Live Lessons: Fall Landscape with Oil Pastels
Lessons
About This Lesson Series...
In this lesson series, we create a drawing of an Autumn landscape with oil pastels on pastel paper. Some people refer to the process of drawing with pastels as an act of painting. In this composition, we exploit the nature of oil pastels to create a drawing that resembles a painting. Colors are exaggerated and details are simplified.
Lesson 1 (1:12:26)
In lesson one, we sketch out some of the darker shapes and begin work on the trees in the upper left corner of the composition.
Lesson 2 (1:02:44)
In lesson two, we continue work on the trees in the upper left corner, adding color and contrast.
Lesson 3 (1:10:33)
In lesson three, we work our way across the top of the picture plane, addressing the main tree in the middle of the composition.
Lesson 4 (1:13:28)
In lesson four, we address the trees on the right side of the picture plane and begin work on the water in the middle ground.
Lesson 5 (1:06:06)
In lesson five, we work primarily on the water in the middle of the picture plane.
Lesson 6 (1:06:22)
In lesson six, we work on the small grassy island in the middle of the picture plane and begin adding some of the colors in the water.
Lesson 7 (1:15:23)
In lesson seven, we address the water in the foreground and complete the drawing.
Resources for this Lesson...
Distributing any content downloaded from this site is strictly prohibited and against the terms and conditions of use.
References
Here's what you'll need...
- Canson Mi-Teintes Pastel Paper (Tobacco)
- Sennelier Oil Pastels
- Cray Pas Oil Pastels
(Disclosure: Links to art materials are affiliate links which means we make a small commission if you purchase at no additional cost to you.)
hi
I loved watching your lesson with oil pastel. I love your results so far. I also enjoyed your discussion about switching mediums. I am 88 now and I cannot stick with one medium! That is boring to me I love switching sometimes daily or monthly! I have about every medium available!! Iām with you Matt on that. Thanks for all your lessons. I am going teach an art class at a senior center and I believe it will be easiest to use. Acrylics because of ease of corrections and speed of drying. Anyway thank you for who you are and how you teach!
You’re an inspiration, Rosalind!
Hello Matt: Lesson 1 at 33:00 min. you mention putting the reference photo in Photoshop and ???. Would you expand on this and is the process taught in the Photoshop course..
Do you put all reference photos in photoshop to determine the values you want to use?
I’m enjoying the lessons and your detailed instruction covering so may aspects of producing a finished piece.
I don’t know how many years I’ve been a member but Its the best investment in time that I’ve chosen . thanks ,tom
When are you doing Lesson 6
Great demo thank you so much! I was away for about a yr and so glad I rejoined really missed the live lessons even if I can’t always join live. . Have fun surfing.
Don’t know if anyone will see this now that the lesson is over, but I did this lesson from the recorded sessions and completed this piece. Matt, you are truly amazing. I did not have tobacco colored paper, so I used white. It was a bit challenging as the pale yellows popped much more on the Tobacco, but I figured out a way to get it all to work.
I am very grateful for Matt and Ashley and the knowledge they impart.
That’s beautiful Matt, I had a try with oil pastels because I’ve made myself a pact, have a go !!!
And I’ll use it as a base pre-drawing to course.
I already did this and I did a drawing of The edge (U2).before secrets to drawing course and I recently did an Elvis portrait in pen and ink, also for some very light shadings, so I decided to use 2 grey coloured pencils, a light grey and a darker grey, does this make it a mixed media Matt, I guess it does.
Anyway it was hard, but after 5 attempts it started to come together and then when I put it side by side with the edge one and I couldn’t believe the change !!!!
After secrets to drawing and pen and ink, Im surprised and it was a good surprise.
You know about my health struggles Matt and I’ve not been on here much but I’ve decided I want to do coloured pencil next, looking forward to it.
OOOPPPSSS………
I forgot to say about about oil pastels, I got 2 little bits of sky and it was so hard, I felt like I was drawing through liquid !!!!!!.
I think I’ll park that on a bench for now lol
Thanks š thanks š thanks š so much Matt for wonderful lessons and putting this altogether for us, your students, I’ll be hear for the foreseeable lol š¤£š¤£š¤£
Hope you and your lovely family are doing well Matt and yourself of course.
To the best Art Teacher ever !!!!!!!!!!