The Art of Pastel Portraiture: Madlyn-Ann C. Woolwich

In The Art of Pastel Portraiture, noted pastelist Madlyn-Ann Woolwich has called on a group of outstanding artists to demonstrate the important elements that go into creating successful portraits in pastel. After covering materials, techniques, and color, the book focuses on the critical subject of composing the portrait - choosing the format and pose, lighting the model, and working from photographs. Next, demonstrations by various artists reveal the keys to dealing with individual facial features, including those of children. The book then explores the subtleties of portraiture, from conveying emotion and character, to relating one figure to another in a multiple-figure portrait, to using backgrounds, special settings, and personal objects to convey meaning. It concludes with a thought-provoking chapter in which six of the artists, following the same assignment directions, produce beautiful, uniquely personal pastel paintings of a female figure. Throughout the book, luminous pastel portraits illustrate an amazing range of styles, techniques, and approaches.