Pastels are enjoying a comeback and this time round they’re associated with feelings of comfort, wellbeing and calm. When used well, pastels have a rich intensity or a subtle sophistication, keeping them on the cool side of sweet. They allow us to fill a home with subtle colour, making us feel cozy and safe. In Pretty Pastel Style, Selina Lake shows how to use pastels to create spaces that are sophisticated, quirky and color-rich without being garish. To start, she looks at different ways of decorating with this versatile palette by dividing it into four styles. There’s Modern Pastels, which are are contrasted with pops of stronger color and sharpened with statement furniture, while Vintage Pastels are nostalgic and elegant. Handmade Pastels highlights creative touches and simple crafting ideas that showcase pastels in candy stripes, polka dots, and floral prints, while Simple Pastels work with neutrals and off-whites for an elegantly minimal look. Next, the Details section looks at everything from furniture and lighting to display and decoration, with inspiring ideas on how to put the style together. Finally, the Spaces section of the book showcases a series of beautiful rooms that use pastels with stylish effect.

As artists, we have choices. There are very few rules that apply across the board. We can create highly realistic paintings, or perhaps more expressive paintings, or paintings that have very little basis in reality, including those that are totally non-representational. We can record color as we see it or as we’d like it to be. As pastel artists, we have even more choices. We can use a wide variety of pastels, strokes, surfaces, and techniques to create many different looks. The choices we make form the framework of our individual style, our signature as artists. Any subscriber to The Pastel Journal realizes how varied the medium of pastel can be. For the experienced artist, these articles are stimulating, offering possible ways to experiment with alternative approaches. For the beginner, the panoply of choices can be overwhelming. Painting is primarily an intuitive process. But intuition is gained through study and experience. Part of my impetus in writing this book has been to create a more structured approach to help those fairly new to the medium understand its many possibilities. The book is aimed at all levels of pastel artists. Beginners will find a wealth of helpful information and intermediate artists will gain insight into how to take their work to another level and develop a style. Many advanced artists teach pastel; the organization of ideas and the exercises included should be of assistance. I offer a variety of suggested approaches and sometimes make up terminology to describe my experiences with the medium. The instructions in the book are based on my preferences and the guidance that I offer my students. The diversity of styles and techniques evident in the paintings of contributing artists should make it clear, however, that there are many ways to successfully work in pastel. Having acknowledged the many possibilities, I want to note a few musts. Representational paintings must be well-drawn. Poor drawing skills cannot be overcome with lovely color or great technique. Likewise, paintings must have strong compositions, regardless of whether they are realistic, abstracted, or non-representational. Values must be properly interpreted to produce strong compositions and to use pastel to its full effect. And finally, pastel paintings must sing! Whether the applications are light and airy, or rich and painterly, it should be clear that the artist is in control of the medium and is using it to produce his or her desired look. For years I have resisted suggestions that I write a book. As a landscape painter, I knew that there were more authoritative books already available. And the growing popularity of pastel has led to so many resources, including online blogs, a biennial convention, and the wonderful Pastel Journal, mentioned above. What could I add to this? My personal training in pastel has been from weeklong landscape workshops with some of the leading pastel painters in the country. As a teacher in a community college, I am not teaching a particular style nor focusing on specific subject matter. Some of my students work with the landscape, but others do portraits or figurative work, while others prefer still life, or work abstractly. In dealing with this mixture, I’ve realized that there are different ways to approach one’s use of color, and this formed my first idea for creating a book. Furthermore, as a teacher, I’ve spent time experimenting with different surfaces, pastel brands, and techniques in order to make suggestions to students to help them find the look they want to achieve. I do not teach students to paint the way I do, but instead, try to share my experience and help them develop their own individual style.

Discover the limitless possibilities of pastels with this beginner’s guide to creating modern, lively, and colorful pastel artwork. Artist and teacher Rebecca de Mendoça offers beginners a complete course in using pastels. Step-by-step exercises and longer projects help you to build the essential skills you need to paint a range of subjects, including landscapes, still life, portraits, and animals. Vital drawing techniques are explained and demonstrated, along with easy-to-follow explanations of color theory, composition, and the pastels themselves. This volume includes techniques for using both hard and soft pastels, eight skill-building projects, and a wealth of finished artwork to provide ideas and inspiration.

