The Pastel Journal Blog - Tools and Materials

Art Journey New Mexico

Anne — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:26:53 GMT

The new book Art Journey New Mexico: 104 Painters’ Perspectives (North Light Books, 2009), from the editors of The Collector's Guide, is a beautiful, hardcover collection of contemporary art of the Southwest. And it's one of those gorgeous books that feels good to hold (it's 224 pages!) and is a joy to peruse. When I first saw one of the early copies, I got so excited about it that I asked my friend, Kevin Paul, one of the editors, to share the story behind the book:

Art Journey New Mexico: Painters’ Perspectives, as the title suggests, focuses on living artists, actively working in New Mexico today. There’s no denying that something about the place is a tremendous draw for artists. The Collector’s Guide, our annual guide to art in New Mexico, features an index of roughly 7,000 working artists showing in some 350 galleries.

To produce this book, we had the mixed blessing of choosing merely 104 of them. And in three days! Our editorial team of three brainstormed a preliminary list of 500 and from there we whittled it down to the requisite number. These 104 artists then had to give us three representative images, from which we chose the final image for the book. Each artist also answered a series of questions designed to give readers an insightful look at their inspirations and working processes.

This is the first in a series of books that will focus on the artists of New Mexico. Future themes include sculpture, photography, fine art craft and multi-media works.

Take a look inside the pages of Art Journey New Mexico at northlightshop.com. And if you're interested in a copy, it's on sale now for $32.99 (a $12 savings off the regular retail price).

You'll also fine in the shop 10 exciting art-related downloads from The Collector's Guide.

A Step-by-Step Sunset

Anne — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:52:18 GMT

Just today on the Pastel Pointers blog, artist Richard McKinley talked about those images that are almost too dazzling to work as a painting. Fall foliage was one example, and sunsets another. "These spectacular subjects, unless finessed properly, become a postcard," McKinley writes. "To make them work, we need to step back from the high drama of the moment and allow the viewer a little more to anticipate, engaging their imagination in how beautiful the subject matter might become."

It was funny that, minutes after reading this, I came upon this new video demonstration on the PanPastel website with pastel artist (and Pastel Journal contributing writer) Deborah Secor, in which she walks viewers step by step through the painting of a dramatic sunset sky. Not only will you see how Secor uses the pan-format pastels and applicators, but you'll also see a good example of a sunset painting that does work—for exactly the reasons described by McKinley. Secor avoids the danger of an overdone result by carefully composing the painting to offer just a hint of the spectacular color—and leaving some of the drama to our own memories of blazing skies.

MORE RESOURCES FOR ARTISTS

* More online videos with Deborah Secor
* Online Seminars for Fine Artists
* Instantly download fine art magazines, books & video workshops
* Sign up for your Artist's Network email newsletter & receive free fine art tips & demos

Sketching Tool

Jessica — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:12:27 GMT

English artist Felicity House, featured in the October 2009 issue, works “across a wide spectrum of subjects—from figures to still life, to interiors and landscapes,” she says, but her pastel painting method is always the same: The artist prefers to paint on location, which requires quick preliminary sketches. For this, her go-to tool is a sharpened Popsicle stick dipped in India ink. Click here to find out why and to see some of House’s sketches of an Indian market (one of them pictured here).

New Issue!

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:29:46 GMT

The August 2009 issue of The Pastel Journal ships to subscribers this week, but you can also order a copy online. Here's what to expect:

Features
Degas & Whistler
By Tamera Lenz Muente
We celebrate the 175th anniversary of the births of these two art masters with a special feature that looks at their lives, ground-breaking pastels and sometimes thorny friendship.

Pioneering Spirit
By Robert K. Carsten
In the third installment of our "Artist Interview Series," Daniel E. Greene walks us through the back stories of 10 of his exceptional pastels from a career that spans four decades.

Red Tree, Blue Tree
By Bob Rohm
Every artist who wants to paint landscapes with vitality has to learn how to handle the greens. Find out, in this step-by-step demonstration, how stretching the range of color can help.

Reaching for Peace
By Deborah Secor
Pastel artist Lynn Goldstein approaches an enduring and majestic subject—trees—from a unique vantage point, creating a fresh and compelling series of pastels.

Earth and Sky
By Michael Chesley Johnson
Mixed-media artist Elissa Gore combines oil pastel and watercolor to great effect in her quiet, panoramic landscapes that celebrate the light and the land.

A Touch of Magic
By Anne Hevener
In the fourth installment of our "Artist Interview Series," Albert Handell describes his pastel application technique, an approach that's color- and value-sensitive.

