Friday, 3 April 2026
Do you need an art studio in order to paint regularly? Perhaps the better question is: what makes a space support your return to the work?
How to Pastel
the blog for soft pastel art lovers
Latest Edition
Recent Guest Artists
Colette Odya Smith On How To Grow As An Artist
Friday, 23 May 2025
Colette Odya Smith shares honest, inspiring lessons from her own art journey—full of growth, reinvention, and being your own teacher.
Alain Picard – Four Keys to Creating Beautiful Portrait Backgrounds
Friday, 20 February 2026
Portrait backgrounds can make or break a painting. In this guest post, Alain Picard shares four simple but powerful principles for creating backgrounds that truly support the portrait.
Terrilynn Dubreuil – The Power of Art to Process Loss
Friday, 24 October 2025
When artist Terrilynn Dubreuil lost her mother, she turned to her pastels to make sense of the grief. In this moving story, she shares how painting became both tribute and transformation — revealing the profound power of art to heal and express what words cannot.
Favourite Tutorials
A completely abstract pastel and how I got there!
Friday, 11 April 2014
High Key Painting – What IS That??
Friday, 10 October 2014
Demos At IAPS In The Schmincke Pastels Booth
Sunday, 12 July 2015
Still Life Demo at Peninsula Gallery
Monday, 24 August 2015
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Recent Editions
What Draws You to a Scene? This Is What Pulled Me In.
Friday, 20 March 2026
8 Comments
Sometimes it’s not the whole scene that makes you want to paint — it’s one gesture, one shadow shape, one small visual surprise. Here’s what drew me to this scene and how that shaped the painting.
How Artists See: The Curious Case of the Disappearing Glass
Friday, 13 March 2026
12 Comments
A disappearing glass edge, reflections in cutlery, glowing leaves, and shadows on a church wall—small moments that reveal how artists learn to see.
Maurice Quentin de La Tour “Jean-Charles Garnier” – A Close Look
Friday, 27 February 2026
10 Comments
A quieter portrait than his famed Pompadour, Maurice-Quentin de La Tour’s pastel of Jean-Charles Garnier rewards close looking — revealing how small, deliberate choices create presence and personality.
Alain Picard – Four Keys to Creating Beautiful Portrait Backgrounds
Friday, 20 February 2026
2 Comments
Portrait backgrounds can make or break a painting. In this guest post, Alain Picard shares four simple but powerful principles for creating backgrounds that truly support the portrait.
Art Scam Emails: When Your Heart Leaps
Friday, 13 February 2026
22 Comments
An email arrives. Someone loves your work. Your heart leaps. But not all enquiries are created equal. In this Studio Musing, I unpack a scam message and explore how to tell the difference between flattery and genuine interest.
Painting Figures In Conversation – Quiet Moments From The Beach
Friday, 6 February 2026
6 Comments
While painting in La Manzanilla, Mexico, I noticed a quiet thread running through three small pieces — pairs of people together, talking, waiting, simply being. These beach conversations became an exploration of connection, restraint, and the power of suggesting just enough.
Leaving Home to Get the Work Done
Friday, 16 January 2026
20 Comments
What I thought would be a plein air painting trip turned into something quite different. Away from home, with fewer distractions and quieter demands, I found myself finally getting to the work I’d been wanting to do for a long time.
A Creative Pause at the Start of the Year
Friday, 2 January 2026
2 Comments
There’s a particular kind of pressure that shows up at the start of a new year — especially for artists. Whether the year behind you felt full or frustrating, the urge to rush forward can be surprisingly loud. This studio musing is a gentle invitation to pause, release self-judgement, and begin the year with curiosity rather than pressure.
Michael Freeman On Surviving the Competitions Rollercoaster
Friday, 19 December 2025
6 Comments
Entering art competitions can be exciting, daunting, and deeply personal. In this guest post, Michael Freeman shares thoughtful, experience-based insights into navigating the competitions landscape — from deciding whether competitions are right for you, to improving your chances of acceptance, and handling disappointment when things don’t go your way. Grounded, honest, and practical, his reflections help artists approach competitions with clarity, resilience, and a stronger sense of self.
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Gail Sibley
Artist. Blogger. Teacher.
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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