After working in pastel for well over 40 years, I have again become enamored with the usefulness of harder pastels. Beyond their capabilities for traditional pastel application, they can provide the means for creative pastel techniques. In last week’s post, I discussed how harder pastel sticks have become more prevalent today, renewing interest among pastelists.

5 Reasons Why We Should Give MS Paint a ChanceWhile the rest of us were doodling around in Microsoft Paint after school in the 90s, one artist made a full-blown career out of it. Yes, you read that right.“It feels like losing an old friend.” That’s how Australian artist Miranda Lorikeet took the news that Microsoft will stop updating the painting program as part of the Windows 10 update.

Photographing finished paintings can be one of the most frustrating aspects of painting, but still one of the most necessary. Since most artists either sell or gift their works, it’s paramount to keep a high quality photographic record for future reference.Create a Routine for Photographing Paintings: Artists spend most of their time in an intuitive state and have to break out of that mind-set when it comes to accurately positioning artwork to a camera, illuminating the artwork evenly, fiddling with a camera’s settings, and processing the images into usable files.

Whether attending a class or working en plein air, it can be advantageous to have a smaller downsized palette instead of trying to transport an entire studio. But, with so many pastels to choose from (mind you, I’m not complaining), it can be a difficult task to narrow it down.All artists’ palettes need to facilitate the three aspects of color: hue, the individual color family; chroma, the intensity or saturation of said color; and value, the relative lightness or darkness of said color.

He would deny it publicly, but Jackson Pollock owed much of his rhythmic, energetic style to Thomas Hart Benton.by Emily Esfahani SmithAt first glance, Thomas Hart Benton (1889– 1975) and Jackson Pollock (1912–56) make an odd pair. Benton, the sophisticated son of a U.S. congressman from Missouri, attended private schools and spent his young adulthood wearing black capes while studying art in Paris.

“I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.” –Vincent Van GoghThe Nocturne ArtistPlein air painting at night in bright moonlight is fun and a wonderful learning experience for the outdoor painting artist. With nocturnes, it seems as if we have the world to ourselves.