How to Master Pastel Painting with The Pastel Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist Books PDF File
The Pastel Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist books pdf file
If you are a pastel artist or want to become one, you need a reliable guide that can teach you everything you need to know about this versatile and expressive medium. That's why you should download The Pastel Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist by Bill Creevy. This book is a comprehensive resource that covers the history, types, papers, tools, techniques, subjects, styles, and artists of pastel painting. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced painter, you will find this book useful and inspiring. Here are some of the topics that this book covers in detail:
The Pastel Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist books pdf file
The History of Pastels
Pastels are one of the oldest forms of art. They date back to the 15th century when artists used chalk to draw on walls and paper. In the 16th century, artists started to mix chalk with pigments and binders to create colored pastels. In the 18th century, pastels became very popular among portrait painters, especially in France, where they were called pastel sec or dry pastel. In the 19th century, pastels were used by impressionist and post-impressionist artists, such as Edgar Degas and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who experimented with new techniques and effects. In the 20th century, pastels were further developed by modernist and contemporary artists, such as Pablo Picasso and Wolf Kahn, who introduced oil pastels and soft pastels.
The Types of Pastels
There are four main types of pastels: hard, soft, oil, and water-soluble. Each type has its own characteristics and advantages.
Hard pastels are the most durable and least crumbly. They have a high proportion of binder and a low proportion of pigment. They are good for drawing fine details and sharp edges. They can also be used as an underpainting for other types of pastels.
Soft pastels are the most popular and widely used. They have a high proportion of pigment and a low proportion of binder. They are soft and creamy and produce rich and vibrant colors. They are good for blending and layering and creating expressive strokes.
Oil pastels are the most recent and innovative. They have a high proportion of oil and wax and a low proportion of pigment. They are soft and buttery and produce a glossy finish. They are good for creating texture and impasto effects. They can also be mixed with other mediums, such as turpentine, linseed oil, or acrylic paint.
Water-soluble pastels are the most versatile and experimental. They have a high proportion of water-soluble binder and a low proportion of pigment. They can be used dry or wet, depending on the desired effect. They can also be mixed with watercolors, gouache, or acrylic paint.
The best way to choose the type of pastel that suits your style is to try them out and see what you like. You can also use different types of pastels together to create interesting combinations and contrasts.
The Pastel Papers and Supports
The paper or support that you use for pastel painting is very important. It affects the appearance, durability, and performance of your pastels. There are many kinds of pastel papers and supports available, each with its own characteristics.
Pastel paper is specially designed for pastel painting. It has a textured surface that holds the pastel particles well. It comes in various colors, weights, sizes, and brands. Some of the most popular brands are Canson Mi-Teintes, Strathmore 400 Series, Fabriano Tiziano, and Sennelier La Carte.
Sanded paper is a type of pastel paper that has a very fine sand-like coating that creates a smooth and even surface. It allows for multiple layers of pastels without filling up the tooth of the paper. It also enhances the luminosity and intensity of the colors. Some of the most popular brands are UArt, Art Spectrum Colourfix, Pastelmat, and Ampersand Pastelbord.
Watercolor paper is a type of paper that is suitable for water-soluble pastels. It has a high absorbency that allows for wet techniques, such as washes, glazes, or splatters. It also has a rough or smooth texture that creates different effects with dry or wet pastels. Some of the most popular brands are Arches, Saunders Waterford, Fabriano Artistico, and Canson Montval.
Canvas is a type of support that is usually used for oil or acrylic painting. It can also be used for pastel painting if it is primed with a pastel ground or gesso. It has a flexible and durable surface that can withstand heavy pressure and manipulation. It also has a woven texture that creates interesting patterns with pastels.
Wood is a type of support that is usually used for oil or acrylic painting. It can also be used for pastel painting if it is sanded and sealed with a varnish or gesso. It has a hard and smooth surface that can hold fine details and sharp edges. It also has a natural color and grain that can enhance the beauty of the pastels.
The Pastel Tools and Accessories
Besides the pastels and the papers, you also need some tools and accessories to help you create your pastel paintings. Here are some of the essential ones:
Brushes are useful for applying, blending, or removing pastels. You can use different types and sizes of brushes, such as synthetic, natural, round, flat, or fan brushes. You can also use other tools, such as cotton swabs, paper towels, or fingers to blend pastels.
Blenders are tools that are specially designed for blending pastels. They are usually made of foam, felt, or leather and have a pointed or rounded tip. They can help you create smooth and even transitions and gradients with pastels.
