Workshop Objective

To use palette knives, texture paste, and grit to create a thick, textured surface, then apply contour line drawing, flat pastel colour, and charcoal shading in the style of Sylvain Coulombe.

Required Materials

• Source Imagery: Portraits with strong features or expressive qualities.

• Surface: A3 thick card or very heavy card (standard paper will buckle under the weight).

• Media: Texture paste (modelling paste), Grit (sand or pumice gel), Acrylic paint (White/Grey/Pastel tones), Charcoal (willow or compressed), Fixative.

• Tools: Palette knives (various sizes), 6B/8B Pencils/charcoal, Soft brushes. Acrylic paint

The Three-Step Process

1. The Foundation (Texture & Grit)

• Action: Mix a small amount of grit (sand) into your paint. Using a palette knife, apply a thick, uneven layer across your board. YOu can also use a rag and colour to smudge colour over the surface areas to build up inetrest. 

• Technique: Don't smooth it out perfectly. Leave ridges, bumps, and "scars" in the paste. You want the surface to look like an old, plastered wall. use a range of colours and drag them across the surface.

• Dry Time: Let this dry completely (use a hairdryer or leave overnight) before moving to step 2.

2. The Contour (Line & Block Colour)

• Action: Once the texture is bone-dry, use a 6B pencil or charcoal stick to free-draw a contour line portrait directly onto the bumpy surface.

• Technique: Focus on large, expressive eyes and strong facial outlines. Don't worry if the line breaks over the bumps—this adds character.

• Block Colour: Use flat pastel acrylic colours (pale blue, cream, ochre) to block in the negative space (the background) or specific clothing areas. Leave the face mostly raw texture or white.

3. The Shadow (Charcoal & White)

• Action: Use a stick of charcoal to aggressively "shade" the facial features (eye sockets, under the nose, jawline). Smudge the charcoal with your finger so it catches in the grit of the texture.

• Highlight: Use white paint or gesso on a small brush to add sharp highlights to the eyes and nose bridge.

• Concept: The contrast between the rough, dark charcoal and the smooth, flat pastel background creates the signature Coulombe "weathered soul" look.

Level 3 Success Criteria (AS91446)

Achieved Successfully builds a textured surface and applies a recognizable contour portrait with shading. 

Merit Shows control over the integration of media. The charcoal shading interacts effectively with the texture paste (catching in the ridges) to create form and depth.

Excellence Demonstrates expressive characterisation. The combination of large eyes, rough texture, and delicate pastel colour evokes a specific emotional state (e.g., resilience, weariness, or innocence). 

Critical Reflection / Thinking

• How does drawing on a bumpy surface change the quality of your line?

• Why do the large eyes feel so important in this style? What do they communicate about the "journey"?

• Does the figure look like they are made of flesh, or are they part of the "wall"?