JAN 18TH - 23RD
Free 5-Day Drawing Challenge (Greyscale Edition)
Draw a Beautiful Polar Bear in Soft Pastels — Even If You’ve Never Used Pastels Before
Join me for a relaxed, beginner-friendly Soft Pastel Week where we’ll create a realistic polar bear drawing step by step, using greyscale only, so you don’t need heaps of supplies or experience. This challenge is designed to remove overwhelm, build confidence, and help you actually finish a piece of art.
👉 It’s completely free to join.
🎨 What You’ll Create
Over 5 days, you’ll be guided through:
- A full polar bear drawing in soft pastels
- Broken into 3 easy-to-follow tutorial lessons
- Plus a live wolf eye draw-along to build confidence with detail and values
Everything is taught slowly, clearly, and with beginners in mind.
🖤 Why Greyscale?
Because this is where realistic art really starts.
- Fewer pastels needed (hello, lower cost)
- No colour stress — we focus on values first
- Perfect for beginners and artists who want stronger realism
- Calm, simple, and way less overwhelming
If you can work in greys, colour becomes easy later.
The fun begins in...
Get ready to celebrate!
In just 5 days you will discover:
- The different types of soft pastels and how to use them
- The best pastel papers to use and why thats so important.
- How to paint different textures to create realism
- How to transfer your line art quickly and accurately
- Easy blending techniques for smooth pastel backgrounds
- Kerri's proven step by step painting process for great results
- Tricks for drawing different textures for realism
- How to build up light layers for depth and detail
- You really can create beautiful realistic wildlife art!
Elevate your art from the comfort of your own home.
All you need is an internet connection to watch, participate, and learn how to create some beautiful realistic wildlife art.
You'll also receive a material list & workbook when you sign up, so you can be ready to go on the 18th January.
But don't worry if you don't have the materials, you will still gain plenty of information to add to your own work just by watching along, the principles for creating realistic art remain the same no matter what medium you use, it's just the particular medium techniques that will be different.
DRAWING SESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK
Sunday January 18th
Lesson 1: Transfer
& Background
Learn the techniques of getting a simple line art transferred to your pastel paper mess free, then continue on to create a background in soft pastel sticks.
Monday January 19th
Lesson 2: Polar
Bear Fur
Were building layers using different techniques to create realistic fur.
Wednesday January 21st
Lesson 3:
Nose & Rock
We finish our Polar Bear off today with the nose, rock texture and finishing touches.
Thursday January 22nd
9am LIVE Session
Eye Draw Along
We round the week off with a
live draw along session with Kerri
where we'll be drawing an eye in
greyscale pastels.
"You are a great teacher, so encouraging and a talented artist"
- Helen
"Thankyou so much Kerri, you have really inspired me"
- Sharon
When you join the challenge you get...
Daily Trainings
Get 4 video trainings straight to your inbox with clear instructions walking you through step by step how to create that days
pelican element.
Workbook & Downloadables
Get printable workbook, material list, colour guide, line art and reference image.
Community
Get access to the Challenge Facebook group and daily live Q & A sessions making it super easy to get results!
YOUR CHANCE TO LEARN BEGINS JANUARY 18th
Hi I'm Kerri Dixon, Wildlife Artist.
As an Artist I work hard to develop paintings that speak both to me and to others about the natural beauty that exists around us. I am an avid animal lover and strive to keep perfecting my wildlife art.
Through this challenge I wish to share my knowledge to those that are just starting out and take away the confusion and overwhelm that can sometimes come from creating realistic wildlife art in soft pastels.
By learning these few techniques you should be well on your way to understanding this medium and how to tackle your next animal painting.
I am thrilled you've decided to join SOFT PASTEL WEEK!
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
3 Information packed video lessons released on the week of January 18th
Make sure you use the blue buttons on this page to save your seat, and I'll email you with more details, workbook and instructions to watch the video lessons as they are released on the dashboard.
I'll also send you the information on how to join our Soft Pastel Week Facebook Group where you can ask questions and share your work in progress.
For any artist at ANY level of experience
Whether you're an experienced artist but have never used soft pastels or your just getting started and are keen to learn about wildlife art, you can use these techniques to elevate your art at any stage of your
creative journey.
Materials needed for the challenge
I'll email you out a materials list once you have registered so you have plenty of time to get your art supplies ready. Please don't go and spend a fortune on art material, were drawing in grey scale to keep the cost down. If you already have some pastels then feel free to use them even if they are not exactly the same, you will still learn the techniques required to create realistic wildlife art.
🚀 Ready to Join?
Soft Pastel Week runs January 18–23, 2026. - Spots are free — just register to get started.
Let’s slow things down, focus on the fundamentals, and create something you’re proud of. You don’t need permission to make art — you just need to start.
👉 Yes, I want to join Soft Pastel Week (Free!)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What exactly is Soft Pastel Week?
Soft Pastel Week is an introduction into my world of painting wildlife art in soft pastels, where I will teach you my techniques to creating a sleeping Polar Bear, through pre-recorded video lessons delivered throughout the week to your inbox and then daily Zoom live Q & A's to keep you motivated and moving forward.
When does the challenge begin?
The challenge begins on Sunday 18th January 2026 and runs until Friday 23rd January 2026.
What will I have at the end of Soft Pastel Week?
At the end of the week I hope you have a new love for wildlife art as well as a love for my favourite medium 'Soft Pastels".
I will be making you an amazing offer at the end of the challenge so you can continue on your creative journey with me.
What if my schedule is crazy busy?
Don't worry the challenge video lessons and the Facebook group will be available until January 31st, so that gives you 14 days to complete Soft Pastel Week.
If you would like lifetime access to all recordings etc. in Soft Pastel Week, then I have a VIP offer that you will see when you register.
What do I need to participate?
You just need to be eager to learn and the art supplies listed on the materials list.
Is Soft Pastel Week for me?
Soft Pastel Week is for you if you have always admired and loved the animal art you see online but can never quite master the techniques to create a realistic look.
Soft Pastel Week is for you if you already paint in soft pastels but have never done wildlife art before.
Soft Pastel Week is for you if you want to learn the skills needed to paint realistically in soft pastels.
Soft Pastel Week is for you even if you are a complete beginner as I walk you step by step through my art process.
