Pastel Books

Painting with Pastels: Easy Techniques to Master the Medium

Maggie Price

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

"Versatility, immediacy, luminosity, brilliance, ease of use--all these are attributes of working in pastel, but probably the most important of all is that it's just a lot of fun!"
--Maggie Price

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.

Painting the Landscape in Pastel

Albert Handell, Anita West

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

... But keep your eyes open 3 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.

(I'm not clear on the contribution by author Anita Louise West; the text is largely in the first person singular -- Handell's.) This is a decent, if short-winded, introduction to common, fundamental art concepts (color temperature, intensity, complementary colors) and a few pointers specific to the pastel medium. There is little that you cannot get elsewhere in more depth, and some puzzling statements ("A toned paper helps the artist enhance contrast in values" -- p. 20) that beg elaboration. Many of the points are theoretically demonstrated by Handell's own paintings, with a paragraph each of his discussion; but his comments often seem arbitrarily chosen, if not downright wrong for the painting in question. For example, p. 40, he states "these light green colors [of the spring outside the studio window] contrasted with and complemented ... all of the darker interior colors of the studio," but the highest-key portions of the painting are in the interior. On p. 39 a view of a pier shows a flag at half staff. Hendell states, "I purposely played down the detail of the flag," yet it is in plain sight and eye-catching. In fact, the most interesting thing about an otherwise trite scene is the flag (I would have titled the picture "Half Mast") because it adds particularity and involves the viewer ("what's going on?"). The painting is divided exactly in halves horizontally, classically a compositional no-no, so I would have liked to read the artist's discussion of this choice. In some other paintings the artist seems confused (or unconcerned) about the principal light source -- although since Wayne Thiebaud routinely gets away with this, maybe it's not a big issue. In summary, this book is a lightweight, and hopefully encouraging, introduction to a wonderful medium, but the discussion of individual paintings should be read with one's critical faculties in place. Plus, it never hurts to browse another artist's works, even if the lessons contain nearly as many "what not to do's" as "what to do's".

Editorial Review:

The lush landscapes that light up these pages, combined with lucid instruction, help artists of all levels achieve impressive results as soon as they begin working with the medium.

The Pastel Artist's Bible: An essential reference for the practicing artist (Quarto Book)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Croghan from London Ohio 5 out of 5 stars.
41 of 41 people found this review helpful.

I have worked in pastels on and off for over 50 years and I was looking for a book to help me catch up on the latest techniques and what materials were available. I found this book to be very concise and helpful it is well laid out and the information in it is very credible the illustrations are both colorful and well done and are good examples of what is being expressed in words. I highly recommend this for anyone starting in pastel work because it is simple and well laid out and easy to follow. I also recommend it for anyone who has worked in pastel but has not worked in it for the last few years.

More knowledge awaits right on my book shelf! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 17 people found this review helpful.

Must admit to adding this to my collection of pastel art books in the hopes of returning to my penchant for this type of painting. Have been removed from it for some years and plan to resume the hobby in the near future. All knowledge for the project reside on my book shelves. Can't wait to apply that knowledge.

Excellent book for pastel artists! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

A beautifully written and produced book that will be a hit with all beginning as well as advanced pastel artist. Like all good art 'how to' books, the book is rich in photographs, while still being a small enough to handle reference to take with you with your geat. This entire series is good.

Pastel School (Learn as You Go)

Hazel Harrison

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Beginners start with this! 5 out of 5 stars.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.

This book is incredibly helpful with demonstrations, suggestions for colors, layering options, and beautiful illustrations with various styles shown. The only thing that would have been even more helpful to this book was a little more information about paper and pastel suppliers and the difference in quality between them. I'm still giving it 5 stars though!

PRACTICAL GUIDE is a great subtitle for the book on Pastels! 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

The book's subtitle below "Pastel School" starts off with "A practical guide..." and this is so true! I am impressed at the book's clarity in how it is sectioned and titled for each skill/technique discussed. Information from getting the type of pastels you may want to use to recommendations on caring for the finished artwork is all covered. Some may say that the information in a few sections is a bit sketchy/limited, but if you want to learn more (e.g. doing portraits), there are additional books available that can provide a pastel artist to advance and learn more. This book gives you the basics, but also allows for growth in the sections on types of art styles that one may produce (e.g. still life, landscapes, flowers, portraits). This book, plus another one I am using, are enabling me to learn pastel art in a way that that will ensure long-term enjoyment with this art medium. I can't wait to get back to my new package of pastel papers to begin a new piece, particularly with a few of the skills I've expanded upon from the information I've learned from this book!

Editorial Review:

More than 40 step-by-step sequences show how to master pastel painting and develop your own individual style. Eight projects show the whole process of picture making, from planning to completion.

Pastel Workbook: A Complete Course in 10 Lessons (Workbook)

Jackie Simmonds

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Teaching guide 5 out of 5 stars.
16 of 16 people found this review helpful.

Clear, simple teaching guide for pastel beginners. 10 progressive lessons. Examples range from simple to advanced, to encourage and inspire the reader. I think it needs a bit more information in fixatives and surfaces, which are a large factor in the whole picture-making process. Overall, it's a good book to get started.

s_tomsik

Great Book -- one of the best 5 out of 5 stars.
15 of 15 people found this review helpful.

This is one of the best written and demonstrated art books that I've purchased -- I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn to create art with pastels. This book will give you the basics in about 10 lessons.

Editorial Review:

This is a complete pastel painting course for the beginner in ten easy-to-follow lessons, demonstrating how the newcomer to this medium can achieve superb results right from the start. It covers materials, equipment and the exciting range of pastels now available. It explores all the basic elements of picture-making through a wonderful range of still-life, figurative and landscape subjects, building skills as the lessons progress. Practical exercises allow beginners to build up their own invaluable workbook - from first strokes to finished landscapes.

