Susan Kuznitsky

Watch as Susan demonstrates her approach to plein air painting with pastels. Start by choosing a sturdy easel that won’t blow over. Next, quickly sketch out the big positive and negative shapes in your composition with a charcoal pencil. Use pastels to lay in flat areas of color, starting with your darkest colors and adding layers of lighter colors. Then brush over the pastels with a solvent to transform them into a paint-like pigment. Continue to add details and shadows with your pastels, always “layering up to the light” to keep the colors from becoming muddy. When finished, sign your masterpiece!