Columns
Art Matters
By Anne Hevener
A group of artists reach new heights in the search for inspiration. Plus, your summer reading list, and more.

In Detail
By Albert Handell
In this in-depth look at a painting, ?nd out how subtlety makes a powerful impression.

Professional Practices
By Maggie Price
Entering juried exhibitions is an opportunity for recognition and evaluation. Make sure you get noticed for all the right reasons.

Pastel Pointers
By Richard McKinley
If you want to create harmonious color in your painting, then learn how to maximize the power of gray and other visual effects.

Creative Spark
By Lynn Goldstein
Take a second look by painting a favorite subject from a new vantage point.

IAPS begins with an "I" for Inspiration

Anne — Sun, 31 May 2009 23:08:44 GMT

It's the last day of the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS) show in Albuquerque, and outside the skies are sunny and dotted with a half-dozen hot air balloons. Inside it's the energy of some 600 pastel devotees that's running sky high. Attendees have been treated to presentations and demonstrations by such pastel luminaries as Duane Wakeham, Alan Flattmann, Jimmy Wright, Richard McKinley, Maggie Price and many others. And speaking of Maggie Price, we learned at the Saturday evening banquet, that she will be taking on the presidency of IAPS this summer as Urania Christy Tarbet, the founder and president of the organization, will be stepping down after 15 years. The excitement of this year's show is the perfect testament to Urania's accomplishment!

Of course much of the show's excitement surrounds the trade show, where the manufacturers of pastel materials sell their wares and showcase new products, which this year includes new semi-hard and medium-soft Richeson pastels (now available open stock), new "confetti" pastels from Terry Ludwig, new Box Top sets from Great American, a new pastel box manufacturer, a brand-new fixative (see Richard McKinley's blog from last week) and lots more. We'll give you the whole scoop in the September issue of The Pastel Journal.

For artists who sometimes feel like the lone pastelist in their local art community, spending a few days with wall-to-wall pastleists is invigorating. If you couldn't make this year's convention, be sure to mark your calendars for the first week of June 2011. IAPS will be back in Albuquerque. I know I can't wait to return for another shot in the arm of inspiration!

Shipping to Subscribers Next Week!

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:09:17 GMT

Features
One Still Life, Three Visions
By Anne Hevener
Explore the power of creative expression when three painters—Leslie Lillien Levy, Claudia Seymour and Rainie Crawford—paint from a single still life setup.

Bold Variations
By Sarah A. Strickley
In the ﬁrst of our 10th Anniversary “Artist Interview Series” installments, we chat with Jimmy Wright about his latest encounters with the still mesmerizing sunﬂower.

Sacred Silence
By Deborah Secor
Elizabeth Mowry, the second painter in our “Artist Interview Series,” talks about her current experience with pastels, landscape painting, and how her creative goals have evolved.

Regal Resonance
By Ken Gofton
British artist and Royal Academician Anthony Eyton, who ﬁnds inspiration in a variety of subjects, turns his artist’s eye to everything from portraits, to botanical gardens, to abandoned power plants.

The Pastel Royals
By Ken Gofton
Four members of Britain’s Royal Academy also share the distinction of honorary status in the Pastel Society UK, making them the “crown jewels” of England’s pastel scene.

Cosmos of Pattern
By Tamera Lenz Muente
Rick Stevens’ abstracted landscapes burst with colorful patterns that mimic the naturally occurring patterns of the land.

Columns
Art Matters
By Jessica Canterbury
Find out where pastels and pigs meet, celebrate Old Masters, and discover new online videos.

Pastel Pointers
By Richard McKinley
When a photograph must be your reference, use your tools to make sure it captures the live experience as much as possible.

Artist’s Viewpoint
By Margot Schulzke
When it comes to the use of black and white in painting, there are some gray areas.

Studio Smarts
By Deborah Secor
Discover a few illuminating tips for creating a well-lit studio.

Creative Spark
By Jimmy Wright
Sharpen your descriptive powers by returning to a subject you know for reinterpretation.

To order your copy of the June 2009 issue of The Pastel Journal, click here.

Deborah Secor Video Workshops Now Available on DVD

Jessica — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:11:32 GMT

The popular ArtistsNetwork.tv video workshops are now available on DVD! Now you can start your own fine art instruction library at home—with two workshops by pastelist Deborah Secor.

In Get Started in Pastels: Deborah Secor Paints The Landscape, the artist shows you how to get started with pastel the easy way. She covers basic strokes, tools, techniques, elements and principles of design, and finishes by completing a landscape painting.

