In the April 2009 issue of the magazine, Peter Seltzer challenged artists to keep viewers engaged by repeating elements in their compositions with his Creative Spark challenge (read the article online here) and readers responded in droves.

We're now pleased to announce that the editors' choice and the winner of the prize (a half-stick set of Colourfix Pastels, a Rainbow Pack of Colourfix Paper and a Colour Shaper blending set) is Lisa Fricker with her pastel diptych, Lazy Day (24x30) and Summer Stillness (24x30), which are pictured above. The artist describes the process of painting the winning works:

Q. How can I find pastel artists/workshops in my area?
A. A good place to start is our extensive listing workshops in the back pages of every issue of the magazine. You can also check in with your nearest pastel society. You'll also find active pastel communities on WetCanvas! and The Artists Network Forums.

Q. How can I find out more about oil pastels?
A. We do publish oil pastels occasionally (check out Brett Varney's gorgeous oil pastel trees in the October 2007 issue), though soft (dry) pastels are our primary focus. You'll find a lot information in the Oil Pastel area of Wet Canvas. Another good online resource for information regarding oil pastels is the Oil Pastel Society.

Q. Can I travel on planes with my pastels?
A. Yes, so long as they aren't mistaken for bullets, apparently. Richard McKinley shares his tips for traveling with pastels on the Pastel Pointers Blog.

Q. How do I get my work in The Pastel Journal?
A. Our submission guidelines are now downloadable here. (Just scroll down to our title.) And Anne gives you the inside line here. Of course, you can always send us your Creative Spark inspired paintings. This option has the added bonus of a wonderful prize ($150 worth of PanPastels in the April installment).

Q. Which brand of pastel should I use?
A. That's a personal choice, of course. Each pastel brand offers a different color range and has its own unique characteristics. Some are harder, some softer. Some are square, some round. It's about choosing the right tool for the job and your own artistic preferences. Many artists collect sticks from a variety of sources, and use a palette made up of a number of different brands. Since many artists like to begin a painting with harder pastels, and then move to softer sticks as they progress, a useful chart is Dakota Pastels' list of pastel brands organized in order from softest to hardest.

Once you have a sizable pastel collection and you need help arranging your palette, you can find out how artist Richard McKinley does it here.

Q. Where do I buy pastel painting supplies?
A. Why not look online? You're already here, after all. Start your search at Artist's Marketplace. You'll also find plenty of ads for art suppliers right here on our blog, in the magazine and here. Most of the major players have websites these days. Just start with a simple search.

Got a burning pastel question that doesn't appear on the list? I'll bet you do. If you'd like to get in touch with us, please don't hesitate to write.

In the February issue of the magazine ("Creative Spark," in the Art Matters column, page 7), pastel artist Carole Katchen offered readers a Creative Spark challenge: generate visual energy by developing an entire painting with a certain type of stroke. We invited readers to e-mail us with their stroke-inspired creations.

How surprised our team was by the increase in responses since the first challenge; our inbox was flooded with excellent work! Congratulations to Becky Way, of Yukon, Okla., for her winning piece, Two of a Kind (above). “Two of a Kind is a small study, painted with the ‘chunk-chunk’ stroke with half-inch pieces of Ludwig pastels on Kitty Wallis paper, toned with a watercolor wash. It’s a quick push-and-pull stroke,” the artist writes. Way can look forward to some more Wallis paper—her prize is 16 (18x24) sheets of Wallis’ Belgian Mist and Museum paper. Many thanks to Kitty Wallis for her generosity!


Other favorite submissions include Warm & Cool (below, left) by Lisa Fricker, of Lakeport, Calif., in which the artist “experimented with crosshatched strokes to move beyond filling contours, exploring the painting vs. drawing issue that is unique to pastel.” In Turning Point (below, right), by Barbara Newton, the artist “was thinking of wind and movement. The strokes I chose to portray that feeling are loose, open and random to give the feeling of rustling leaves and swaying grass.”


More favorites (below, L-to-R): Le Petit Dejouner de Blu by Brenda Boylan, Sadie by Carol Murphy and Carbon by Maret Webb.
   

Thanks to everyone who participated in our challenge. Look for the next Creative Spark in the April issue of the magazine—coming soon (on sale on newsstands March 11). The winner of that challenge will receive $150 worth of PanPastels.

