Introduction 6
Materials 8
Setting up your workspace 12
Starting to draw 16
Pastel techniques 28
Bauble – step by step 36
Teasel – step by step 46
Colour 56
Rolling Fields – step by step 62
Landscapes 70
Rocky Tor – step by step 74
Billowing Clouds – step by step 92
The Birches – step by step 104
Life in your paintings 110
Child with Fishing Net – step by step 120
Toby – step by step 130
Composition 140
Index 144
Based near Exeter in Devon, Rebecca de Mendonça paints, teaches
and writes. Her dynamic pastels capture the movement and atmosphere
of subjects ranging from equestrian and landscape to figures and
architecture.
After graduating in Theatre Design, Rebecca's early career was in
theatre and interior design in London. She undertook portrait
commissions of West End actors and dancers in English National
Ballet.
She is an Associate Member of the Society of Equestrian Artists,
currently focusing her paintings on people working with horses, and
moorland ponies. Rebecca has exhibited at the Mall Galleries in
London with the Pastel Society and also as a finalist in the
Artists of the Year Exhibition, 2019. Rebecca co-founded The New
Pastel School in 2013.
This thorough guide to the rewarding medium of pastel will teach
you much more than just the basics and may be the only pastel book
you'll ever need! Rebecca introduces new techniques in an eminently
practical way, demonstrating detail and loose styles of working,
giving you the chance to explore the medium as widely as
possible.
*The SAA*
Although this is a superb introduction to the rewarding medium of
pastels, it’s also a whole lot more. Rebecca is a versatile artist
whose skills run to just about any subject. Her results are
breath-taking and this is one of the most thorough guides I’ve ever
seen. I’d even go so far as to say it might be the only book you’ll
ever need.
After the obligatory introduction to materials and basic
techniques, the book immediately starts to get practical and you
might be forgiven for thinking you’ve moved on to the exercises and
demonstrations. In fact, you’re still practising techniques,
shading and textures, just not through the sort of geometric shapes
that many books subject you to. Once you’re confident and
competent, you’ll move on to full-scale demonstrations that cover
landscapes, waterscapes, trees, skies, buildings, animals and
people (I told you it was comprehensive!). There are plenty of
steps and concise but thorough instructions, as well as hints and
tips galore. I really can’t praise this enough. It’s so much more
than the title suggests and a must for any pastellist.
*SAA Paint Magazine*
Leisure Painter contributor, Rebecca de Mendoca, introduces
pastels to the complete beginner in her new book, Pastels for
the Absolute Beginner. Rebecca is an experienced tutor and
understands the problems many people face when starting a new
medium. Using clear step-by-step exercises she will show you how to
begin-from setting up your workspace, and basic pastel
techniques-to using colour, composition and adding life to your
paintings. The range of subjects covered includes still life,
landscapes, portraits and animals, and the many examples of
Rebecca's works are sure to inspire you.
*Leisure Painter*
The idea of an Absolute Beginner series is a good one.
Anyone taking up painting, or starting with a new medium needs a
sound guide that is well-grounded in the basics and assumes no
previous knowledge. The book is certainly thorough. Subjects
include landscapes, waterscapes, people and animals, with skies,
trees and waves thrown in along the way. Rebecca is primarily a
portrait and equestrian artist and this shows – these are easily
her strongest subjects. However, she is thoroughly at home with her
medium and handles everything well. Her demonstrations and
explanations are concise, but easy to follow. They will, I think,
be of value to anyone – at whatever level – working with
pastel.
*Art Book Review*
This unassuming, but not insubstantial book is a bit of a wolf in
sheep’s clothing. Although billed as an introduction it is actually
one of the best and most comprehensive books on pastel there has
been in a long time – possibly ever. Books on pastel usually either
cover landscapes, because that’s the most popular subject and sales
volumes matter, or are fairly simple technical introductions that
can lack any real sense of creative endeavour. Rebecca de Mendonça,
whose first book this is, is an artist of very considerable ability
who is up to the task of tackling subjects that range from
landscapes and beach scenes to figures, animals and still life’s.
There is plenty of technical information, but also demonstrations
and exercises a-plenty and so much to get your teeth into that
you’ll never be stuck for inspiration or left feeling you want
more.
*The Artist*
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