![Gail Sibley, [Not yet titled], Unison Colour pastels and a Sennelier pink on UART 400 mounted on board, 15 1/4 x 11 1/2 in -close up of face](https://www.howtopastel.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/11.-Gail-Sibley-Not-yet-titled-Unison-Colour-pastels-and-a-SEnnelier-pink-on-UART-400-mounted-on-board-15-14-x-11-15-in-close-up-of-face-Feature-image.jpg)
Sometimes a portrait painting calls you. Not for developing your technique or for the challenge, but because of who it’s about. In this post, I’m sharing a pastel portrait step by step, from initial sketch to final strokes.
This portrait carries something extra. It’s a portrait I’ve wanted to paint for a long time: the subject is Flo, one of the care workers at the Salt Spring Island hospital where my Dad died on 31 December 2024.
She was warmth, joy, and grace in human form — so alive, so present. In those last days, she brought something light and human into a space that could feel unbearably heavy.
I didn’t know if I could do her, and the feelings I had about her, justice. But this month in the IGNITE! Membership, we’re focusing on portraits — and I knew it was time, time to finally begin.
The Drawing Up
I started with a quick full page sketch, trying to capture her expression and the gentle tilt of her head. I was intrigued by the way her hair was scooped up and contained in her headwrap.
Following that, as I planned to go ahead with a pastel portrait, I did a quick thumbnail to choose a distribution of three values.
Then, once I’d chosen the paper and size to work on (UART mounted on board, 16 x 12 in), I drew up the face in vine charcoal. I was almost put off the whole thing at this point as I struggled to place all the parts. UGH. I didn’t want or need a complete drawing but I did want eyes, nose, mouth, and ear properly located!
At this point, everything was still full of possibility (and yes, anxiety!).
I started.
I pulled three colours in three different values from my Unison Colour set of pastels — light blue (light value), ochre (middle), and brown (dark) — plus the middle-value pink Sennelier, and began.
And then I slowly built the piece. Generally, I will work all over the whole painting but for this one, the face was where I spent much of my time at the start (understandably I think!).
The Messy Middle
There’s always that moment where things look… awful. I hit it about a quarter of the way into this piece. The piece felt raw and ugly. The drawing seemed off. The colours weren’t singing. And so much paper showed through the pastel. Doubt was definitely creeping in. I could feel the inner critic starting to jabber away.
But I told myself: stay with it.
This is the part where you decide to trust the process rather than take the easy (and unsatisfying) route and walk away.
Getting On With It
Once I’d applied more pastel, building up the layers, I could feel Flo coming into focus. That’s when I got excited again — refining the eyes, creating the loose design on her headscarf, deepening the colours in her skin (ohhhhh that reflected pink!).
I thought about her a lot as I worked. Not just what she looked like, but how she was. That grounded presence. The kindness in her eyes.
Tweaks and Finishing Touches
The painting was starting to feel like it was working but ohhhh, the background was a mess where my finger had touched the paper when I was too lazy (forgetful??) to use my mahlstick (slap my wrist!).
Nearing the end, I tidied up the background and added the final highlights to eyes, nose, cheek, and earring. I was also asking myself: Is the painting saying what I want it to say?
Not perfection.
But presence. And kindness.
I think yes.
Pastels I Used
I worked mainly with Unison Colour soft pastels BUT one of the reasons I chose to do this particular pose was the bright pink uniform Flo was wearing. And because, so far, the Unison Colour brand doesn’t have that kind of intense pink, I jumped into my Sennelier pastels and picked the deliciously gorgeous #342 fuchsia.
As always, I kept my palette fairly limited to allow the colours to harmonise across her skin, hair, and head wrap.
But Then…
I thought I was done, but when I checked the painting with a mat, the vignetting at the edges — that I thought I could get away with — just seemed to attract my eye too much. So I went back in to cover more of the paper.
And here is the finished piece (at least I think it is!) with a closeup.
![Gail Sibley, [Not yet titled], Unison Colour pastels and a Sennelier pink on UART 400 mounted on board, 15 1:4 x 11 1:5 in](https://www.howtopastel.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/11.-Gail-Sibley-Not-yet-titled-Unison-Colour-pastels-and-a-SEnnelier-pink-on-UART-400-mounted-on-board-15-1_4-x-11-1_5-in.png)
![Gail Sibley, [Not yet titled] Unison Colour pastels and a Sennelier pink on UART 400 mounted on board, 15 1/4 x 11 1/2 in- closeup](https://www.howtopastel.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/12.-Gail-Sibley-Not-yet-titled-Unison-Colour-pastels-and-a-SEnnelier-pink-on-UART-400-mounted-on-board-15-1_4-x-11-1_5-in-closeup.png)
Final Thoughts
I’m so glad I finally got into my studio to paint Flo.
This was about giving my attention to someone who showed up for my family with such deep caring in a time of distress and great sorrow, whose underlying joie de vivre helped us cope with my Dad’s final days.
Sharing this pastel portrait step by step wasn’t just about showing you the progression of the piece. It was to show that even when the going gets tough in a painting, the best thing to do is keep going, keep painting. Quitting does not serve you in your growth as an artist.
