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Landscape Pastel Demo

Salt Marsh at Fort Fisher, NC
pastel demonstration by PSNC member Kathryn Wilson, artbykathrynwilson.com

This is a demo of a painting I did while visiting Fort Fisher, North Carolina. The scene is early in the morning, just as the sun was rising and coming above the horizon, but below a bank of clouds. Scenic and tranquil, it really spoke to me of calm and peace.

Underpainting: I wanted a long panoramic format for this painting as the scene before me warranted a view that took in the hummock islands of this salt marsh. I used a sanded pastel paper and saturated watercolors to make this painting sing.

Roughing In: After thoroughly drying the underpainting with a hair dryer, I started to rough in the big blocks of color, but still letting the underpainting show through.

Local Color: Overlaying some of the local color – meaning the basic colors that I want to use for my painting.

Adding Lights: I continued to add more color – lights and darks – to further develop the painting, adding greens and yellows to the trees on the islands and adding some light yellows at the horizon line.

Working on the Water: I wasn’t totally happy with the composition, so I added a river of water going back to the horizon. I also was not happy with the way the water was turning out, so at this stage, I brushed out the water around the marsh grass with a wet brush and it darkened those shadows down and I liked those darks!

Adding the Lights to the Sky and Clouds: I further developed the clouds and the sunlight peeking out from behind the island on the left. I’ve found that instead of using my fingers to blend some edges, I like to use a Colorshaper instead. (see image below) These are rubber-tipped tools that are very flexible and can be used with a delicate touch to achieve lost or soft edges.

Final Version: I finished with an overall going over with lighter touches of yellow and gold everywhere, including the clouds.

May 14 – Zoom demo with Janet Burgess

The vivacious and indomitable Janet Burgess will present the next episode in our Empowerment Series.  Ms Burgess has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Carolina University. She graduated Cum Laude with a double major in Art and Spanish. She also earned a Master of Arts degree from Columbia University in New York City with a major in painting and drawing. Her life has been – and is – focused on creativity. An award-winning artist, she has demonstrated her ability to utilize the creativity within herself. Ms Burgess will speak from the point of view that one’s life is best fulfilled if everything we do is characterized by originality of thought and execution.

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Recent News / Announcements

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Face to face meetings have been CANCELLED until further notice.

Call for Artists: Central Mass Pastel Society’s Marks of Distinction National Juried Show

Member News, Rita Kirkman

“Don Key” Paint-Along with Rita Kirkman

Pastels – The Versatile Medium – Workshop by Diana Coidan

Member News, Toni Lindahl

Member News, Rita Kirkman

“A Walk in the Park” Paint-Along with Rita Kirkman

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