Pastel Painter's Solution Book: 50 Pastel Painting Problems and How to Solve Them

In The Pastel Painter's Solution Book, painter and teacher David Cuthbert highlights some of the common problems and provides simple and logical solutions. Each problem is illustrated with a typical beginner's picture, while the suggested solution features the work of a professional painter dealing with a similar subject. In many cases, there are close-up details which reveal the artist's technique, and further paintings showing alternative solutions to a problem.
The problems cover a wide spectrum. Some of them are technical, for example, how do you mix colors without overworking? What governs the choice of paper color, and what effect will this have? But making a successful painting is not just a matter of mastering the medium, and many of the problems relate to the wider concerns of painting, such as composition and the use of color. Some are subject-based; for example, how do you paint clouds or shadows convincingly, or render the brilliant colors and delicacy of flowers?
Whether you are considering trying out pastels or have already begun to work in the medium and feel you need some help, The Pastel Painter's Solution Book is for you. It will solve your practical problems as well as providing a wealth of inspiration to help you find your own painting style.

David Cuthbert is joint director of the Mendip Painting Centre, a small private art school to the south of Bristol in England.