At the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS) convention earlier this month, I was part of a two-person panel “How To See Yourself in Print.” Assuming those in attendance wanted to get published on the merit of their artwork (not for reasons that might land them a page in The National Enquirer), I discussed submission procedures for The Pastel Journal and offered some insight into the selection process. I talked with a number of enthusiastic artists that afternoon, and I thought this might be a good venue to recap the six tips I shared there.

Of course the selection process all starts with good art--pastel painting that demonstrates skilled handling of the medium, dynamic composition, artistic expression, etc. That being said, if an artist submits work that I have to turn down, I think it’s important for all to know that it isn’t always a matter of quality. The first thing to understand is that the magazine is published only six times a year. Each issue features approximately six artists (not counting columns and departments), and-- since the April issue is entirely devoted to the winners of The Pastel 100 competition--that means we’re planning and publishing about 30 artist features in a year. Considering that there were at least 600 attendees at IAPS, that we receive close to 4,000 entries into our pastel competition every year, and that we have many more magazine subscribers, you get an idea of the number of active pastel artists there are. But rather than be discouraged by the odds, read on, because I hope these tips will increase the chances that your submission is one that gets in print!

Tip #1--Put Your Art In Front of Us
For many artists, probably the number one reason their work hasn’t appeared in the magazine is that they've never submitted their work for consideration. Yes, we scour the globe to find pastel artists doing extraordinary work, but I wouldn’t sit back waiting for us to find you. If you send us a submission package on your own, your chances of at least being considered for publication are 100%. So, even though the odds for publication may not be high, they’re much higher for those who send work than for those who don’t! To learn how and where to send your submission and to whom, check out our submission guidelines.

Tip #2—Tell Us the Story
Along with examples of your art, your submission package should include a letter of introduction. Tell me your bio (how long you’ve been painting, your art education, do you have a Web site, etc.) and then explain in brief what you think the article would be about. For example, we see a lot of landscape art. If your work is primarily landscape, how would your story be unique or inspiring to readers? Is it a special focus on buildings in the landscape or snow in the landscape? Do you have a unique approach to finding a scene? Do you have to go rock-climbing to get to your plein air location?!

Tip #3--Submit Article Ideas for our Columns
For most articles, one of The Pastel Journal editors (or one of our contributing writers) interviews the selected artist and writes the feature. But we also publish columns and features that are written by artists and offer how-to instruction or professional business tips. If you’re a decent writer--maybe practiced at providing instruction because you teach--you’re in an ideal position to propose such an article. To query us, send us a letter that outlines your idea, and--if appropriate to the topic--include examples of your artwork. Also, let us know what other kinds of art/illustration you imagine providing: a step-by-step demo, a chart, a preliminary study, etc.

Tip #4--Pay Attention to What is in the Magazine
It helps to have an awareness of the kinds of things we publish. Sometimes we get pitches for articles that might find a place in other magazines, but definitely not ours. We always appreciate proposals that demonstrate an understanding of our editorial needs and practices. Also, it’s good to know what we’ve recently published so you can avoid a repetitive idea.

Tip #--Create a Web Site
Think of your Web site as your online portfolio, allowing not only potential clients but also editors the opportunity to browse your work. I mentioned that I scour the globe to find great artists. Well, one place I’m definitely scouring is the Web. For example, let’s say that I admire an award-winning painting in an exhibition catalog or press release, but I’m otherwise unfamiliar with the artist, I’m unlikely to plan a feature on that artist based on a single painting. But, if I can go to the Internet and find a Web site that shows more of his or her work, that may be all that’s necessary to initiate an article.

Tip #6--Enter the Pastel 100
Winning an honorable mention in the Pastel 100 competition may not win an artist any prize money, but it does get your winning artwork published in the magazine, and it brings your name and your work under the eyes of our editors. We very often go back to honorable mention winners for features in the magazine later on, so consider entering the competition.

A final note about our review process: When we receive a submission, we send a postcard to let you know that we received it, but—because we have a query review only about every other month--you can generally expect a good wait to find out whether we plan to pursue an article. Also, although the best etiquette is to query one publication at a time, if you do send out multiple submissions during this time, just be sure to let each editor know that you have done so. And certainly, if you land an article with another publisher, you have an obligation to inform any other editors who’re considering your work of that development.

If you have always wanted to see if you could get your art featured in the magazine but just needed a bit of a push, consider yourself nudged.