A high-speed internet connection to be able to download the videos or watch them online.
  • A basic understanding of IT, like reading emails, watching videos online, reading PDF documents, and navigating websites like Facebook. If you’re having trouble with some IT related stuff some help can be given, but in-depth IT guidance cannot be given.

What Participants Say

This course The Many Faces of Pastel gave me a lot of information about the world of pastels and how to use pastels In different ways. Juna is an amazing artist and an excellent teacher. Thank you for letting me be part of these courses.

Kristiina Virtanen
Finland

Let me just start with “I love Juna’s classes” and The Many Faces of Pastel is no exception. I learned so much in each lesson and am able to carry the techniques into all of my other work. Juna is an outstanding teacher. Her lessons are very thorough and so well executed. I love that she works in real time and explains each step of the process. An important part of Juna’s classes is the private Facebook group where students can upload their work and get valuable feedback from Juna. This attention to each student is another feature that makes the experience of being in one of Juna’s classes worth every penny and more. Thank you Juna for providing such wonderful learning opportunities.

Janice Price
United States

The Many Faces of Pastel is an incredible course! I learned all about the different types of pastel, and how to make the most of them. I loved creating a portrait with soft pastel and how it differs from hard pastels, and I especially loved the final project where we used the transfer technique. Juna explains things so thoroughly, and offers so much insight, not only in using pastels, but in creating portraits in general. Much of the information learned can be used in creating portraits in many different mediums. I would definitely recommend The Many Faces of Pastel to anyone who wants to learn how to use pastels, and how to draw and paint portraits. Absolutely loved this course!

Linda Maher
Australia

I enjoyed this rich and diverse course, The Many Faces of Pastel, very much. Rediscovering soft pastels after many years, I was surprised by the possibilities and the different ways that Juna showed us to apply it. The presentation was excellent; the instructions clear and thorough; the feedback serious, pertinent and useful, expressed in the most kind and encouraging way. With this course I enriched my practice and learned to think out of the box, to use pastel in unconventional, exciting ways. Yes, I would definitely highly recommend this course.

Nina Malama
Greece

I loved The Many Faces of Pastel, Juna. Felt like I was right next to you as you did the lessons. There was a great connection to everyone in the class sharing their work and comments on Facebook.

Juna’s feedback was awesome as usual. I really liked the lesson working with hard pastels on Mi-Teintes paper. The lesson with 1 pastel pencil making a drawing like the photo was wonderful. Great directions measuring features to be like photos. Mono printing was fun too. I recommend this class to everyone wanting to draw with pastels. Lots of info on making surfaces to work on and creative expression. Thank you Juna for your wonderful class.

Eileen Kurtzman
United States

I allways get inspired by Juna’s teaching. I love her art, all those beautiful and soulful paintings of hers. In this course, The Many Faces of Pastel, she let us know her secrets and the techniques she has been using in her own paintings. She will be teaching you with love and support. I have learned to be patient and trust the process. I really recommend to take this or any other of her courses.

Lili Ruotsalo
Finland

The Many Faces of Pastel is a very instructive course that teaches many new pastel techniques. I highly recommend it. The course is in English, but even if you do not speak English but only understand it, it’s still easy to follow. And Facebook has a translate function, so that is no problem. The Many Faces of Pastel is a unique course that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Gert Van Rossum
Belgium

I did all Juna’s courses and every time I learned new things. They are very diverse with beautiful results. I usely paint with acrylics, but after following the courses of Juna I’m addicted to charcoal and now after The Many Faces of Pastel to soft pastels. You won’t regret doing a course with Juna!

Gery Hoeven
The Netherlands

What a wonderful journey I have had learning portraits with pastel. I have covered materials I never thought possible with pastels and had the most amazing results. I can’t praise and recommend Juna enough, such a brilliant teacher. You will come away with so much confidence and lots of your own portraits to be proud of. Thank you so much Juna. X

Christine
England

The Many Faces of Pastel is the third class I’ve taken with Juna and, as always, I learned so much more than I expected. We covered the properties of soft pastels, hard pastels and pastel pencils in detail plus we looked at pan pastels. The techniques Juna taught were varied, ranging from using dry pastel on different surfaces, to painting with pastel, and even pastel monoprints.

Juna’s teaching is always excellent and she is very encouraging and honest with her feedback. I highly recommend The Many Faces of Pastel to both beginners and experienced portrait artists.

Lee Johnston
Canada

In The Many Faces of Pastel I have learned multiple new and fun techniques applicable for pastel painting. I loved all of them, easy to follow, fully documented and explained. Juna’s method is great for beginners or more experienced students. Her feedback is always kind and constructive, as well as the classmates group. I have recommended this course to my friend and she loves it as well. It was fun and interesting, the supplies were affordable and easy to grab. I’m delighted with all the techniques I will combine to find my own way. I highly recommend this course, as all Juna’s courses.

Isabelle Marty
France

I have never used pastels before so was very happy to be able to take this class, The Many Faces of Pastel. I really like using the pastel pencils and the monoprinting technique the best.

This was my third class with Juna so I am familiar with her teaching technique and love it. The camera angle is one of the best I’ve seen for online art classes. If this is the first class that you are going to take with Juna, I strongly recommend her classes The Many Faces of Charcoal and Drawing in the Soul too.