A visual and creative feast for anyone who wants to imagine and build a more beautiful life. Stylist, designer, HGTV star and fairy godmother of glitter, Tiffany Pratt looks at the world as a blank canvas. With every choice she is presented or every decision she makes, she does it with one mantra in mind: that this--whatever "this" is--can be beautiful. Whether it's sprucing up some old wallpaper, rejuvenating your bedsheets, turning an accidental bleach stain into a multicolored sensation, or even hosting a party and re-thinking how you make lootbags, Tiffany's creative energy is fantastically contagious. In her much anticipated debut, Tiffany brings her vivacious attitude directly to readers, crafters, designers and DIY-ers. She'll guide you through over 45 creative and straightforward projects that will beautify your home, wardrobe, beauty routine, travel style and more. Whatever your taste, crafting skill, budget, or time, you'll find a project that inspires you to make Tiffany's visions your own. Break out the glitter, paintbrushes and colored duct tape! Let Tiffany empower you to create the styled life you want using what you already have. All it takes is a little effort, some love, and a bit of hot glue.

Rustic isn't what it used to be. Gone are the days when rustic style meant fusty dried flower arrangements, antlers over a stone fireplace and acres of tartan. At its heart, the modern rustic look celebrates the fabric of a home, from the roof beams to the brickwork. This style revels in earthy colours and rich textures; in natural materials such as wood and stone; and the ruggedly handsome bones of a building. In this book, stylist Emily Henson and writer Joanna Simmons first lead you through the Elements of the Modern Rustic look. Pure Rustic elegantly blends clean lines with muted shades of grey. Bohemian Rustic mixes texture and pattern with lush colour, while Pop Rustic teams raw wood with pops of neon and tongue-in-cheek artworks. Retro Rustic, meanwhile, brings a relaxed feel, showcasing beaten-up leather armchairs and brick floors. In Details, textiles, furniture, fabric and display are explored, while Living Spaces shows how Modern Rustic style translates beautifully to every room in the house.

Top Secrets for Beautiful Pastel Paintings Richard McKinley has been a professional artist for over 35 years. Factor in nearly as many years of teaching experience, and that adds up to a whole lot of know-how to share. In Pastel Pointers, he lays it all out: information on tools, materials, color, composition, landscape elements, finishes and more. Compiles the best of McKinley's popular Pastel Pointers blog and Pastel Journal columns Covers frequently asked questions ("How do I achieve natural-looking greens?") and simple solutions to common problems, such as excess pigment buildup Includes a chapter on "The Business of Pastels"—tips for framing, shipping, preparing for gallery shows, and otherwise representing your work in a professional manner This book covers everything from the fundamentals to get you going (how to lay out your palette, create an underpainting, evoke luminous effects) to inspirations that will keep you growing (plein air painting, working in a series, keeping a painting journal). Whether you're a beginner or an experienced painter anxious to explore the expressive possibilities of pastel, this is your guide to making the most of the medium.

A pure-pigment medium, pastels have been used by painters for centuries for the powerful and evocative colour they can produce. Professional artist and experienced teacher Mark Leach uses pastel to translate beautiful landscapes into striking, minimalist paintings with simple form and strong blocks of colour, while still retaining a sense of location and place. His simple techniques demonstrate how to move away from realism and towards using abstract painting to express mood and feeling. The book includes: Introduction: Beyond realism • Balancing the emotional and physical Composing and Developing Images: Composing a non-realistic image • Feeling and passion • Light, form and texture • Seeing colour • The journey to abstraction The Joy of Colour: Understanding the colour wheel • Colour moods • Colour palettes and mixes Subjects to Paint: Still life • Landscapes • Figurative painting • Colour on water The Art of Pastels: My studio • Pastels • Pure pigment • Composition • Sketching from life and landscape • Painting from sketchbooks and photographs • Light and tone • Mediums and supports for pastels • Pastel painting techniques