In the materials list, I listed the Burgundy Coloufix paper but did not have it so I’m using Elephant today but whatever paper we you have it’s going to be okay.The sky that we’re going to paint today has so much variety in the color that no matter what you are using, it’s going to pick that up and bring color harmony to the piece.
The other thing that I wanted to mention is that I posted a free YouTube video on painting clouds. You might want to check that out after today’s lesson.
Who it’s for – This lesson for all levels and is perfect even for beginners.
What’s it’s About – Follow along session of Fiji Sunset with Q&A.
Set a Personal Focus – Try to focus on just a couple aspects of the painting. Don’t worry about the composition too much.
Set a Time Limit – Keep it simple and don’t spend more than an hour and a half on it. If you find yourself spending two or three hours on it, it’s time to STOP and try another version!
Materials
- Your Pastels
- A 12 x 12 piece of sanded paper. I used Burgundy Colourfix for this lesson, but you could use a different color or different brand of paper if you like. Please use sanded pastel paper!
- A Black Conte’ Stick
Extras
- Easel
- Baby wipes
- An apron
Part I
Follow-Along Demo
Before You Start, a Few Tips on Following Along
- Stop the video whenever you need to – it’s one of the great things about learning this way. Plus, you don’t need to take notes!
- Don’t feel funny about copying my pieces! It’s a time-honored way to learn and I know you’ll develop your own “style” in due course. I give you lots of ways to take off on your own and expand on the demos/lessons.
- Take your time, but not really! I want you to speed up a bit so you can start to develop the “whole” piece all at once.
- Do it differently. If it feels uncomfortable, you’re likely on the right track.
- Remember the three “P’s” Perfection, Procrastination, Paralysis. There is no such thing as a perfect painting, so don’t even worry about it.
- If you have trouble, ask for help! My team and I want you to have a great experience doing the lessons!!
- There are 5 stages in each lesson. The beginning of each stage is a good time to pause the video, take a short break and check in on how you’re doing.
Part 2
Independent Assignment
Do another version from the alternate your own reference. That’s entirely up to you, but try to make the two versions significantly different in some way. This might be an opportunity for a photo expedition depending on the time of year or your location. If you don’t have your own reference, please feel free to use one that I’ve provided!
