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

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

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.

Pastel Online course

Towards the Solway painted in Pastels

Over the last few months I've really enjoyed getting back into some Pastel painting. I've painted in Pastels for many years, loving this medium that can give such stunning results.Living close to the Lake District Fells and Lakes, I'm never without inspiration come Winter or Summer.This medium gives such fantastic results and  is a great way to gain confidence when painting with other mediums. You don't need masses of equipment and you can pick up pastels as you go along. 

With this in mind, I've been contemplating for a while about a Pastel Online course. 

The feedback I've received from the Watercolour online Course has been fantastic and seeing students progress with gentle personal guidance and step by step instructions. 

So here is a sneak preview into my new Online Pastel course  which include six landscape scenes from from the Lake District and a  gorgeous Poppy field.

 The price of the Online course for six projects including step be step instructions and personal feedback after each project is £55.00 send me an email to enrol and for more details. For USA and Canadian  artists the price for the pastel online course is 90.00 USD.

Online Pastel course

I've chosen some great subjects for the first course to get you started

 and you will be amazed, at the results that you will paint and the joy that is Pastels.

After the rain painted in Pastels 

Original Painting For sale at my  Etsy Shop