Fixatives are spray products that are used to protect and preserve pastel paintings. They can prevent smudging, fading, or dusting of the pastels. However, they can also alter the colors, values, or textures of the pastels. Therefore, you should use them sparingly and carefully. You can also use a final varnish to seal your pastel paintings.
Easels are stands that support your pastel paintings while you work on them. They can help you adjust the angle, height, or position of your paintings. They can also prevent dust from falling on your paintings. You can use different types of easels, such as table-top easels, studio easels, or field easels.
Trays are containers that hold your pastels while you work on them. They can help you organize your pastels by color, value, or type. They can also prevent your pastels from rolling or breaking. You can use different types of trays, such as wooden boxes, plastic cases, or metal tins.
The best way to choose the tools and accessories that suit your needs is to experiment with them and see what works for you. You can also learn from other pastel artists and see what they use and recommend.
The Pastel Techniques
Pastels are a very versatile and expressive medium. You can use various techniques to create different effects and styles with pastels. Here are some of the basic techniques of pastel painting:
Blending
Blending is a technique that involves mixing two or more colors of pastels together to create a smooth and uniform color. You can use a brush, a blender, a cotton swab, a paper towel, or your finger to blend pastels. You can also use a wet brush or a solvent to blend pastels. Blending can help you create gradients and transitions with pastels.
Layering
Layering is a technique that involves applying multiple layers of pastels on top of each other to create depth and richness of color. You can use different colors, values, or types of pastels to layer them. You can also use different pressures or directions to layer them. Layering can help you create contrast and dimension with pastels.
Scumbling
Scumbling is a technique that involves rubbing or scratching one color of pastel over another color of pastel to create texture and interest. You can use a hard or soft pastel to scumble over another pastel. You can also use different shapes or patterns to scumble over another pastel. Scumbling can help you create movement and energy with pastels.
Feathering
Feathering is a technique that involves applying light and delicate strokes of pastel over another color of pastel to create soft edges and delicate effects. You can use a soft or water-soluble pastel to feather over another pastel. You can also use a wet brush or a solvent to feather over another pastel. Feathering can help you create atmosphere and mood with pastels.
Hatching
pastel to hatch over another pastel. You can also use different colors, values, or angles to hatch over another pastel. Hatching can help you create structure and form with pastels.
The Pastel Subjects and Styles
Pastels are a very flexible and adaptable medium. You can use them to paint various subjects and styles with pastels. Here are some of the most common and popular ones:
Landscapes
Landscapes are one of the most popular subjects for pastel painting. You can use pastels to capture the beauty and diversity of nature, such as mountains, forests, fields, seas, skies, and seasons. You can use pastels to create perspective, composition, color harmony, and atmospheric effects with landscapes. You can also use pastels to express your emotions and impressions of the landscapes.
Portraits
Portraits are one of the most challenging subjects for pastel painting. You can use pastels to depict the likeness and personality of people, such as family, friends, celebrities, or yourself. You can use pastels to create proportions, facial features, skin tones, and expressions with portraits. You can also use pastels to convey the mood and character of the portraits.
Still Lifes
Still lifes are one of the most classic subjects for pastel painting. You can use pastels to represent the objects and scenes of everyday life, such as flowers, fruits, vegetables, dishes, books, or candles. You can use pastels to create shapes, values, textures, and lighting with still lifes. You can also use pastels to show the symbolism and meaning of the still lifes.
Abstracts
Abstracts are one of the most creative subjects for pastel painting. You can use pastels to explore the elements and principles of art, such as color theory, contrast, balance, and movement with abstracts. You can use pastels to create non-representational or semi-representational images that express your ideas and feelings with abstracts. You can also use pastels to experiment with different techniques and effects with abstracts.
Impressionism
Impressionism is one of the most influential styles for pastel painting. It originated in the 19th century in France by a group of artists who wanted to capture the fleeting impressions of light and color in nature. You can use pastels to paint impressionism by using loose strokes, vibrant colors, and light effects with impressionism. You can also use pastels to paint impressionism by focusing on the atmosphere and mood rather than the details and accuracy with impressionism.
The Pastel Artists
Pastels have been used by many famous and talented artists throughout history. They have influenced the development and evolution of the art form and inspired generations of pastel painters. Here are some of the most renowned pastel artists and their works:
Edgar Degas
and effects with pastels. Some of his famous pastel works are The Dance Class, The Star, and The Tub.