Cindy Wageman
United States

Where to start! I have learnt so much from Juna on this course, The Many Faces of Pastel. I had only dabbled in portraits, and had little or no experience in pastels, but with the help and support of Juna, I now have worked with all the pastels in all their various guises, and drawn so many portraits that I never knew I was capable of. Ranging from a light loose exquisite face to a strong, bold one!

Throughout it all Juna has been there with her supportive and insightful advice and comments. I am set to join Juna again in the summer with her course Drawing in the Soul and can’t wait for it to start. If you enjoy your art, whether a beginner, or advanced, I recommend a course with Juna to inspire you and make your journey into a whole new art world! For sure!

Lesley Clarke
United Kingdom

The Many Faces of Pastel took me – as a beginner – beyond my wildest dreams. Within the 6 weeks of the course Juna taught us how to use pastels of all sorts in many different ways so efficiently that I still can’t believe it was me who created all those pictures. I can’t choose a favourite lesson because I enjoyed them all!

Juna’s teaching style is perfect. Everything is spot on, from the provided downloads to the videos, which are packed with information and easy to follow. The exercises for every project where you explore techniques and supplies are most helpful. Her feedback is profound and very encouraging, actually this has been my highlight of the week. Also to mention is the lovely Facebook community where you can share your work and learn a lot from others.

The best thing is, that you not just complete single projects, but get the tools and the motivation to further explore and develop your style. Many teachers promise this, but here was the first time that it really happened. So yes, I would absoutely recommend The Many Faces of Pastel and any other of Juna’s courses!

Susanne Weber
Austria

The Many Faces of Pastel is an excellent class. I have learned 6 different ways of working with hard and soft pastel and pastel pencils. Every lesson Juna explains each application with exercises an then a project. She answers every question you have and guides you along. I don’t think I could pick one favorite lesson as I enjoyed them all and got creative ideas from each. This class is well worth your money. You will have a full understanding of pastels and how fun they are. Thank you Juna!

Donna Hawkins
United States

This course, The Many Faces of Pastel, is a great way to learn many techniques using different types of pastel, even combine it with water! Definitely, this is a course that everyone who likes portraits should do. Every lesson is magical, absorbing and inspirational. Thank you Juna for this wonderful course that has change the way to draw portraits in my daily life.

Ivannia Elizondo
Costa Rica

I was extremely lucky to stumble on Juna Biagioni’s art courses at the start of the covid pandemic. The knowledge I have gained in The Many Faces of Pastel is beyond my wildest dreams and expectations. She is an outstanding teacher with so much experience and expert skills. She is kind and encouraging in her feedback and she fosters a creative environment to develop one’s personal style as well as integrate new skills. I have already signed up for her next course. I can’t deprive myself of not learning everything this fabulous teacher has to offer. Finding Juna was definitely a silver lining to covid for me

Bonnie Pollard
United States

Juna is a superb art instructor! Her weekly exercises in The Many Faces of Pastel are pointed and educational prior to the projects. After completing her course, I no longer am afraid of pastels! I know how soft, hard and pastel pencils work! You won’t be sorry taking any of her courses! Do yourself a favor and join her next course!

Fern
United States

I was very blessed to find a great teacher who is always giving feedback and makes me feel special. I started to draw two years ago to release stress. I never thought I could draw. I started to learn by myself, then I wanted to improve and I looked in Facebook and I started to sign up for all Juna’s classes. And I can see I have improved so much! ☺ I love all Juna’s courses and The Many Faces of Pastel is great as well! I started to use pastel before but with this course I grew more. I recommend The Many Faces of Pastel to everyone who wants to discover a new marvelous world!

Patricia Anderson
United States

I knew Juna from previous courses, so I knew she was also going to fulfill my expectations with The Many Faces of Pastel. In this course I’ve learned many other ways in wich I can use pastels. The feedback you get is always kind and constructive. Juna is an exellent teacher. The different ways of drawing portraits in pastels is also very challenging. I’ve learned to look at portraits in an other way. I recommend this course for those who would like to learn to work with pastels in different ways and want to make wonderful portraits with them.

Emmanuella Goethals
Belgium

I learned so much from The Many Faces of Pastel – from useful measuring methods to wet and dry techniques with soft and hard pastels. I knew very little about what can be done with pastels when I started, but by the end of the course I knew so much more about materials and how to use them effectively that they seemed a completely different medium to what I had expected. Juna provides useful information on different papers, types of pastel and tools and how these can be used – both treated and untreated – to create a variety of effects.

The lessons are great for all levels, clear and well explained yet giving plenty of scope for adapting the techniques to the student’s own style. I found each of the projects informative and satisfying to complete and also fun and I scanned my inbox eagerly each week for my lesson. Learning to paint with pastel pigment was a revelation.

Perhaps what stands out for me is the quality of Juna’s teaching. She is inspiring and encouraging, creating a space for her students in which they can feel safe and supported while free to experiment and make discoveries of their own about their strengths and interests. I always feel that I have gained in self confidence after Juna’s lessons. Her feedback is detailed and specific where students ask for this and she really seems to get to know and to take an interest in each individual student. I really cannot recommend this course highly enough.

Julie Lee
United Kingdom

I loved learning to do portraits with pastels. It helped to have the most patient and kindest instructor. Thank you Juna Biagioni for your great patience.

Ilse Hathaway
United States

I love taking classes with Juna, she has an amazing way of teaching. The Many Faces of Pastel is my third class with her. I learnt to use pastel colors in different ways (techniques). If you ever want to learn how to draw portraits, she is the teacher to go to.

Monica
United States

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