In this episode of The Pastel Podcast, hosts Kari Stober and Lisa Skelly welcome internationally recognized pastel artist, educator, and mentor Alan Picard for a rich, inspiring conversation about the power of pastel painting. 🎨✨
Alan shares his remarkable journey from aspiring baseball player to full-time artist, revealing how drawing, oil painting, and art history shaped his expressive, painterly approach to soft pastels. Listeners will gain insight into his philosophy of mark making, abstraction within realism, and why pastel allows artists to draw and paint at the same time.
This episode dives deep into pastel techniques, including underpainting with alcohol washes, working alla prima, creating vibrant color relationships, and the transformative 100-stroke challenge that helps artists loosen up and paint with confidence. Alan also discusses portrait commissions, landscape painting, teaching workshops, Terry Ludwig pastels, paper choices, and overcoming creative obstacles.
Perfect for pastel artists, painters, plein air enthusiasts, and creatives seeking inspiration, this conversation is packed with practical advice, artistic wisdom, and encouragement to show up at the easel and create meaningful work.
🎧 Subscribe for more pastel artist interviews, painting techniques, and inspiring art stories.
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