Secor shows you how to use light, photo references, nearby vs. distant shadows, color recipes and more in Painting Outdoor Shadows in Pastel with Deborah Secor. You'll finish by completing a painting using a reference photograph, defining color layers and shadow edges.

Both are available for $29.99. Click here for ordering information.

Thanks for [some of] the memories

Anne — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:34:39 GMT

The year is 2006. The top movies featured pirates and penguins, and the former vice president delivering troubling news about our planet. In addition, there were plenty of distressing news stories coming out of Iraq, and the year was, perhaps, a record-setting one for political scandals. Oh, and then there was that scare over tainted spinach.

But 2006 was a good year for pastel and for The Pastel Journal. That's why we've put together a CD of all those fine memories from 2006—more than 500 pages of art and articles, all on a single disk. So you don't have to worry about where you laid down that copy of December 2006, because it's right here along with all the other issues, just waiting to be rediscovered in a digital format.

Here's just a few of the highlights:
• The results of the 7th Annual Pastel 100 competition
• Alan Flattmann on the use of fixative and spray paint for special effects
• Richard McKinley's recipes for homemade grounds
• Wolf Kahn's pastel prints
• A visual tour of the best pastel collections in the U.S.
• Sneak peeks into small but efficient studio spaces
• And dozens of inspiring artist's stories, including features on Paula Rego, Janet Fish, Ellen Eagle, Peter Seltzer, Susan Ogilvie, Clark Mitchell, Jane Lund, Terri Ford, Judith Carducci, Al Lachman, and many others!

If you want to find out more, visit The Pastel Journal back issues store.

Now Available: Deborah Secor ArtistsNetwork.tv Workshops

Jessica — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:44:06 GMT

We’re extremely pleased to announce two new workshop videos just launched on ArtistsNetwork.tv, a new site from F+W Media that offers instructional (streaming) videos from today’s leading artists. These new workshops feature none other than Deborah Secor, popular artist, instructor and regular contributor to The Pastel Journal. In the first workshop, she explains everything you need to know to get started in pastels and shows you her favorite tools. In the second, Secor teaches you to paint realistic shadows.
Click below to see a preview of the videos.

You can also watch previews of the other seven 40-plus minute videos to help you decide if you’d like to subscribe to an individual workshop ($14.99) for a six-month period with unlimited, 24/7 viewing access, or subscribe to all of them for a six-month period ($69.99) with unlimited, 24/7 viewing access. You don’t have to download anything, and you can watch any time of the day as long as you have a high-speed Internet connection.

If you haven’t already, sign up to receive our e-mail newsletter for advance notice on new workshops. (Go to our homepage and enter your e-mail address in the left-hand corner.)

Free Download: Guide to Pastel Supports

Jessica — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:22:20 GMT

As you know, choosing a support for your painting is no easy task. Luckily, in our June 2008 issue, Maggie Price examined all the various surface options out there for pastelists. Click here to download the PDF, and keep the file handy on your desktop!

Introducing ArtistsNetwork.tv

Wed, 14 May 2008 19:22:46 GMT

We've been busy little bees behind the scenes for months, arranging the production of a wonderful new tool for artists: ArtistsNetwork.tv

ArtistsNetwork.tv was launched today to provide online instructional videos from leading contemporary artists. The videos are streamed to ArtistsNetwork.tv members so that they can be viewed 24/7 from any computer with a high-speed internet connection without requiring software downloads. You can choose to subscribe to any of our individual workshops for a six-month period or you can subscribe to all ArtistsNetwork.tv video workshops for a six-month period.

Check it out. Right now you can watch free previews, sign up and get a free gift (Paul Dorrell's "How to Market Your Art"), or get unlimited videos for six months. All in all, it's very exciting news for all of us here at F+W Publications. We've been chomping at the bit to tell you about it. And by the way, if you're wondering where the pastel demonstrations are, stay tuned. We'll be rolling out new offerings every month, including pastel-exclusive material.

Live From NAMTA 2008

Jessica — Sat, 03 May 2008 16:27:58 GMT

Greetings from Reno, Nevada, the “biggest little city in the world!” As I type, a group of us from F+W are at The International Art Materials Trade Association Convention and Trade Show to get the scoop on the latest and greatest art products. My purpose for The Pastel Journal, of course, is to deliver that info to you via the magazine, so be on the lookout for buzzed-about new materials in the future.

