Chiaroscuro Creative Portrait with Pencils
A course by Marco Mazzoni, Artist and Illustrator
Revisit a classical method to breathe new life into your drawings
Mastering the use of color and contrast in creative portraits is key to transmitting the story behind your drawings. Marco Mazzoni is an expert when it comes to evoking emotion in his work, drawing inspiration from personal experiences and classical techniques, such as Chiaroscuro.
In this course, Marco will teach you how to convey the tone of your work by walking you through the use of Chiaroscuro in pencil portraits and sharing his step by step coloring method.
What will you learn in this online course?
13 lessons & 33 downloads
What's included in this course?
Start the course by getting to know Marco and how his passion for drawing with pencils began, along with some interesting anecdotes about his artistic career so far.
Discover why he has always preferred to use pencils for his work, and how he implements Chiaroscuro in his portraits to set a mood and command the viewer’s attention in an instant.
Marco explains the important role that sketching has in shaping your work. He then describes how to plan a portrait, starting from the concept and choice of elements in your illustration.
Learn how to balance your use of shadows and light with the Chiaroscuro technique to create more balanced compositions.
Get a clear understanding of how to plan and layer your colors to convey a stronger concept through your choice of color, and how your color selection can give either a contemporary or classical feel to your portrait. Learn how effective a small palette can be by analyzing work from Marco’s favorite artists.
Finally, Marco shares his expert tips on how to quickly compose portraits and guides you through the finishing touches of your creative portrait drawing.
- 97% positive reviews (803)
- 13,668 students
- 13 lessons (1h 3m)
- 33 additional resources (18 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish
- Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish
- Level: Intermediate
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Draw a creative Chiaroscuro portrait using colored pencils.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone who wants to improve their illustrations using pencils by implementing Chiaroscuro in their portraits. Experienced illustrators will obtain a new methodology to apply shading and color, giving more balance and emotion to their work. Novice illustrators will discover how to plan and layer their work, and get a better understanding of how to compose a creative portrait.
Requirements and materials
Previous experience in drawing portraits with pencils is not required to do this course, but it is advisable to have some basic knowledge of illustration techniques.
As for utilities, all you will need are colored pencils and paper.
Reviews
Marco Mazzoni
A course by Marco Mazzoni
Marco Mazzoni’s passion for drawing began at the age of five, when he would sketch on any piece of paper he could find while waiting for his father to finish work at the paper mill. Experimenting with the boundaries of fine art has been a passion of Marco’s since he was a student. His artwork tells a compelling story, drawing inspiration from Sardinian mysticism and the plants and animals he sketched as a child.
Marco’s recent achievements include working on an illustrated version of the Hans Christian Andersen classic Poucette for the French publishing house Albin Michel Jeunesse, where he takes the reader on a captivating journey through his use of color and texture. His work is also exhibited in galleries and museums across Europe and North America.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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Introduction (About Me)
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Influences
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What We Will Do on the Course
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U2
Preparation
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The Importance of Sketching
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Planning the Portrait: Conceptualization and Choice of Elements
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Composition + Basic Lines
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U3
Chiaroscuro and Basic Colour
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Chiaroscuro (Black & White) - Theory
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Chiaroscuro (Black & White) - Practice
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Second Colour Base
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U4
Colours
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Itten Circle and Optional Choice of Colours
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Applying First Colour
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Applying Second Colour
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Applying Finishing Touches
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FP
Final project
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Creative portraying with pencils
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
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Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
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Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for intermediate-level artists who want to advance their colored pencil techniques, especially in chiaroscuro, dramatic lighting, and expressive portraiture.
You’ll need colored pencils, smooth drawing paper, a sketchbook, erasers, and a sharpener. The course also shows how to create depth and dramatic effects using minimal, accessible materials.
You’ll learn how to use colored pencils for dramatic lighting, apply chiaroscuro and value contrast, create texture, manage color intensity, and develop expressive, narrative portraits with strong composition.
Yes, the course covers classical techniques such as chiaroscuro, referencing artists like Ribera and Rembrandt to teach dramatic light, shadow placement, and narrative detail in portrait drawing.
Absolutely. The course explores adapting drawing and illustration skills to various formats, including children’s book illustration, poster design, and conceptual portraiture.
You’ll learn to identify comfort shapes, use daily sketching routines, and experiment with narrative elements, helping you refine your personal artistic voice and style.
Yes, the course emphasizes the importance of sketchbook practice and daily sketching to foster consistent artistic growth and experimentation.
Este curso es un disfrute total, la explicación paso a paso te lleva a entender la técnica claro oscuro con un twist más contemporaneo.
Me gustó
Lo encontré sencillo, claro y práctico
Uwielbiam Marco Mazzoni. To już trzeci jego kurs, który realizuję. Każdy z tych kursów jest inny i można nauczyć się wielu ciekawych rzeczy dotyczących rysowania ołówkiem. Marco jest nie tylko wybitnym artystą, ale również świetnym, potrafiącym zainspirować nauczycielem. Gorąco polecam.
Uno de los mejores cursos que he encontrado en su plataforma. Muy recomendable!!
Le cours est rapide, mais j'ai aimé connaître cette technique (en train de l'étudier). En plus, j'aime beaucoup le travail de Marco et ses cours.