A symphony of edges

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Look closely at these radishes for a moment.

Radishes, 12x9” Pastel on LaCarte

Notice how some edges are crisp and sharp, like the bright snap of light on the cut radish. Others melt softly into shadow. Up in the greens, the marks break apart and let the air pass through. And at the bottom, the darkest radishes dissolve into the background until you can't quite tell where one ends and another begins.

Hard, sharp, soft, broken, lost. Together, that variety creates a symphony in the painting. It's what makes the ensemble breathe with life rather than feel stifled.

If that symphony had a name, it would be called Edges. Truth is, I've been a bit obsessed with edges for years.

What pulls me in is the way edges create an airy atmosphere, imbue a painting with mystery and mood, and bring a sense of focus, dimension, and depth, even within the compressed space of a small still life.

Hearing the sound of the surface puts me in good company. James McNeill Whistler titled his paintings like music, his Nocturnes, Arrangements, and Symphonies, because he understood that a painting is built from relationships of color, value, and edge. That same language runs through every subject I paint.

Spring Daffodils, 9x12” Pastel on UART 400

Take the daffodils, glowing yellow against deep blue. They tell the very same story, broken color, crisp accents, edges lost and found. 

Two totally different paintings, one thread weaving through them all.

If your eye is drawn to loose, expressive, atmospheric work, that pull you feel is the painter in you. And this thread, the rich variety of edges, is how you begin painting that way yourself. It's the heart of a looser, more painterly style. Best of all, it isn't a gift some artists are simply born with. It's a language, and it can be learned.

Which is why I'm so glad to share something new with you. 

I've taken everything I've learned from years of chasing after edges and poured it into a new mini course. My little symphony for pastel artists is called Edges.

In it, you'll learn to see, understand, and create the full range of edges in your own work, using simple still life subjects like the very radishes and daffodils above. By the end, you'll look at your subject with new eyes and start painting work that truly breathes.

Here's what's inside:

  • 4 lessons across 10 videos, including 3 painting demonstrations

  • A growth exercise with every lesson

  • The downloadable Edges Guide PDF and supply list

  • A bonus challenge, plus lifetime access to revisit anytime 

DISCOVER THE EDGES MINI COURSE

Self-paced, with lifetime access.

 

Come explore edges with me, 

Alain

How to Paint the Golden Hour: Capturing Summer Light in your Paintings

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Let’s take a trip together.

Come with me to a special place. To that hour, near the end of a summer day, when the sun sets aside its ordinary work of revealing the world and becomes a painter.

The light drops low and turns generous. Spilling across the field, it catches the edge of a shoulder, sets the grass aglow, and for a few minutes the whole world looks like something worthy of our full attention. Then it fades away.

Summer Gold, Alain Picard, 14x11” pastel on UART

It always fades. That’s the part of what makes the moment so precious.

We are the ones who take notice. While others walk past the glow on their way to dinner, we stop to soak in the wonder. Because artists see beauty, and search it out. We set the stage, wait for the right time of day, and hold still long enough for the muse to visit us. 

We are stewards of the light. Gathering its glistening beauty into pictures to share with those around us, so they too can discover the magic of the moment.

 

This summer, search out that golden hour. You may find it by the sea, in an open field, your own backyard, or somewhere far from home.

Bring a camera, a sketchbook, pastels, or simply your full attention. Stand in the last warm light before it slips away, and let it change you. Then capture your experience on paper, so the rest of us can feel it too.

The light is already on its way. Where will you meet it?

Keep painting, 
Alain

Faithful friend, fearless guardian

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Behind my friends' home, there was a small farm. A chicken coop, a horse in the field, a few goats wandering through, and four joyful daughters coming and going in the midst of it all. Watching over every one of them was Bear, a Maremma Sheepdog the size of a small bear himself. Hence the name.

You really cannot appreciate just how big this dog is until you stand next to him. He warded off coyotes at night, kept the chickens safe, played with the goats like they were his own siblings, and looked after those four girls as if it were his sworn duty. Bear lived outside in his element, content in his place at the heart of that family.

Bear, 12x12” pastel

When I went to photograph Bear for a painting, I found him right at home, out among the animals he loved. The portrait above came directly from that afternoon at the farm.

This painting of Bear highlights something I want to share with you this week. The most important thing to capture wasn't his coat, or even his likeness exactly. It was his spirit. That watchful, playful, gentle, enormous spirit. And spirit, it turns out, is exactly what the painterly approach aims to reveal.