Speaking of buzz, the unofficial theme of this year’s show seems to be green efforts in the art materials industry. We’ve seen the debut of all types of eco-friendly products, from aerosol paints and portfolios to brush cleaner and entire art studios. As soon as technology decides to cooperate, I’ll post some photos from the show room floor.

Oh, and no joke—how surprised I was to discover a landscape by Mary Silverwood hanging by the elevators on my floor at the Grand Sierra Resort! It's a small art world after all.

*update (5/5/08): a few photos

A seat cover on one of the buses that took us to and from the hotel to convention center. (Others promoted sister publications Watercolor Artist and The Artist's Magazine.)

Part of our space at the show

Advertising staffers Kristin and Suzanne, with Maureen, editor of The Artist's Magazine

A view of the Sierra Nevada mountains, from the rooftop of the Nevada Museum of Art

A Mary Silverwood painting, on my very own hotel floor!

Big Stories, Small Package

Anne — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:58:03 GMT

People are funny about their old books and magazines. Some readers swear by the save-everything-forever approach, secure in the knowledge that they can go back and find information that they may want some day in the future. Others, less comfortable with clutter, may be a bit more inclined to read and recycle. Many find themselves somewhere in between, cranky about clutter but unwilling to let go of anything (me, me, me).

I know from our research (and from conversation) that most readers of The Pastel Journal fall into the keep-it-forever camp, at least when it comes to copies of TPJ. And I’d imagine that, depending on one’s skills (or interest) in organization, these magazine libraries may take the form of a cardboard box in the closet or a tidy shelf of labeled three-ring binders. But regardless of where you fall on the neat-freak scale, you're going to want to know about a brand-new option for maintaining your magazine archive that's compact and portable: We've just released a computer CD with digital files of every page of every issue published in 2007!

Here’s how it works, just pop the CD into your home computer or laptop. (The CD uses a PDF format, making it compatible for PC and Mac with Acrobat Reader, a free program already installed on most computers). There at your fingertips you'll find each issue of the magazine, ready to read page-by-page, just as you might a print issue. Or, browse the Table of Contents, and click on a story title to jump to that article. You can even click on coverlines to get to the related story. Best of all, if you know you saw an article (or artist or product review) in 2007, but can't remember which issue, you can use keyword search to locate it—that's a whole lot easier than digging through that cardboard box for dog-eared pages!

Click here to get more information about the CD (or to order your copy). And then, be on the look-out for a CD of 2006 issues later this year!

Cross Pollination

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:01:13 GMT

You've seen our new site, right? And you've noticed that we're teaming up with two other fine art magazines, right? What can this union bring to us? Here are just a few things you might want to check out this afternoon:

1. Find out what copyright law means to artists with this free downloadable guide. You can't afford to miss it.
2. Check out artist Greg Albert's critique of a pastel painting and find out how you can have your own work critiqued.
3. Watch a slide show that takes you inside the studio of renowned still life painter Jeanette Pasin Sloan.
4. Watch a PanPastel demo here. And then check out a whole heap of product reviews here.

5. Find out how to avoid Internet art scams here.
6. Do an art-inspired crossword puzzle and then look at all the answers.

Pastel Starter Kit

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:07:02 GMT

Our recent ruminations on Pastel FAQ's has resulted in an influx of rather spirited e-mails. Some of you have even prioritized your questions in order of importance to you as an artist. All we can say is, wow. Your enthusiasm for the medium continues to inspire and amaze us. So, what do you want to know this time around? Here is a sampling (in order of importance to you as artists, of course).

Q. Pastel dust!?! How do I keep it at bay?

A. Artists are an inventive sort--we hear all kinds of improvised solutions to this problem and we're always interested in hearing more--but the reality is that pastel dust comes with the territory. Learn to love it, and try to resist the temptation to blow on your paintings. Take your work on a little walk outside from time to time and tap it to remove excess dust. Wear disposable gloves or gloves in a bottle (check out the one-gallon bottle!) to protect your hands and wear a dust mask to protect your lungs if you're worried about your asthma. Many artists attach a dust trap to their easels for the purpose of catching dust, some lined with masking tape, and some attached to a device that will whisk the dust away to dust heaven. I can't resist adding Madlyn-Ann C. Woolwich's characteristically charming voice to the conversation here:

Humming quietly next to me is an air cleaner....not the kind that takes up a whole studio and costs a fortune; but one of the tall, thin ones that are next to noiseless; that attract flying particles to a metal rod which is removable and washable. It runs cheaply for hours, without annoying noises. My easel tray is protected by a large trash bag clamped over the tray. When dust hits the tilted tray it falls forward into the bag. I use an old toothbrush to hasten any recalcitrant particles into the bag. My feet are covered with large baggies, fastened at the top with the double red elastics used to bind manuscripts. In a word I look wierd. (Read the entire essay here.)