Capturing Radiant Light & Color in Oils and Pastels

Susan Sarbach

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

"Everything was alive, pulsing with light and color."
--Susan Sarback

This is more than a how-to-paint book. It's a how-to-see book ... specifically, how to tune in to nature's glorious subtleties of light and color.

Forget complex theories. "Full-Color Seeing" is based on direct observation. It's about overcoming preconceptions and perceiving true color based on the colors that surround it, the way light hits it, time of day, season, weather conditions, and too many other factors for a mere formula to incorporate. You'll learn to see your subject--any subject--just as life truly presents it to you. This is the secret to capturing the living, breathing sense of atmosphere so celebrated in the works of the Impressionist painters.

A revision of Susan Sarbacks' illuminating Capturing Radiant Color in Oils, this book offers twelve more years of fresh insights, new paintings and expanded coverage on soft pastels. The concepts explored here have been handed down through generations of artists: Sarback was taught "Full-Color Seeing" by master painter Henry Hensche, who learned it from Charles Hawthorne, a contemporary of Claude Monet. This step-by-step approach will add greater vitality to your artwork and forever change the way you see.

The Pastel Book

Bill Creevy

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 23 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

An excellent book for those just beginning in pastel work 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I found this book to be a terrific reference for any artist beginning to explore pastels. There are lots of charming paintings by the author, and demo photos of how the paintings came into being. There is also a WONDERFUL section on supplies: what and where to get them, how they're priced, and if they're worth it. Yet, I do wish that the author had spent a little more time on showing and explaining works that were JUST done in pastels and less on mixed media with pastels. But that's just my opinion. It's a great book and worth buying, regardless of how much of a purist you may be.

Excellent reference. 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Very very helpful book to browse if you are getting started. It helps one better understand which types of pastels do what, oil, soft, hard etc.

Good technical details, but... 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Very good technical details but the book need to be updated with current materials. There is no coverage of Unison or Ludwig pastel sets and paper coverage is outdated.

If I had to buy just one book on pastels it would NOT be this book.

Editorial Review:

Absolutely the most thorough guide to pastel materials and techniques ever assembled in a single volume, this is the book for anyone working with pastels, from beginners to experienced artists looking to develop more professional skills.

Raw Colour with Pastels

Mark Leach

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

That person is SO wrong! 5 out of 5 stars.
51 of 52 people found this review helpful.

The first person who commented on Raw Colour evidently was under the impression that this wonderful book was merely a how-to title. Having read Raw Colour from cover at least twice, I can truly say that the person who wrote that negative comment was totally wrong in interpreting this book as a how-to for abstraction! That could not be more mistaken! It's definitely not a how-to book. It's a wonderfully exciting book covering one artist's way of exploring his feelings about his subject and how he is able to express them through his use of color. I found it a very freeing book and one that reignites my desire to paint every time I open it, which is often. It is an exciting new addition to my very large library on art and pastel in particular. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in color, pastel and art expression in general. Mikki Root Dillon, PSA

Editorial Review:

Unlike many art instruction books that focus on capturing realistic images, this unusual title offers inspiration and instruction on using pastels to translate landscapes into evocative abstractions. Putting emphasis on the pure-pigment aspect of pastels, award-winning artist Mark Leach offers exciting insights into the powerful connection between color and feeling. Designed for artists of all abilities, it covers everything from making composition sketches to displaying the finished work, and includes chapters on light, form, and texture; understanding the color wheel; and painting from sketchbooks and photographs.

The Pastelist's Year: Painting the Four Seasons in Pastel

Elizabeth Mowry

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

PRINT QUALITY IS FINE. THOSE ARE PHOTOS OF CONSTRUCTION 4 out of 5 stars.
16 of 16 people found this review helpful.

There doesn't appear to be any print quality issues with the photos in the book. There are several step-by-step photos that don't have some of the colors added yet because they are showing how the pastel sketches were made! See pg 81 for an example. There are also some extreme close ups which show the natural grain of the strokes to show how the larger image was created. These type of photos are exactly what any reader (beginner or expert) wants in an art technique book. The previous reviewers that didn't bother to read the captions of the photos should be a little ashamed if this is what they were describing. The book also has photos of the finished pastels. In general, the book and is filled with quality photos of pastel landscapes and appears to have good instruction throughout.

Editorial Review:

In this manual pastelist Elizabeth Mowry demonstrates how to paint pastels that capture the mood, colour and majesty of the four seasons. Beginning with an overview of how to work in this medium, the volume is then arranged in four sections, each offering specific palettes, thoughts and ideas for capturing colour and tonal essences of the seasons themselves. The volume contains more than 250 colour photographs of the seasons, with instructions and text on mastering the medium of pastels.

The Art of Pastel Painting

Alan Flattmann

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

For the Intermediate Artist Who Likes to Get Dirty 3 out of 5 stars.
25 of 27 people found this review helpful.

Besides drawing with the things, Flattman shows how to prepare your own papers, and even roll your own pastels! Wonderful for the incurable do it-yourselfer who wants custom ranges of colors, but you'll need a garage or basement space you can devote to the messy business (and you'll need a respirator, too, not just a dust mask). There are lots of finished works, but the how-to step-by-step stuff uses too few steps usually. You need to have a good background in drawing already, and experience with composition. Flattmann comes to pastel from watercolor, and never thinks you might not already be accomplished in another form of painting. Pastels were my *first* media, when I began lessons when I was six, so they are not "inherently advanced." I would recommend you use this in conjunction with Bet Borgeson's _Color Drawing Workshop_.

Editorial Review:

Distinguished artist and teacher Alan Flattmann provides invaluable information about pastel concepts and techniques, as well as making crayons, getting proper studio lighting, and much more.