The secret of Green

Lantys Tarn showing Orange underpainting.

I've often struggled with Green landscapes, I've even gone as far as only painting Winter scenes or Months which have the letter R in them!! That's got you thinking. September to April.

 When gorgeous Summer days come, you do want to walk amongst a meadow full of flowers  or sit beside a tranquil lake underneath a tree full of Green foliage and let inspiration run wild. 

My Greens were either too acid, too bright or maybe it was Fear of Green.

Lantys Tarn was tackled in a positive mindset and in the month of May with no R!!

Firstly I applied an Orange watercolour wash onto white Pastelmat and then let it dry.

Touches of warm Orange help to warm the painting, harmonise and stop the Green Fear.

I also was aware of  Green tonal values. 

I can now say ' Bring on Summer and those Green fields and lots of Happy outdoor painting.

Lantys Tarn.

Painted in Pastels.

If you fancy a day painting in the Lake District, just get in touch by email.

Painting Days start from £50.00

lakelandart@hotmail.co.uk

Sketching snow in the Lake district.

Friars Crag, Derwentwater.

I wandered down to the lake foreshore, with paints in the bag, scarf and hat firmly in place. 

With the wind not blowing, snow on the fells and barely anyone around, it really was a joy to be out painting. I've sketched from this spot many times and sit myself in the roots of the old tree. 

It is important for me to paint outdoors, but really it's about loving the outdoors, enjoying the wildlife and drinking in the view and atmosphere of a place.

I loosely painted with watercolours, no pre sketching onto Pastelmat pastel paper. When this was dry I added the pastels and then finished off the painting in the warm studio.

I do recommend getting out sketching.

These two lovely views, though were far too cold to sketch at. It was nearly too cold to get out of the car to take some photographs.

If you fancy sketching or painting in the Lake District, 

I organise four days courses based in Grasmere. 

In the warmer months!!

www.janeward.co.uk

Winter Landscape in Pastels

I'm loving working on the Pastelmat pastel paper. This week I thought I would paint a classic Lakeland winter scene. Full of drama, colourful and also on a bigger scale. Something to really get the teeth into, so to speak!! I started with a white piece of paper and then added watercolours, very loosely to get the main mountain shapes and rich tonal colours. I then let this dry to see what magical effects would take place.

Working on the pastelmat with watercolours is very different to watercolour paper. This velvety touch paper is a little like blotting paper. Soft edges rather than hard edges seem to form.

With the paper dry I started with the sky making a few adjustments, getting a few colours down but not thinking about finishing this area. I like to start on the background first. It's a personal thing. Cool colours first and not too much details, gaining in momentum as we move forward richer tones, a little more detail and I'm finding my way through the scene.

Silly me I forgot to tell you where we are. It's a Saturday afternoon in February, bitterly cold and about two o'clock. We've been to the summit of Great Gable and now we are stopping for a late lunch on Green Gable and admiring the magnificent view down into Ennerdale Valley. Pillar the mountain on the left is demanding all the attention with the light catching rocks and cliff edges. We turn and head down the mountains following footsteps in the snow and make it safely back to the car in Seathwaite valley.

If you fancy painting landscapes in Pastels why not try my Pastel online course. This wonderful medium is easy for anyone, you just need a selection of soft pastels and the right pastel paper.

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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

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

A perfect gift for the want to be artist

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Autumn Pastel Demonstration

Rydal Water

Stage One 

I started with an under painting using watercolours on a piece of Pastelmat. I'm quite surprised at the effects you can get with this brilliant paper, but a word of warning you don't have much control with the watercolour wash, but this can make happy effects!! My giant cauliflower back run in the front of the lake was one such happy effect!

Once the paper was bone dry I then applied pastel in the background, wanting to give a soft hazing atmosphere on a cool Autumn morning.

Adding the Pastels is such fun and so tactile. Cool Blues and Greens in the middle distance and just a touch more detail. Leaving the front Island of Autumn colour, to take all the glory.

Stage Three

Nearly finished just a few more marks and thinking about the bottom right hand corner.

It's good not to rush!!! I'll let it sit happy on the easel and wait for a thunderbolt moment to strike.

Fancy painting in Pastels?

My six project course with personal feedback will show you everything you need to know.

Pastel online course