A recap from Day 1 of the Pastel Live virtual art conference, taking place now through August 19, 2023:
Day 1 of Pastel Live started with a fresh welcome from Streamline Publisher and CEO, and artist, Eric Rhoads, followed by in-depth demonstrations from Albert Handell, Margaret Dyer, Casey Klahn, Julie Freeman, and Jill Stefani Wagner.
In addition to the painting demonstrations, we are having a ton of fun in the streaming chat and breakout rooms: “Pastel Live is beyond incredible!!!” ~ Marilyn C.
As a special bonus, there’s even an art auction of faculty paintings. It ends Saturday night, so click here to see the available pastel paintings from today’s masters – don’t wait because they’re selling as we speak.
Highlights From Day 1 of Pastel Live 2023
Albert Handell combined two reference photos to create a nature-inspired scene of a mountain stream, using light marks in the beginning because, he says, “If you work lightly, you can change things easier.”
Using a photo only as a general guide allows him to take more creative freedom, and to open his “memory box” for a unique painting.
“It’s worth the ‘price of admission’ just to be able to watch Albert Handell. How delightful!!” ~ Adele R.
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“Understanding values can make a dramatic difference in your work,” said Margaret Dyer. Because many artists struggle with value, she began with a brief but informative lesson on this before moving into her demonstration of painting a nude model.
“OMG! This is mind-blowing!” ~Debbie O.
“If I don’t remember anything else from this Pastel Live, [what] I learned about values is excellent!” ~Carol T.
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Noting that Renaissance painters were more concerned with form, Casey Klahn’s approach to still life has a more contemporary viewpoint that incorporates color as its own presence.
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Realist painter Julie Freeman joined us from New Zealand to paint a portrait of a light-colored cat using soft pastels and pastel pencils. For the finer details, she uses a harder pencil; because it has more binder, it keeps the point longer.
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Sometimes pastelists overlook the color of the substrate, Jill Stefani Wagner explained: “Part of the beauty of pastel is seeing the paper sparkle through your pastel strokes – I very rarely cover my entire paper with pastel. Because of that, I make a very conscious decision about what color my substrate is going to be.”
She continued by explaining the variety of colors available and why you might choose one over the other.
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At the end of the night, we continued the fun with a new paint-along scene and more storytelling and friendships in the making.
We’d like to give a special shout-out to today’s sponsors, including Sennelier & Fabriano and Blick Art Materials featuring Valerie McKeehan.
Remember, it’s not too late to join us for the remaining days, and replays are available! Simply visit PastelLive.com now and register for several more days of personal instruction and live interactions with artists from all over the world.