There is a freedom that lives inside loose, expressive painting. The marks suggest more than they describe. Color carries feeling. The eyes, big contour shapes and a few telling edges do the heavy work of likeness, so the rest of the painting can breathe.

A handful of accurate shapes and well placed darks will carry more recognition than hours of carefully rendered fur. Fresh color brings a pet to life in a way that gray toned realism rarely reaches. And the love and familiarity you already have for your subject will find its way onto the surface, if you give yourself permission to stay loose.

Blue & Gold Macaw, 15x10” pastel

This approach works across species, too. The same painterly thinking that brought Bear to life carries a brilliant blue and gold macaw painted on a dark surface, pulling vibrant feathers out of the shadows with bold direct strokes of soft pastel. These animals come from different worlds, yet carry the same painterly heartbeat.

If you'd like to explore this kind of painting for yourself, I'd love to invite you into my Painterly Pet mini-course. It is a focused journey through evaluating your reference, designing your portrait, and painting two different pets in two distinct ways. You'll work through the painterly approach with a dog painted on a light surface (yes, Bear is the demo), and then take a walk on the wild side with an exotic macaw portrait on a dark toned surface.

Learn more about The Painterly Pet here.

THE PAINTERLY PET

May this week bring you joy at the easel, an adoring smile from your pet of choice, and maybe even a furry friend to paint along the way.


If there’s a pet curled up nearby as you read this, take a moment to really see them. That is where the painting begins. And since The Painterly Pet is self-paced, you can begin whenever inspiration strikes.

Keep painting,

Alain

The Painterly Pet

The secret to bold color in still life

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What makes a still life painting feel alive and vibrant rather than flat and ordinary?

Most artists think the answer is in the subject, finding something beautiful or interesting to paint. But the real secret is in the light.

Here's a simple idea that will change the way you see your still life setups forever:

The color of your light source sets the color mood of your entire painting.

Warm light bathes your subject in golden, glowing tones. Cool light shifts everything toward blue and violet. And when you understand that, you stop reacting to what's in front of you and start designing the color experience you want.

Alain Picard, Pink Donut in Cool Light, 6x8” Pastel on UART500

Alain Picard, Pink Donut in Warm Light, 6x8” Pastel on UART500

Look at these two paintings of the same pink donut. Exact same subject and composition. The only difference is the light source. A warm light produces a rich, glowing, orange-red painting. A cool light transforms the same donut into a soft, blue-violet one. The subject didn't change. The light did. I couldn't resist putting my own bold spin on them.

Wayne Thiebaud, Eclairs, 1963 oil on canvas

The great American painter Wayne Thiebaud understood this so well. His cakes and pies practically shimmer on the canvas because he designed bold color contrast right into his light. He wasn't just painting desserts. He was designing with light.

Here's a quick exercise to try:

You don't need fancy lighting equipment for this. Whatever you have at home will do. Grab any simple object from your kitchen, an apple, a cupcake, a pepper. Paint it once under a warm lamp (yellow cast to the light). Then swap to a cooler light (bluer cast) or move it to a north-facing window and paint it again. In both cases, be sure your subject casts shadows. Notice how the entire palette shifts. That's the color of light at work.

Alain Picard, Cupcake with Sprinkles, 7x10” Pastel on UART500

This colorful exercise is just a taste of what's coming your way. On March 25 and 27, 2026, I'll be hosting a free workshop called Bold & Loose: Painting Still Life with Pastel. Save your seat now for the free Bold & Loose: 3 Keys to Painting Still Life in Pastel workshop and paint along with us.

I think you're going to love it.

SAVE YOUR SEAT

Best Ways to Frame Soft Pastels

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Framing soft pastel paintings can feel confusing.

How do you prevent smudging?
Should you use a mat or spacers?
What’s the best glass or acrylic?

In this lesson, we’ll walk through the best ways to frame soft pastels and I’ll show you real examples from my own work.

I’ll even take a few framed paintings apart so you can see exactly how they’re built and protected. We’ll talk through:

·      The main framing approaches for soft pastels

·      Glazing options and how they affect appearance

·      Backing and support materials

·      Mat vs. no mat presentation choices

·      Best practices to protect your work long term

Watch the lesson

If you want your pastel paintings to look professional and stay protected for years to come, this session will give you clarity and confidence.



