Painting with Pastels Book with Jenny Keal

Pastels are capable of great subtlety of expression and, as a medium, are the nearest thing you can get to pure colour. Using them, though, requires a different approach and mindset as a lot of the blending and shading processes are achieved by close juxtaposition of shades rather than actual mixing, either on the palette or on paper. They have consistently been popular, although books on the subject have been more a trickle than a stream and a new one is always welcome.

Jenny Keal has been quietly carving out a reputation for herself and this excellent guide manages to go from basic principles to some more advanced techniques for landscapes, seascapes, flowers and more. Jenny begins by explaining materials, application methods and the use of fixative as well as composition, perspective and recession. The remaining two-thirds of the book is devoted to a series of five detailed step-by-step demonstrations that put these techniques into practice and develop your skills gently but progressively.

This is one of the simplest, and yet most comprehensive guides to pastel there is.

Search Press . Paperback . 96 pages . Colour throughout