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Hiking & Painting in Nature – Chicago
Let’s Paint a Warm Winter Field and Tree Pastel!
I don’t know what it is about an open field with few trees, but I just can’t get enough of them! Maybe it’s the open expanse of the field and the sky together, making you feel free or perhaps the feeling of looking far into the distance causing you to ponder the distance in your own life? Who knows. I just like them. So let’s see how to paint a field using warm soft pastel colors…
Step 1: My pastel paper is tinted dark gray and feels like sand paper. I’ve had it for so long, I honestly cannot remember what brand. My paper size is 10×8. Make a simple sketch, with the horizon line 1/3 of the way from the bottom of the paper. Next sketch in some distant tree lines (scalloped edge) and two young trees in the foreground. I used pastel pencils to make my sketch.
Step 2: I always start on top and work my way down. This is a dry pastel painting, meaning there is no underwash. This painting is small enough that I do not need to. Starting at the top paint the sky with dark (R 506,7), medium (R 570,7), and light blue (R 570,9). I am using Rembrandt and Unison soft pastels and will note Rembrandt as R and Unison as U.
Step 3: Blend with your finger. Go right over the trees, it doesn’t matter we will fill it in later.
Step 4: Make some distant trees in the background. My trees are two colors: first a medium brown (R 409,7) and then a purple/brown (R 538,8). Keep the top of the tree line scalloped and uneven. Gently smudge the top of the tree line into the sky.
Step 5: On this day, the sky was mostly cloudy and had a peach color far in the distance. So that is what we will paint, using Unison soft pastels now, paint the horizon a peach color (U Orange 11), the middle of the sky a light lavender (U BV 1). Blend with your fingers lightly.
Step 6: We are going to go even lighter in the sky with another layer of very, very, light lavender/blue (U BV 8). Blend with your finger in circular motion like puffy clouds. Oooo, the sky is looking real nice so far!
Step 7: Now the clouds in the sky are never just white. There are many colors swirling around, like pink, yellow, purple, blue/gray. So here and there we are going to add touches of pink (U Red 18), yellow (U Orange 18), and light lavender (U BV12). Blend with your finger.
Step 8: Now we are going to work on the field. I used three colors, first a dark purple/blown (R 538,7), next a tan color (R 231,3) and lastly a nice russet color (R 411,7). I love all of those yummy warm winter colors!!!
Step 9: Let’s work on the trees now. I used a Carbothello pastel pencil navy (1400/760)
Step 10: After I get the basic shape of the trunk and branches, I like to hit it with some amazing “pop” colors. The color of the sun on the trunk is (U Orange 3). I also used purple Carbothello pastel pencil (1400/385), and just a hint of moss green (R 626,5).
Highlight some grasses in the field with a mild yellow color.
Step 11 Final: Lastly, add some individual grasses in the foreground green/gray (R 202,3), and red (U Red 9). Then make a shadow under the trees with purple (U BV5). And you’re done!
This image may look a little different color-wise, because I scanned in the original painting instead of taking a picture.
“Deliberate Solitude”
10×8
pastel
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To purchase the original pastel painting click here.
I hope you enjoyed this free step by step instruction on how to paint a field and winter tree using soft pastels!
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7 Comments on “Let’s Paint a Warm Winter Field and Tree Pastel!”
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I’m just starting to get my hands dirty with pastels, and I love them! Glad to see you sharing your work with us.
Thanks! Oh yes…you WILL love them foreeeever! Doesn’t feel great to hold that pigment in your hand? And smudge too…yessssss.
Hi Christine….I really love your pastel. I never thought about pastels, but they would certainly be a great alternative to watercolor…Char
Thanks Char! You might want to try them out. Watercolor is beautiful but pastels really capture depth and luminosity. Have fun!
Thanks for showing the step by step. I have no patience for trees and they always end up having disconnected branches…. Very nice. Jane
Hahaha…I know what you mean about no patience…me too with most things. I’ve seen many paintings with disconnected branches and they are beautiful 😉
Absolutely beautiful, Christine. Amazing to watch the step by step transformation. Many thanks for sharing your technique! : )