An autumn romance sparked in my studio

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There's something about October light that stirs the creative spirit. Farm stands overflow with gourds in every shape and size, orchard branches hang heavy with fruit, foliage painted in golds and reds. For pastel artists, autumn is filled with gifts, like complementary colors appearing naturally or the way light falls beautifully upon a simple pumpkin.

But here's what I've learned: the magic isn't in finding the perfect pumpkin. It's in discovering the relationships between the forms.

Noble Gourd, 9x9” pastel on Pastelgrain

The One I Almost Overlooked

I almost painted it alone.

The dark mysterious gourd—gorgeous, with deep shadows and a signature green streak—was clearly the star of this harvest show. Dramatic and confident. But something felt incomplete.

So I reached for the quiet one. A small, pale pumpkin I'd almost overlooked at the farm stand. Unassuming. The color of morning fog.

That's when a harvest romance was born.

That white pumpkin wasn't there to support its more important accomplice—it was there to make you feel it differently. Suddenly, reds felt richer, the green more alive. Shadows gained a depth that I couldn't have painted in isolation.

It's a timeless story; how we become more ourselves in the presence of another.

Harvest Romance, 9x12” Pastel on UART

Start Your Own Harvest Story

Here's an approach to still life storytelling that has served me well:

Start with one. A single pumpkin, gourd, or apple. One light source. Observe how light reveals its character. Notice the shadow patterns. There's magic in simplicity.

Then invite another. Add something that contrasts in size, color, or texture. Watch how the two begin talking to each other. A smooth apple beside a copper kettle. A rough gourd supporting a pale pumpkin. Unlikely accomplices making shadows shift as new relationships form.

Finally, add a third character. It could be a texture, some autumn leaves, a vessel, or another piece of harvest bounty. Now you have rhythm, conversation, and a story unfolds. But here's the secret: you're not painting everything. You're discovering which elements belong together.

Visit your local farm stand or orchard. Be playful and stay curious. Try different combinations. Use simple backgrounds so your subjects can shine. And remember: the best discoveries often come from the characters we almost overlooked.

Who knows? Maybe your own autumn romance will spark in the process.

Confidants, 10x10” pastel on UART

Your Autumn Invitation

Autumn doesn't rush. Neither should we.

This season is generous with gifts for artists. Whether you’re feeling led to paint, sketch, photograph the beautiful foliage, or simply arrange beauty on your kitchen table—the harvest invites us all to slow down and notice relationships.

Bring autumn home. Set up a still life with a single light. Start with one beautiful thing, then see who it wants to meet. The conversations might surprise you.

Keep Painting,
Alain

Looking for some pumpkin pairing fun to get you in the mood? Watch this FREE demonstration HERE!

Your Paper Mounting Challenges Solved!

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Do you ever feel frustrated trying to mount your beautiful pastel papers to boards? You're not alone! As artists who love working on those wonderfully gritty, sanded surfaces that make our pastels sing, we've all faced the mounting challenge. Those sanded or coated papers that give us such gorgeous results can also give us challenges if left unmounted, leading to curling, buckling and warping in unsightly ways that make framing a challenge.

I’ve been there – literally spending decades perfecting my mounting process using gatorboard and various adhesives. When my go-to product, 3M 568 positionable mounting adhesive, was discontinued, I felt that familiar artist panic: "Now what do I do?"

Citrus & Silver, 9x20 pastel on UART Dark

Here's the good news: I've discovered not just one, but two fantastic solutions that will make your mounting process easier and more reliable than ever.


Solution #1 
Professional-Grade Adhesive Film After extensive testing, I've found an excellent replacement in the double-sided adhesive film rolls from Artgrafix.com. This high-tack, acid-free adhesive is specifically designed for archival mounting and comes in both sheets and rolls to fit your needs.

Why it works so well:

  • Acid-free for long-term preservation

  • Strong, permanent bond

  • Works beautifully with 4-ply or 8-ply museum board, 3/16" Gator board, and Sintra board

  • Available in various sizes to match your preferred working dimensions

Pro tip: Many boards are now available with self-adhesive backing – just peel and stick!

Solution #2
The Game-Changer – UART Peel-N-Stick Sheets This is where I get really excited! UART has just introduced their brand-new Peel-N-Stick sanded sheets – and they're a complete game-changer for pastel artists.

What makes these special:

  • Self-adhesive backing (no more fumbling with separate adhesives!)

