# Pastel pencil woodpecker **URL:** \ **Category:** Uncategorized\ **Created:** [June 12, 2023, 4:45pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pastel-pencil-woodpecker/3089 "2023-06-12T16:45:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vgentry58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f04885/32.png) [@Vgentry58](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Vgentry58)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 4:45pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pastel-pencil-woodpecker/3089/1 "2023-06-12T16:45:50Z")
![PXL_20230612_164002422](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/thevirtualinstructor/original/2X/6/6b4a0a7f4e049cd0f0aff3673160284202d43fe1.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Denise](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/denise/32/40_2.png) [@Denise](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Denise)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 9:37pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pastel-pencil-woodpecker/3089/2 "2023-06-12T21:37:36Z")
This is great. I love it. I feel it is looking straight at me. Just lovely. ---
**Author:** ![sterlingsiam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/sterlingsiam/32/30_2.png) [@sterlingsiam](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/sterlingsiam)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 10:05pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pastel-pencil-woodpecker/3089/3 "2023-06-12T22:05:35Z")
Lovely! He looks nice and fluffy and the eye is well done! Patricia. ---
**Author:** ![Vgentry58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f04885/32.png) [@Vgentry58](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Vgentry58)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 1:16am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pastel-pencil-woodpecker/3089/4 "2023-06-13T01:16:01Z")
Thank you. Still trying to get the hang of doing the background. ---
**Author:** ![robichon](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/robichon/32/4993_2.png) [@robichon](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/robichon)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 1:15pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pastel-pencil-woodpecker/3089/5 "2023-06-13T13:15:09Z")
This is nice male downy woodpecker. I really like birds as the subject matter. I saw you comment that you are trying to work on backgrounds. Something I’ve learned is that pastels like (need) to be layered as much as other media. With light backgrounds like this, I’d suggest starting with a layer of white pastel (or light gray) and then layer the color over it. You might even find to repeat that again (another layer white, another layer color) is good. This process helps to blend the layers so the line work of the “coloring” is not so noticeable. Hope this helps. Another possibility is to try pan pastels which are great for blended backgrounds. Terri Robichon ---
**Author:** ![Vgentry58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f04885/32.png) [@Vgentry58](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Vgentry58)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 6:01pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pastel-pencil-woodpecker/3089/6 "2023-06-13T18:01:37Z")
Thanks Terri! I appreciate the feedback! I went over the background again this morning and used yellow, green and a little blue. I darkened it quite a bit. I’m amazed at how it popped the picture! ---
**Author:** ![Brenda](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/brenda/32/3459_2.png) [@Brenda](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Brenda)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 7:21pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pastel-pencil-woodpecker/3089/7 "2023-06-13T19:21:30Z")
Those are great tips, Terri! Brenda ---
**Author:** ![Brenda](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/brenda/32/3459_2.png) [@Brenda](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Brenda)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 7:22pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pastel-pencil-woodpecker/3089/8 "2023-06-13T19:22:58Z")
Very nice! I’d love to see another photo with your darkened background! The textures you achieved are really lovely. Brenda ---
**Author:** ![Vgentry58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f04885/32.png) [@Vgentry58](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Vgentry58)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 9:54pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pastel-pencil-woodpecker/3089/9 "2023-06-13T21:54:26Z")
![PXL_20230613_214856955~2](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/thevirtualinstructor/original/2X/8/881ea5c4f86ef0e96c878e18f90dc65081367602.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Vgentry58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f04885/32.png) [@Vgentry58](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Vgentry58)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 9:55pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pastel-pencil-woodpecker/3089/10 "2023-06-13T21:55:55Z")
My picture never comes out like my drawings. But I like this better than the lighter one! ---
**Author:** ![Brenda](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/brenda/32/3459_2.png) [@Brenda](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Brenda)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 10:15pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pastel-pencil-woodpecker/3089/11 "2023-06-13T22:15:01Z")
I love it! The darker value in the background really accentuates the bird! Brenda ---
**Author:** ![robichon](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/robichon/32/4993_2.png) [@robichon](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/robichon)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 11:29pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pastel-pencil-woodpecker/3089/12 "2023-06-13T23:29:48Z")
So glad the tips were helpful. Terri Robichon ---
**Author:** ![sterlingsiam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/sterlingsiam/32/30_2.png) [@sterlingsiam](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/sterlingsiam)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 11:34pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pastel-pencil-woodpecker/3089/13 "2023-06-16T23:34:56Z")
I liked the first one, but the revised version is much more intense. You did a great job on this by pushing your values darker. Thanks for sharing! Patricia ---
**Author:** ![anon8367598](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/90db22/32.png) [@anon8367598](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/anon8367598)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 12:20am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/pastel-pencil-woodpecker/3089/14 "2023-06-21T00:20:12Z")
Nice attention to detail and textures, the feathers are amazing! 👏 😄