Mary Cassatt
Mary Cassatt was an American impressionist artist who lived from 1844 to 1926. She is known for painting mothers and children with pastels. She used pastels to create warmth, tenderness, and intimacy with her subjects. She also used pastels to capture the light and color of the scenes with her subjects. Some of her famous pastel works are The Child's Bath, Mother and Child, and The Boating Party.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was a French post-impressionist artist who lived from 1864 to 1901. He is famous for painting the nightlife of Paris with pastels. He used pastels to depict the characters, emotions, and atmosphere of the cabarets, theaters, and brothels with pastels. He also used pastels to create bold and expressive strokes and colors with pastels. Some of his famous pastel works are At the Moulin Rouge, Jane Avril, and The Medical Inspection.
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso was a Spanish modernist artist who lived from 1881 to 1973. He is regarded as one of the most influential and innovative artists of the 20th century. He experimented with oil pastels in his later years with pastels. He used oil pastels to create abstract and surreal images that reflected his thoughts and feelings with pastels. He also used oil pastels to mix with other mediums, such as charcoal, crayon, or collage with pastels. Some of his famous oil pastel works are The Bull, The Studio, and Woman with a Book.
Wolf Kahn
Wolf Kahn is a contemporary American artist who was born in 1927. He is known for painting luminous landscapes with soft pastels. He uses soft pastels to create harmony, contrast, and vibrancy with his landscapes. He also uses soft pastels to blend and layer colors to create depth and richness with his landscapes. Some of his famous soft pastel works are Blue Afternoon, Green Hills in Spring, and Pink Clouds over a Pond.
Conclusion
Pastel painting is a wonderful art form that can offer you endless possibilities and enjoyment. You can use pastels to create beautiful and expressive paintings that reflect your style and personality. You can also use pastels to learn from the history, types, papers, tools, techniques, subjects, styles, and artists of pastel painting.
If you want to master the art of pastel painting, you need a reliable guide that can teach you everything you need to know about this versatile and expressive medium. That's why you should download The Pastel Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist by Bill Creevy. This book is a comprehensive resource that covers all the aspects of pastel painting in detail and with examples. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced painter, you will find this book useful and inspiring.
So what are you waiting for? Download The Pastel Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist books pdf file today and start your journey into the world of pastel painting!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of pastel painting?
Pastel painting has many benefits, such as:
It is easy to learn and use.
It produces rich and vibrant colors.
It allows for quick and spontaneous painting.
It does not require drying time or solvents.
It can be easily corrected or modified.
It can be combined with other mediums.
It can last for a long time if properly preserved.
What are the challenges of pastel painting?
Pastel painting also has some challenges, such as:
It can be messy and dusty.
It can be fragile and prone to smudging.
It can be expensive and require special materials.
It can be difficult to transport or display.
It can be affected by humidity or temperature.
How to store and protect pastel paintings?
To store and protect pastel paintings, you can follow these steps:
Spray a light coat of fixative or varnish on the painting to prevent dusting or fading.
Place a sheet of glassine paper or tracing paper over the painting to prevent smudging or scratching.
Use a rigid and acid-free backing board to support the painting and prevent bending or warping.
Use a mat or a frame to separate the painting from the glass or acrylic cover and prevent sticking or condensation.
Store the painting in a cool, dry, and dark place to avoid exposure to sunlight, heat, or moisture.
How to improve your pastel painting skills?
To improve your pastel painting skills, you can follow these tips:
Practice regularly and consistently.
Experiment with different types, colors, and brands of pastels.
Experiment with different papers, supports, and grounds.
Experiment with different tools, accessories, and techniques.
Study the works of pastel artists and learn from their styles and methods.
Take classes, workshops, or online courses on pastel painting.
Join a pastel society or community and share your work and feedback with other pastel artists.
Where to find more resources on pastel painting?
To find more resources on pastel painting, you can check out these sources:
The Pastel Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist by Bill Creevy. This is the book that this article is based on. It is a comprehensive and authoritative guide on pastel painting that covers all the aspects of the medium in detail and with examples.
Pastel Journal. This is a magazine that is dedicated to pastel painting. It features articles, tutorials, interviews, reviews, and showcases of pastel artists and their works.
Pastel Society of America. This is an organization that promotes and supports pastel painting. It offers exhibitions, education, awards, publications, and events for pastel artists and enthusiasts.
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