  • Available in both sanded and dark papers

  • Professional-quality surface you already know and love

  • Simply peel, stick to your favorite board, and start painting

I'm particularly honored that UART featured my painting "Citrus & Silver" (9x20" on UART Dark) on the cover of their new dark paper packaging. I love working on their dark surface in both 400 and 500 grits – there's something magical about how pastels glow against that rich background. Explore the full range here. 

Join Me for a Special Landscape Adventure! 

Mark your calendar: September 8-12, 2025

Ready to break free from perfection and experience the joy of loose, expressive landscapes?

Over three live sessions, I'll guide you through breakthrough exercises that unlock painting freedom and help you make a bigger impact through your work. Come enjoy a fresh dose of confidence-building play!

SAVE YOUR SEAT for Landscape Week. I can't wait to share this experience with you!

Discover the Power of Simplicity

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What if I told you that the landscapes you admire most—the ones that make your heart skip—aren't painted with more detail, but with profound simplicity? 

There’s a secret that the masters knew: When you stop trying to paint everything, you start painting the true feeling of the moment. That's the power of simplicity.

I'm thrilled to share the newly remastered painting demonstration - "Blue Country View".

Blue Country View, 6x12” pastel on UART

This European farmhouse scene is a perfect context to explore how reducing complex landscapes to their fundamental light and shadow patterns can actually make them more compelling, not less.

You'll discover a painterly approach to landscape painting: starting with a bold blue underpainting to establish the cool shadow areas, then gradually introducing warm golden ochres and oranges to create that gorgeous complementary harmony. This video goes way beyond technique, it's about learning to see - how to squint past the details and capture the quality of light that makes late afternoon so magical.

Whether you're drawn to the methodical dark-to-light process, the atmospheric blending techniques, or simply want to experience the meditative joy of painting the European countryside alongside me, this remastered version offers enhanced audio alongside the same solid instruction. Perfect for both longtime subscribers revisiting a favorite lesson and newcomers discovering it fresh!

Watch the Video

Here's the truth: The farmhouse will always be there, but that golden light raking across the field? That's fleeting.

Let's capture it together while your inspiration is burning bright.

If this peaceful countryside scene inspires you, save the date for Landscape Week on September 8, 2025! It's the perfect opportunity to dive deeper into painterly landscapes together.

3 Keys to Painting Aging Faces with Dignity

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There is a profound nobility in the weathered faces of our elders, each line and contour telling stories of decades fully lived. Their expressions carry the weight of experience, the quiet confidence of wisdom gained, and the subtle dignity that comes with advancing years. As artists we have a unique opportunity to capture these qualities through the sensitivity of our medium, creating portraits that honor both the strength and vulnerability present in our seasoned subjects.

I’d love to walk you through three essential keys to capturing their character with authenticity along the way.

Alain Picard, The Fisherman, 18x12” pastel 

1. Master Your Initial Observation

Begin your portrait journey through careful observation and sketching. Document the essential architecture of aging: how surface skin patterns relate to the bone structure beneath, where characteristic wrinkles appear, and how proportions shift with time. Pay particular attention to thinning lips, enlarged noses, and developed ear lobes. Study the depth of eye sockets and how hair patterns change, including areas of thinning and graying. With careful observation you become a student of aging faces.

 
 

2. Build Form Through Light and Shadow

A solid structure is more important than surface details. Start with charcoal or hard pastels, applying thin, controlled initial layers following the fat-over-lean principle. Rather than drawing individual wrinkles, concentrate on how light interacts with the form and surface of the head. Establish your major light and shadow areas first, considering positive and negative shapes. Use the technique of squinting to see broader value patterns clearly. Once confident in your foundational layers, transition to soft pastels, using light, side-stroke applications to build your forms progressively. Let the play of light tell the major story of your subject's features.

3. Suggest Rather Than State

Exercise restraint in depicting age lines – less really is more! Kindness matters at this stage. Use side strokes for broader areas and let your application method create natural texture with soft pastel. Build depth gradually through varying pressure, allowing underlying tones to show through. Pay special attention to areas where blood at the surface of the skin may influence color like around the eyes and use cooler tones in more recessed areas like the jaw or in the hair. If your character is rugged like the weathered fisherman, then hatching with choppy marks is a great way to suggest this quality. Every mark should serve to suggest rather than explicitly state the effects of time.


Remember: Your goal is capturing the essence of the individual, not cataloging their age. Each mark contributes to telling your subject's story with dignity and grace.

Enjoy this rewarding creative experience as you celebrate the aging faces in your life!

