Pastel course

Misty Morning

Setting the scene
Morning Sail, was painted on an atmospheric day,  threatening rain clouds and soft mist in the mountains and a still reflected lake.

The horizon line is approx. 1/4 of the paper, this will aid a dramatic sky in the composition and create distance in the mountain scene.

 Colours were kept subdued working with tonal hues rather than exact colour shades, this will help to give a peaceful harmony to the painting.

Working on Fisher 400 pastel paper, this is project two on my online pastel course.
 It is a perfect course to start painting with pastels, with many handy tips, step by step instructions and clear photographs, materials explained  and above all personal feedback with each project and Video Demonstrations of each project. I have painted with Pastels for over twenty years, and find them such an exciting medium. 

Why not start painting pastels this Autumn and sign up to the Pastel Online course

The price of the course is £75.00 , there is no time limit to the course.

Golden Leaves pastel Demonstration

The last of the Golden leaves are hanging on for dear life against Storm Abigail.

 But what better way to spend an afternoon, especially when it's purely horrid outdoors.

 Painting bright Golden colours in an Autumn  woodland scene, pop some music on, have the kettle ready and away we go.

Stage One 

Tape down a piece of Clairefontaine pastelamat white pastel paper onto a board. 

Add some watercolour washes, not too wet, less water and you seem to have a touch more control. 

Splashes of Red, Yellow and Blue, let them merge together to create beautiful colours.

Leave to dry or speed it up with an hairdryer. 

Stage Two

The Background, I find is a good place to start when adding pastels. Think cool colours, tonal values  and less detail. Leave those bright colours for the foreground trees and path. Composition needs a little thought, I like to see a way through a painting. The light at the end of a tunnel, a fence dancing along the side of a field or maybe a couple out walking their dog. The choice is yours. 

Stage Three

A liitle blending in places to get rid of too much detail, I find a colour shaper ideal for this. Pastel pencils could also help to indicate thin branches along the way. Shadows will help to show the time of day and a bright area bathed in sunshine always makes my heart sing! A few more leaves floating down before the storms appear and the painting will begin to come to life

Golden Leaves painted in Pastels

If you fancy learning the joys of pastel painting why not sign up for my online course.

 Containing six projects and step by step instructions, a material list and personal feedback.

A perfect gift for the want to be artist

Pastel Online Course

Price £55.00

Pastel Online course

The first project an easy seascape.

Fancy painting in  Pastels, no idea where to start, what paper or Soft, Hard or Oil Pastels?
This unique Pastel course will guide you through techniques, materials, composition and how to create subtle yet dramatic paintings. Fancy a change from watercolors, this is the perfect medium.

Painting in pastels has given me so much confidence with tonal values, painting light and dark and creating the images I see in the Landscape.The pastel course includes six projects with individual feedback with each painting you produce.

I know you will be delighted with your paintings that you will produce, it will open up a totally new dimension to your work.

Number two a tonal lake scene,

Three and we see a little tree action and reflections

Poppy power is number four, I know you will love this one

Number five, warm subtle shades to create a harmonies and evening glow.

Finishing with a scene that brings everything you have learned together.

With regular email updates this six project course is going to be so exciting and 

a perfect start to Pastel painting.

Haweswater Pastel demo

Haweswater

Painted in Pastels

As promised Haweswater, inspired on a cycle ride. I started with a watercolour wash on Saunders Waterford stretched not paper. Not too much detail, I tried to keep it loose but also bright tonal colours that were painted in one wash. Decision time, do I carry on with watercolours or apply pastels? Nothing to lose I'm working on a small scale and it's a good learning excerise for a
 larger scale painting.

Shadows of mauves were added first and then warm Ochres for the rich velvet fells. 

Next I attacked the sky this was fun, the shades of watercolour helped, I slightly deepened the sky tone in places and then added paler shades for clouds floating by.

Refelections in the Lake are applied with more pressure and smoothed downwards and trees quickly painted in with sharp strokes using the side of the pastel stick.

A few Pastel tips

I have a sheet of paper that I use to check the colours, tonal values and also clean the pastel on.

Take your time, think about the marks and colours you put down, I like to apply the correct colour and not rub out or overwork.

Leave the painting somewhere you can see it, and come back in a few days to re evulate it.

www.janeward.co.uk