Jeanne Rosier Smith
A Pastel Painter’s Playbook
This video library gathers the pastel lessons tips and techniques I’ve developed over twenty years of painting and teaching pastels in weekly classes and workshops, to share with you in one place.
Most people come to pastel from another medium, and fall in love with its tactile qualities and banquet of color. That’s what happened to me over twenty years ago, and I’ve never looked back. I love their velvety texture and vivid colors, and I find the medium flexible, forgiving and exciting to work with. There is always more to learn.
In this paragraph I explain how to use my section of Epiphany Fine Art. First, the Basics section contains introductory information every pastelist needs, plus questions on cleaning, organizing, lighting, fixative, framing, that come up in every demo and workshop. Secondly are the Workshops, based on years of in person workshops, we have fully developed multi-lesson explorations of specific topics, often with exercises designed to enhance your understanding and ability, and are intended for all levels of painters. Lastly, subject demos offer in-depth instruction on a wide range of subject matter.
The collection will grow monthly, as I record new lessons and demos. See the sidebar at right for a list of what’s to come, and a link to send us feedback. I welcome your requests and suggestions.
Happy painting, and Welcome!
If we haven’t yet covered a topic you’d like to see let us know and we’ll add it to the list Thanks! Send us an email
SPECIAL EVENTS:
2 hour live demo:
Magic in the Shadows: From Seafoam to Snowdrifts
Like seafoam in the crest of a wave, fallen snow is beautifully reflective and challenging to paint. Shadows are where the magic happens, revealing form and texture. Jeanne’s snowy landscape demo will also reveal what she’s learned from painting giant waves. From seafoam to snowdrifts, the whites are most exciting in the shadows.
Price: Members $20 Non-members $40
Date: January 31, 6:00-8:00pm EST
NOTE: A link to the live demo will be posted at the top of this page and at the top of the Epiphany Fine Art home page on the day of the demo
A recording of the demo will be available for three weeks to non members and permanently for members
Sample Videos
Recently Added Videos
COMING SOON:
- Composition and Design
- Fall Foliage
- Landscape Design
- Color, Texture, and Pattern
- Simple Shapes, Big Impact
- Nocturnes
- Painting Boats
- Apple Trees
- Koi Ponds
- Unlocking Underpainting
Archived Live Demos
Demo Reference Materials
Jeanne Rosier Smith Materials List
Materials List
Jeanne Rosier Smith Reference Images
Reference Images
The Basics
Here you’ll info on how get started for beginners, plus find answers to the burning questions that always come up at demos and workshops: How and why I use fixative, framing tips and practices, mounting paper, what kinds of pastels and papers to use. Have a question that’s not answered here? Send it to me and we’ll try to cover it
WORKSHOP: Color Fundamentals
Jeanne Rosier SmithColor Fundamentals: Value, Chroma, Temperature
An essential guide to color mixing for pastelists. Painters speak in the language of color. Whether you are a native speaker or need a guidebook, these video lessons are designed to up your fluency and confidence, with a mix of structure and play
WORKSHOP: Composition and Design
Jeanne Rosier SmithComposition and Design: Sharpen Your Skills
A workshop that will strengthen and refine your composition skills by focusing on the abstract elements underlying every good design. Special focus on the landscape and trees
WORKSHOP: Loosen Up!
Jeanne Rosier Smith
Loosen Up: Pastel lessons tips and techniques
Do you long to loosen up? Bold, graceful strokes looks easy, but anyone who’s aspired to them knows otherwise. There are significant steps we can take to make our paintings bolder, looser, and more assured. This self-directed video workshop will help you shake off that tendency to meticulously describe, tightly render, or overwork your paintings, and learn to paint boldly, loosely and with more assurance. Enjoy, play, practice, and paint more boldly and confidently with these exercises and demos. I have arranged them in order for you to follow as a workshop.
Workshop: Making Waves
Jeanne Rosier SmithPainting Seascapes: the Essentials
These three demos are Jeanne’s foundational seascape lessons, beginning with a single wave, moving to the full coastline and adding the coastal landscape. These are the backbone of her approach to seascape
Seascape Elements Series
Jeanne Rosier SmithSeascape Elements: Going Deeper
Once you’ve gotten the basics handled, dive into these special topics in seascape to refine your practice: the behavior of water, changing light effects, and subtle foam textures all get attention in these demos
Skyscape Series
Jeanne Rosier SmithSkyscape Series
Brush up your sky skills and build your cloud confidence with these exercises and lessons. Maximize the expressive potential of your skies
Water in the Landscape Series
Jeanne Rosier Smith
Water in the Landscape
Water is challenging to paint convincingly; these demos are full of tips and tricks for creating more compelling water in your landscapes
Figures in the Landscape
Jeanne Rosier Smith
Painting Figures in the Landscape
Figures add life and action to any scene. Use these lessons to practice creating more believable figures for your landscapes
Winter Landscape Series
Jeanne Rosier Smith
Winter Landscape
Snow changes the landscape completely and offers new painting challenges. These lessons offer approaches to all sorts of winter landscape challenges, from sunny riverbanks to blizzards, so you are ready to tackle winter