Alain

The Secret to Sparkling Pastel Ornaments Revealed

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I'm sharing my painterly technique for creating ethereal, shimmering Christmas ornaments in pastel! Join me for a special painting session where I'll reveal my secrets for capturing that ephemeral holiday sparkle.✨

You know those moments when light catches a delicate ornament just right? In this lesson, we'll learn how to capture that magic with pigment. I'll guide you through each step of creating luminous holiday ornaments in soft pastel that seem to glow from within.

Watch the Lesson

What I'm revealing today:

  • The painterly technique behind that shimmering glow

  • My layering secrets for achieving dreamy, pastel effects

  • The surprisingly simple method for adding mesmerizing highlights

Whether you're a seasoned artist or just beginning your creative journey, these techniques will add a beautiful new dimension to your holiday paintings.


It's the season of wonder, and I want to celebrate with you! So let's create some holiday magic together!

Wishing you a Merry Christmas, with abundant creativity and joy in the coming year.🌟

Alain Picard

Colors of Fall: Three Strategies for Painterly Landscapes

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Living in New England, one thing never fails to take my breath away—the vibrant colors of fall. The changing leaves here rank among the most stunning sights in nature. I want to share the beauty of autumn with you and explore how we can bring this seasonal magic to life through our art.

Painting Fall Foliage: A Perfect Opportunity

Autumn landscapes present a golden opportunity to hone your painterly techniques. The season’s bold, rich colors demand expressive brushwork, making it a perfect time to stretch your creativity and learn new approaches. Let’s walk through three key strategies that will guide you through painting the essence of fall using pastels.

Thumbnail Sketch, Tombow Brush Pens, White Paint Pen

1. Design with Value

Before diving into the vibrant hues of fall, it’s crucial to first establish a strong foundation with value sketches. Simplifying your scene into light and dark shapes helps create a well-designed composition. By squinting at your reference, you can filter out the details and focus on the large value masses. This method allows you to see the pattern of light, middle, and dark tones that form your scene.

When painting light, you’re painting form. But with shadows, you’re capturing the atmosphere. Keep your shadows flat and simple, avoiding excessive detail. Simplifying the scene in this way lets you see your subject in a more painterly manner, setting the stage for a dynamic composition. 

100-Stroke Color Study on LaCarte Card

2. Suggest with Marks

Now that you’ve laid out your composition, it’s time to take bold steps with your mark-making! One of the best exercises to develop your confidence in this area is the 100-Stroke Challenge. The goal is to make each stroke deliberate, as you’re limited to only 100. This encourages you to squint down your scene and make each mark count.

Some helpful tips:

  • Use side strokes to cover more ground.

  • Step back often to view the big picture.

  • Be decisive with your marks—once you make them, don’t touch them again.

Blaze of Glory, Alain Picard, 10.5x16” Pastel on UART400 Board

3. Create the Impression

With your underpainting in place, carry on to the final painting, bringing your fall colors to life with just enough detail to suggest the scene’s magic. Remember, you’re creating an impression, not a photograph.

Here’s a helpful mantra I like to use: “Be an impressionist, not a journalist.” Journalism is all about describing granular details to tell the story. Impressionism is about capturing the big effect to create a feeling of the moment. This mantra will remind you to focus on the big effect, stepping back often to ensure you maintain the freshness and simplicity that impressionism requires.

In the final steps of a painting, build up the lights with thicker pigment, while keeping the shadows airy and flat. By simplifying your details and focusing on form in the lights, you’ll capture the essence of autumn.

 

Fall’s glorious colors offer endless inspiration for painterly landscapes. By focusing on value, bold marks, and a painterly impression, you’ll capture the beauty of autumn with a fresh, artistic approach.

Keep showing up at the easel for your creative dreams!

Alain Picard

The Secret To Bold And Fresh Color!

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Thanks for giving me the opportunity to come along side you and encourage your creative growth throughout the year. It fills me with such fulfillment and joy to share painterly techniques and creative insights that help you flourish so you can make an impact through your art.🙌

I want to express my gratitude to you by sharing a lesson on how to get to bold, expressive color in your paintings filled with freshness and excitement. Would you like to know the secret? Color studies!

Enjoy this video lesson on Color Studies and know that I am so grateful we can share our creative journey together.

Ready to jump into more lessons and more hands-on techniques like these, join us in one of our Pastel Painting courses where we dig deeper into various pastel techniques such as these.

Be inspired!
Alain