It also speaks to doing the painting that keeps calling you — even when you aren’t sure you can do it justice. You can only know the answer if you start the painting. We always win or we learn by the doing.
This painting of Flo is the first of what I think will be a small series — portraits of care, of presence, of someone who may not be remembered widely, but whose impact was deeply felt.
Thank you, Flo.
Over to you!
Has someone ever inspired you to create a piece of art? I’d love to hear who — and why — in the comments.
I’d also love to know if this pastel portrait step by step was helpful! Please leave any thoughts or questions below.
Until next time,
~ Gail
PS. I decided not to include the photo I worked from, out of respect for Flo’s privacy — but I hope the sketch, final portrait, and progress shots tell the story just the same.
22 thoughts on “Pastel Portrait Step by Step – Painting Flo”
Hi Gail,
You did an AWESOME job on Flo. Just a really beautiful, kind and expressive image that you were able to capture.
Congratulations! I am new to pastels and would like to see more of your work- for sure.
Thanks for sharing the step by step. This was helpful to a novice like myself.
Lindsey
Hey Lindsey, thanks for the lovely compliment 😊 and for letting me know this post was helpful!
Hi Gail,
I love your work and style.
This portrait turned out beautiful.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful piece.
~Donna
And thank you Donna for your compliment!! 😊
Gail, YES! YES! YES! You definitely have hit all the special intentions you outlined for this piece from start to finish. AND, for sure, in reply to your query, each of my own portraiture work begins w/similar intention while filled w/wonder, harsh self-critiques, & questioning moments in the creative act of capturing wonderful people in their best LIGHT of remembrance/recognition.
Thanks for this view into your own practiced, thought-filled and relatable portrait approach. For sure, everything about this post is reaffirming and beautifully illustrated + shared generously. Flo is clearly beautiful inside and out! YOU captured that beautifully. Thank you! 🕊️
Ohhh Maryeileen, thank you so much for your affirmation – about the portrait and this post! I love your take on the whole process of creating a portrait. There’s so much we go through to get to the other side lol!!
Hi Gail, thank you for this really informative and helpful step by step of your portrait process. It takes someone special to bring light into dark times and I think you have beautifully and skilfully captured that element of Flo’s being. This is a truly beautiful portrait.
I’m not ‘there’ yet in my art skills…. but I’m practicing and hope I can in due course do justice to a portrait when I have that depth of response to someone. Currently I’m moved by the interest and the beauty I see in a face from every day life
This is so wonderful to hear Carol! And yes, Flo brought light indeed. She reminded us of the depth and beauty of the whole of life.
Just keep looking and doing, looking and doing. It all comes together as you grow as an artist. LOVE that you are moved by everydays faces. I think as artists we are privileged to see so much more in the world especially the specialness in the ordinary and everyday.
Beautiful portrait, especially since the caring and warmth of Flo’s character comes through so clearly. Are you going to gift it to her as a thank you for all she did for your family?
Thank you Elsje! I’m so glad her character comes through.
And yes, I plan to offer her one of the paintings I do of her as a thank you! 😊
Gail, this is absolutely lovely portrait. I can sense the warmth and kindness in her face.
What a wonderful tribute to a special person in your life.
Thank you so much Dawn. I am so glad you can feel her warmth!
Beautiful post once again, thank you so much for sharing. I do hope you and you family are able to hold on tight to all the beautiful memories.
Kind regards Dianne.
Ahhh Dianne thank you. And thank you for your caring thoughts for my family. We have so many wonderful memories to share.
Great portrait Gail. I like how you talk about the icky stage, and the need to keep going. When I am painting, I tell myself I don’t have a masterpiece here so keep going. For me this blog was very timely because I have been practicing sketching faces. Someday, I will get to adding color.
Thanks for the great painting.
Cynthia
Thanks Cynthia! And yes, it’s important to understand, to know, that that middle part where things are a bit shaky, is a normal part of the process, and we just need to keep going! love that the post is timely for you when you are in sketching faces mode. It all moves us forward!!
Yes, Gail, I was inspired by my two daughters and their cats (my grandcats) to paint portraits of each of them with their cat. Done in the style of their favorite artist. Each painting depicting the personality of daughters and cat. I had a lot of fun doing them both. My first attempt at doing portraits since college.
And, yes, very helpful step-by-step portrait article. Thank you!
Oh Susan what a fabulous project!! How FUN!!!
And applause for taking on portraits when it sounds like the last time you painted that subject was a few years ago!
Hi Gail,
Such a fabulous portrait of a beautiful (inside & out) woman! I learned a great deal about working with pastel on the face & so glad you showed the three values. You were able to capture the kindness in her face so well! Please continue this ‘step by step’, so looking forward to more of your work. Thank you Gail!
Thanks Patti 😀 And I’m so glad to hear the step by step was helpful. More will be coming!!
Gail I think you have an important typo in the first paragraph regarding the date of your father’s passing, please double check. I am sorry for your loss.
You do a great job on this site.
Doug
Hi Doug, many thanks for the typo alert! Fixed now.
And thank you for your appreciation of the HowToPastel website. 😁