Mastering Pastel

In this new addition to the Artist's Library series, talented master artist, Alain Picard, guides the reader through an exploration of this unique medium and its myriad uses. After an introduction to tools and materials, readers will learn how to use various pastel techniques, including hatching, crosshatching, and stippling, to create depth and dimension in their artwork. Readers will also find basic information on color theory and how to use color to elicit emotion, portray mood or time of day, and suggest depth and distance. Throughout the course of the book, aspiring pastel artists will learn how to use soft and hard pastels to achieve art that is bold and intense or delicate and soft. Easy step-by-step lessons cover a variety of subject matter, including landscapes, portraits, and still lifes. Artist tips and tricks demonstrate how to blend and layer colors and create reflection, shadow, and soft and hard edges. With its breadth of professional instruction and variety of subjects to paint, Mastering Pastel is the perfect resource to start building artist proficiency in this enthralling and versatile medium.

"Many painters enjoy working outdoors when the weather is good (and they need to know how to deal with it when the weather changes)! This book includes the best instruction on the special challenges of painting landscapes outdoors from a variety of the best plein-air artists working today in all major media-oil, pastel, watercolor, acrylic and gouache. - Materials, site selection and practical tips - Values, shapes, composition, color and elements of landscape painting - Bringing outdoor studies back into the studio - Complete start-to-finish demonstrations - Hundreds of gorgeous images"--

Come enjoy the art of pastel painting with beloved workshop instructor Maggie Price. In this step-by-step guide, she teaches you everything you need to know to make the most of this accessible art form. From selecting the right materials to learning the fundamentals of composition, Maggie starts with the basics and progresses to 21 complete pastel demonstrations that detail specific painting techniques and effects. You'll learn how to: • Create depth and movement with color • Paint using a range of strokes • Blend colors to create luminous skies, reflections and more • Underpaint to achieve brilliant light and deep shadows • Mix pastels with watercolor and gouache to create fluid effects • Create new compositions from photographs In addition to step-by-step guidance, you'll be inspired by the work of ten nationally renowned pastel artists. Their contributions to this book illustrate the limitless possibilities of pastel painting and offer additional insight for working with this versatile medium. Maggie also includes dozens of helpful sidebars to help you save time, avoid mistakes and work more efficiently. With its blend of visual instruction, thorough guidance and breathtaking artwork, this is the only guide you need to experience the joy and satisfaction of painting with pastels.

As artists, we have choices. There are very few rules that apply across the board. We can create highly realistic paintings, or perhaps more expressive paintings, or paintings that have very little basis in reality, including those that are totally non-representational. We can record color as we see it or as we’d like it to be. As pastel artists, we have even more choices. We can use a wide variety of pastels, strokes, surfaces, and techniques to create many different looks. The choices we make form the framework of our individual style, our signature as artists. Any subscriber to The Pastel Journal realizes how varied the medium of pastel can be. For the experienced artist, these articles are stimulating, offering possible ways to experiment with alternative approaches. For the beginner, the panoply of choices can be overwhelming. Painting is primarily an intuitive process. But intuition is gained through study and experience. Part of my impetus in writing this book has been to create a more structured approach to help those fairly new to the medium understand its many possibilities. The book is aimed at all levels of pastel artists. Beginners will find a wealth of helpful information and intermediate artists will gain insight into how to take their work to another level and develop a style. Many advanced artists teach pastel; the organization of ideas and the exercises included should be of assistance. I offer a variety of suggested approaches and sometimes make up terminology to describe my experiences with the medium. The instructions in the book are based on my preferences and the guidance that I offer my students. The diversity of styles and techniques evident in the paintings of contributing artists should make it clear, however, that there are many ways to successfully work in pastel. Having acknowledged the many possibilities, I want to note a few musts. Representational paintings must be well-drawn. Poor drawing skills cannot be overcome with lovely color or great technique. Likewise, paintings must have strong compositions, regardless of whether they are realistic, abstracted, or non-representational. Values must be properly interpreted to produce strong compositions and to use pastel to its full effect. And finally, pastel paintings must sing! Whether the applications are light and airy, or rich and painterly, it should be clear that the artist is in control of the medium and is using it to produce his or her desired look. For years I have resisted suggestions that I write a book. As a landscape painter, I knew that there were more authoritative books already available. And the growing popularity of pastel has led to so many resources, including online blogs, a biennial convention, and the wonderful Pastel Journal, mentioned above. What could I add to this? My personal training in pastel has been from weeklong landscape workshops with some of the leading pastel painters in the country. As a teacher in a community college, I am not teaching a particular style nor focusing on specific subject matter. Some of my students work with the landscape, but others do portraits or figurative work, while others prefer still life, or work abstractly. In dealing with this mixture, I’ve realized that there are different ways to approach one’s use of color, and this formed my first idea for creating a book. Furthermore, as a teacher, I’ve spent time experimenting with different surfaces, pastel brands, and techniques in order to make suggestions to students to help them find the look they want to achieve. I do not teach students to paint the way I do, but instead, try to share my experience and help them develop their own individual style.

Discover and master the fundamentals of drawing with professional tips and expert instruction. Designed especially for aspiring artists, Beginning Drawing, the third title in Walter Foster's new Portfolio series, offers a well-rounded introduction to the art of basic drawing. In this concept-and technique-driven approach, beginning artists will discover the fundamentals of the craft and how to put those skills into practice for creating realistic works of art. From selecting and working with the tools of the trade to learning a range of basic techniques, Beginning Drawing provides a thorough, easily digestible overview of key drawing concepts, including lighting, shading, shadows, perspective, texture, and composition, and then demonstrates how these techniques intersect, both functionally and creatively, in a wider context within a complete piece of art. Step-by-step lessons encourage practice, focusing readers on the methods and techniques designed to enhance their overall skill level, before graduating on to more subject-specific works. Packed with professional tips and expert instruction, Beginning Drawing is the perfect book for anyone desiring to learn, and ultimately master, the art of drawing.

A classic reference to mastering the brilliant medium of pastels. Includes expert advice on materials and techniques, plus a hands-on element that takes artists through 17 projects.

Written by artists of national profile, this book provides an insiders guide to good tools, and tricks along with best practice techniques. Step by step "proofs".

Mastering the Nikon D600 by Darrell Young provides a wealth of experience-based information and insights for owners of the new D600 camera. Darrell is determined to help the user navigate past the confusion that often comes with complex and powerful professional camera equipment. This book explores the features and capabilities of the camera in a way that far surpasses the user's manual. It guides readers through the camera features with step-by-step setting adjustments; color illustrations; and detailed how, when, and why explanations for each option. Every button, dial, switch, and menu configuration setting is explored in a user-friendly manner, with suggestions for setup according to various shooting styles. Darrell's friendly and informative writing style allows readers to easily follow directions, while feeling as if a friend dropped in to share his knowledge. The learning experience for new D600 users goes beyond just the camera itself and covers basic photography technique.