Are You Taming the Life Out of Your Paintings?
Why do our lively, experimental colour studies sometimes turn into cautious, conventional paintings? A Studio Musing about artistic freedom, the pressure to make a ‘proper’ painting, and recognising when we’ve already created something worth keeping.
One small pastel colour study kept calling to me. So I took it further, staying with the original design and limited palette to see if I could develop a finished painting without losing what made the study work.
What happens when you give yourself fewer choices? During a recent limited palette workshop at Dakota Art Pastels, four colourful studies presented me with an unexpected dilemma. The painting that excited me most wasn’t the one I was about to choose. Here’s what happened when I followed my passion instead.
When did your reference photo stop being a reference and start telling you what to do? Let’s look at why photos have such authority over us, and how to put the decision-making back where it belongs: with the artist.
A Pondering Chair may not seem like an essential piece of studio equipment, but it can change the way you look at your work. A place to sit, step back, and simply ponder can help you see more clearly, slow down, and resist the urge to keep fixing.
Aline Ordman’s artistic journey has been filled with challenges, rejection, unexpected opportunities, and plenty of learning along the way. In this guest post, she shares why continuing to face what feels difficult has been essential to her growth as an artist.
“I don’t know what to paint.” It’s one of the most common frustrations artists face. Sometimes the answer isn’t finding a more exciting subject – it’s discovering how much one simple object can teach you. Here’s why I keep coming back to pears.
When I heard about David Hockney’s bedside note, I smiled. Then I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Why would one of the world’s most prolific artists need a reminder to get up and work? The more I sat with that question, the more I realised the note wasn’t about motivation at all. It was about something much deeper.
Home from the 2026 IAPS Convention in Albuquerque, I’m reflecting on what artists really bring back from a gathering like this: not just notes, photos, and supplies, but widened eyes, renewed energy, deeper connection, and inspiration that keeps seeping into the studio.
Students often assume tiny marks need tiny tools. In this pastel portrait progression, I show how big, chunky pastel sticks can create delicate details — from shaping the face to adjusting an eye near the end.
My love of pastel and the enjoyment I receive from teaching about pastel inspired the creation of this blog. It has tips, reviews, some opinions:), and all manner of information regarding their use through the years – old and new. Please enjoy!
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![Gail Sibley, [Not yet titled], Unison Colour pastels and a Sennelier pink on UART 400 mounted on board, 15 1/4 x 11 1/2 in -close up of face](https://www.howtopastel.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/11.-Gail-Sibley-Not-yet-titled-Unison-Colour-pastels-and-a-SEnnelier-pink-on-UART-400-mounted-on-board-15-14-x-11-15-in-close-up-of-face-Feature-image-150x150.jpg)