Q. Where can I find pastel supports (boards and papers) online?
A. Here's a (short) list of online resources in no particular order: Cheap Joe's, Jerry's Artarama, Dick Blick, Dakota Art Pastels, Mister Art, Winsor & Newton, Jack Richeson & Co, Ampersand Art Supply.

Q. Who do I talk to about my subscription?
A. Give customer service a call at 877-860-9141 or click here.

Q. How do I get started in pastels?
A. One good way to learn about pastels is to talk to pastel artists--join the pastel community, why don't you? As it happens, there's a riveting conversation on this very topic happening right now at WetCanvas! The lovely and knowledgable Deborah Secor takes up questions such as these (see list below) for newbies to the pastel world. Visit this, the king of all newbie threads, to find the answers from a variety of perspectives.

1. What pastels should you buy first and why?
2. What paper(s) should you try and why?
3. What other supplies will you need and what will you use them for?
4. How do you go about setting up to use pastels the very first time?
5. What about storing that pastel once you have something you want to keep?

Of course, we've also got to give an obligitory nod to The Pastel Journal as an excellent resource for information on pastels. It's the only magazine designed specifically with pastel artists (both beginners and professionals) in mind. In the new special competition issue, you'll find more than 100 award-winning pastel paintings, plus a special report (compiled by Deborah Secor) on getting the best bang for your buck out of your art supplies. Visit an online gallery of works by the artists who contributed to Secor's feature here. And watch an online interview with the competition's Grand Prize winner Ron Monsma here.

As always, send us questions if you've got 'em by clicking here.

A Pastel Demo for You

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:03:05 GMT

Evening Light (11x14) by Maggie Latham

If you're in the mood for a little arts education, we recommend that you check out this fine pastel demonstration by a pastel artist we are quite pleased to know: Maggie Latham has posted a "Talk on Pastels" at WetCanvas! In it, she discusses techniques, materials and her own personal approach to painting. She also shares photos of her process from board prep to finished product.

You don't need to be a member of WetCanvas! to visit the demo, but you do need to be a member to participate in the discussion. If you were on the fence about joining before, now might be a good time to come on over. Latham has invited you to jump in with questions, comments or input.

I also hasten to mention that you can download a free PDF of a guide Latham wrote for our sister publication, Watercolor Artist, on using technology in the studio to produce your own giclée prints. (That's right--Latham also paints in watercolor.)

Creative Gift

Anne — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:36:44 GMT

The topic of gifts is certainly a popular one at this time of year, but I wanted to talk about creative gifts—as in talents—not creative gifts as in "clocky," the alarm clock that has wheels so it can roll off your dresser and come at you if you don't get up. Yes, I can see that clocky might be a helpful thing for me, especially on these dark, winter mornings, but even more helpful would be anything that exercises my creative muscles. Before it ceased publication in 2006, Artist's Sketchbook magazine was just such a ready supply of creative inspiration. Fortunately, the latest CD compilation at the F+W magazine store is Artist's Sketchbook 2005 and 2006 which includes nine issues of the magazine, all on a single CD for your computer.

As a former editor of that magazine, I have a soft spot for the publication and its mission to help new and experienced artists alike discover and nurture their creative powers. Sketchbook articles celebrate the artistic process with exercises to keep artists in the flow and peeks inside real sketchbooks—the universal tool for artists. The June 2006 issue of Artist's Sketchbook, which includes features on nature sketchbooks, travel journals, drawing portraits, painting to music, and getting the most out of a trip to the Musee d'Orsay in Paris—was the last. So, if you never happened on to this little gem, now's a great chance to see what you missed.

You'll also find at the store CD compilations of our sister publications, Watercolor Artist and The Artist's Magazine. And don't worry, similar compilations of The Pastel Journal are in the works for 2008 (we'll be sure to alert you). Meanwhile, you can find excerpts from The Pastel Journal on the CD "The Best Art of 2005 and 2006," which compiles more than 500 images, all the winning art from the competitions of all three fine art publications. The CDs are easily searched, easily stored and perfectly portable. How fun to think you could stuff more than 500 works of art into a single stocking? That's a creative gift that can actually inspire our creative gifts!

