Joyful Spring Florals
This was such a joyful, colourful class, and I am really glad I can still share it with you, even if the recording is a little different this time.
Just a quick note before you begin: this session was recorded through Zoom rather than my usual setup, as I ran into a rather classic “full hard drive” moment. So the quality is slightly lower than you might be used to from me. That said, the heart of the class, the teaching, and the atmosphere are all very much there, and I truly think it is worth watching.
You can find the recording in the library - its the first video in the Pastel and Crayon folder: Here.
In this session, I guide you through creating loose, vibrant floral pages inspired by spring flowers. We explore a range of materials, including soft pastels, oil pastels, and wax crayons, and I show you how each one behaves quite differently. You will see how to layer them, how to embrace their textures, and how to combine them with other media to create rich, expressive work.
Rather than focusing on perfection, I encourage you to work in a playful, intuitive way. This is very much about filling your page with colour, letting your flowers spill off the edges, and allowing yourself to make something a little bit messy and full of life. We also talk about contrast, using darker backgrounds instead of black, and adding highlights and details to bring everything together.
You will also see a lovely range of artwork from others in the class, all created with different materials and approaches, which is always such a beautiful reminder that there is no one “right” way to do this.
Our next theme is Nature’s Patterns, and I will be sharing more on that soon. There is also a request for a seaside watercolour session, which I am very excited about and will be planning shortly.
I hope you enjoy this class and that it brings you a sense of calm, playfulness, and creative energy. Do share what you make, I always love seeing your work.
Materials I used:
Soft pastels
Oil pastels
Wax crayons (some water-soluble)
Toned paper (I used a beige paper)
Coloured pencils for details
Optional: water, brushes (for water-soluble crayons)
Optional: baby oil or blending medium for oil pastels