Painting Realistic Landscapes in Pastel - Mixing Greens

If you've never done an underpainting on your pastel you'll really enjoy watching and learning from this artist as she paints a tree landscape from start to finish.First she shows how to mark the paper into 4ths so when you draw your sketch it's easier to know where to place everything.She uses a photo reference in this video. (not plein air)Next she shows how to properly put down the colors for the underpainting so that they don't end up being too big.She uses alcohol and a flat brush on the first light layer of colors, lets it dry completely and then begins picking out the lightest lights and darkest darks.I never in a million years would have thought a bright orange pastel underpainting would make a sunny grassy area look so realistic. When she finishes you'll have to look close to find the underpainting colors yet you'll see how much it adds to the painting.The video quality is great. Her application style is easy to follow.What would have been a great "bonus" would have been a list of the brands/colors she used for this paintingand also what brand of paper she used. From what I could count, she used over 60 different colors and they weredifferent artist quality brands. I did see some Townsend pastel labels but most didn't have any labels left on them cause she uses the sides of the pastels and the labels get in the way.You could follow along. They show the reference photo clearly so pause the video and sketch yours out. She shows how to divide the paper and your photo to get things in the right spots. She goes over doing a notan sketch with Tombow brand markers to check your values and shapes. I thought that was a very helpful execise to check your composition.They do shoot the tray where she places the pastels so you can stop the video to examine the colors if you want to pick through your colors and match up what you can to hers.The paper she used looked a lot like UArt brand paper to me but I'm not sure. Any good quality pastel paper that allows wet media would be safe to use with the alcohol. I'm not sure if student grade pastel paper would work or warp.The video is 101 minutes long. You will be completely amazed at what she does in such a short amount of time and on such a large sheet of paper but one thing you will realize is how much time is saved by using the underpainting method.I'm looking forward to her book that comes out next May 2013, but till then I'll be ordering her other two dvds.Amazon is taking pre-orders on her book.

Liz knows how explain how to approach the topic and has a very methodical and easy method of description for what she is trying to explain. Great tips on underpainting. Worth every penny! check out her other book and dvd's.

Good product.

FINALLY, a DVD that truly explains the thought process and how-to of painting in pastel. This DVD - and this artist has two others - is better than any classroom instruction I have had to date. Thank you Liz Haywood-Sullivan for sharing your talent, expertise, and love of pastel painting.

Livre commandé pour ma mère, pastelliste, et que nous avons regardé ensemble.L'anglais utilisé est simple et Mme Haywood Sullivan explique bien et calmement, tout en donnant du plaisir et de l'énergie. Elle a un accent américain marqué (un peu 'gouaillant'), ce qui peut rendre malaisée la compréhension orale pour les personnes peu habituées, mais le cd est si bien réalisé que l'on comprend la démonstration même sans comprendre toutes les paroles et même sans être un pro du pastel (et si on a l'habitude, on comprend tout très facilement).Un cours complet est donné :- comment choisir un thème/une photo qui rendra bien (composition, point focal, valeurs...) ... et donnera du plaisir et non de la souffrance à réaliser! (même si sujet complexe)- comment préparer le dessin et reporter les grandes lignes, repérer les détails importants- les matériaux et quelques 'trucs' : divers types de papier, pastels, brosses et alcool (si si, pour le fond, une technique que ma mère ne connaissait pas et qui est très intéressante pour rendre des nuances subtiles tout en accordant les valeurs et les tons), etc.- comment faire des verts naturels, beaux, vibrants, sans utiliser les verts 'de base' mais plutôt des gris, des couleurs complémentaires... (cela me rappelle le magnifique livre de Jeanne Dobie sur l'aquarelle 'faire chanter les couleurs')- la réalisation proprement dite, du général aux détails, en passant par ce qui donnera du relief, attirera l'œil, erreurs et corrections, etc.Ce cd est très intéressant à regarder, je pense que le mieux est ensuite de prendre le temps et de pratiquer cet exercice tout en suivant le cd et en mettant sur pause quand cela va trop vite - et ainsi, progresser à pas de géant et acquérir technique et facilité.Comme le dit Liz H-S, il se pourrait bien que le vert devienne votre couleur favorite!A conseiller aussi, de la même artiste/prof/auteur : comment réaliser les ciels (skies)

a bit complicated for me.