A Visit With Albert Handell

Anne — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 14:15:34 GMT

Last May, after attending the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS) in Albuquerque, N.M., several of us from the magazine (group publisher David Pyle, managing editor Sarah Strickley and myself) rented a car and took a short drive north to Santa Fe, the beloved art mecca of the Southwest. Here we paid a visit to the celebrated artist Albert Handell in his picturesque adobe-style studio. We spent a wonderful morning talking about his life in art, his techniques and materials, while also enjoying a private showing of his artwork—mostly landscapes with esquisite color like the pastel landscape La Vista (16x17) below, but also pastel still lifes and figures, and a number of lively drawings, too.

One result of our visit is a print feature about the artist in the new September/October issue of the magazine; the issue mails to subscribers this week and hits newsstands September 4. Also, because David was able to play the role of camera-man during our conversation, we also were able to create four short video clips with selections from our discussion. Mind you, I'm quite sure our videos won't be winning any awards at Cannes, but I know you'll enjoy hearing about the artist's methods and materials straight from the source.

Start your viewing with "Orchestrating With Contrast,"in which Handell describes how he came to use watercolor as an underpainting for his pastels. In "Plein Air Painting Trip," he describes the structure of a typical day painting on location—where to, how long, how many paintings, etc. In "Plein Air Setup & Supplies," you can see what Handell carries with him on location as he packs up supplies from trunk to luggage carrier. In "Managing Color With Value," watch the artist demonstrate how to find different colors of similar value. In workshops, Handell suggests this as an organizing method—a way to get a handle on the many colors in one's pastel box. But you'll see—in a peak inside his own box—that he doesn't actually follow his own organizational advice. He, personally, prefers a bit of chaos in his pastel box which he says keeps his eyes more awake.

Our thanks to Albert for graciously inviting David and Sarah and I (and our camera!) into his studio. And, by extension, inviting our whole family of magazine- and blog-readers too!

Get Your Paws on The PJ Back Issues You're Missing

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 15:39:31 GMT

While trolling the web, as I am often wont to do, I noticed that some folks are selling back issues of The Pastel Journal on eBay. After the first flush of flattery passed--some of the prices were impressively high!--I thought about readers paying three or four times what they would pay, if they visited our store, and it about broke my heart. We know that many of you covet your back issues of the magazine as though they were printed on gold leaf--we covet our own collections of the magazine too--and we know that sometimes a copy disappears inexplicably or grows legs or is a casualty of beverage misplacement, which is why we're glad we're able to offer back issues at $8 or $9 a copy. It's a pretty good deal. Incidentally, if you're interested in a little stroll through PJ history, the store is your place. It's a little like looking at photos of yourself taken 10 years ago--you see yourself and your own potential simultaneously and very clearly.

Great Tips for Getting Started in Pastel

Anne — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 17:51:03 GMT

I added a post last week about the Wet Canvas! online artist community; today I want to point out why this is such a valuable resource. The mission of this community is to be a place where artists of all types and skill levels can share knowledge, experiences and opinions. So, you'll find a great many posts that simply ask for feedback on works-in-progress. You'll also find a lot of problems and solutions, questions about product, business matters, and in one thread--started last month by our own contributing writer Deborah Secor--you'll find pages of helpful advice aimed at beginners to pastel: tips about materials, dealing with dust, testing colors, framing options, and much much more. What a wonderful opportunity to learn from others' experiments, mistakes and successes--and then put the knowledge to work in your own painting. Check it out; chances are--even if you've been at this awhile--you'll learn something. And hopefully you'll be inspired to share some of your own lessons-learned as well.

Test Your Own Pastels

Thu, 24 May 2007 12:47:40 GMT

While at the IAPS convention, Anne and I had the pleasure of meeting Michael Skalka, task chair for the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) Pastel Standard. Skalka oversees the Modern Art Materials Collection and Study Center and is known for his clearly superhuman knowledge of the science and history of art materials. He's also a regular blogger for our sister publication, The Artist's Magazine. At IAPS, Skalka gave a presentation on the lightfastenss of pastels. Now, he's blogging about it. Here's a little excerpt:

Pastel artists don't have to be held captive when it comes to knowing what colors are good performers and those that fade fairly quickly when exposed to light. A protocol that provides a very good indicator of how materials will behave if exposed to light, is available for anyone to use. The method is fairly simple. Artists can prepare a suitable sample card that exposes a portion of the pastel to light while leaving a portion masked from any exposure.

Read the whole post on Skalka's Anatomy of Art Materials and download a free how-to on testing your own pastels. And when you're done with that, come on back and tell us what you think about it.