Clive Eastland Pastels Workshop
Friday 13th October 2023 in the Pavilion
Clive Eastland lives and works in Newbury, Berkshire. He has been a professional artist for the past twenty years and enjoys painting a wide range of subjects from landscapes and seascapes to still lifes. Born in 1962, Clive started painting in watercolour as a child but now primarily works in pastel. Using the richness and vivid colour of pastel, he captures the elusive quality of light to create an atmospheric and evocative image.
Friday 13th October 2023 in the Pavilion
Clive Eastland lives and works in Newbury, Berkshire. He has been a professional artist for the past twenty years and enjoys painting a wide range of subjects from landscapes and seascapes to still lifes. Born in 1962, Clive started painting in watercolour as a child but now primarily works in pastel. Using the richness and vivid colour of pastel, he captures the elusive quality of light to create an atmospheric and evocative image.
Clive gave an inspiring and impressive demonstration to the Society onTuesday 13th June. Gill Cox has kindly written the report on this follow-up workshop.
Still Life in Pastels - an Apple and a Jug
On Friday 13th October, Clive Eastland offered his renowned pastel still life workshop to 12 lucky Lechlade Art Society members. I confess, looking at how skilled his work was online, I feared we might never be able to do anything remotely decent, let alone anywhere near as good. It seemed so unattainable.
But right from the start of the day, we were set up for success by being given the best paper you can use: Clairefontaine Pastelmat, and by a gentle step-by-step demonstration. Firstly, we measured our two still life items onto our paper making tiny, invisible, pastel reference points to shape our objects properly, which is half the battle.
Clive's specific use of pastels being applied to the hand, and then applied to paper is both unusual and effective. Surprisingly, these hand marks are accurate. Moreover, if you chose your colours right too, they are dramatic.
Our pastel paintings came to life before our eyes as the minutes passed. The instructions were so focused on each student that we were all on our way to making an impressive art piece at the half way point, that is lunchtime. We were at such a development that we could talk enthusiastically between ourselves about every picture that was emerging.
Into the second half, we were approaching the complete filling in stage and those fine tuning marks. Not to be rushed, we were on schedule. The fruit piece began to glow with carefully applied detail in colour and shades, and the vase shone out with what appeared to be a varnished lustre from the surface of the paper. Lastly, we painted in the shelf to support our objects and our artworks were done.
Every student did a show and tell at the front of the class and beamed with pride. All twelve of us produced excellent work without fail - true converts to pastels.
As Clive Eastland says, "Painting with oils, why would you?". And I'm wondering that myself now with this newly discovered skill.
On Friday 13th October, Clive Eastland offered his renowned pastel still life workshop to 12 lucky Lechlade Art Society members. I confess, looking at how skilled his work was online, I feared we might never be able to do anything remotely decent, let alone anywhere near as good. It seemed so unattainable.
But right from the start of the day, we were set up for success by being given the best paper you can use: Clairefontaine Pastelmat, and by a gentle step-by-step demonstration. Firstly, we measured our two still life items onto our paper making tiny, invisible, pastel reference points to shape our objects properly, which is half the battle.
Clive's specific use of pastels being applied to the hand, and then applied to paper is both unusual and effective. Surprisingly, these hand marks are accurate. Moreover, if you chose your colours right too, they are dramatic.
Our pastel paintings came to life before our eyes as the minutes passed. The instructions were so focused on each student that we were all on our way to making an impressive art piece at the half way point, that is lunchtime. We were at such a development that we could talk enthusiastically between ourselves about every picture that was emerging.
Into the second half, we were approaching the complete filling in stage and those fine tuning marks. Not to be rushed, we were on schedule. The fruit piece began to glow with carefully applied detail in colour and shades, and the vase shone out with what appeared to be a varnished lustre from the surface of the paper. Lastly, we painted in the shelf to support our objects and our artworks were done.
Every student did a show and tell at the front of the class and beamed with pride. All twelve of us produced excellent work without fail - true converts to pastels.
As Clive Eastland says, "Painting with oils, why would you?". And I'm wondering that myself now with this newly discovered skill.
Many thanks to Gill for her report and for taking the photographs:
More of Clive's work can be seen on his website