How to Capture the Brilliance of Spring When Painting

Spring Greens by Liz Haywood-Sullivan

Spring Cleaning? Spring into Painting Instead!

Spring is in the air, and I am so excited. For me, spring is a time of regrowth and reflection. Here in Ohio, winter tends to turn all of nature into a palette of gloomy colors; then when the season starts to change, the warmer weather reactivates the earth, transforming into bright greens and brilliant blooms.

As we immerse into this new season, I plan to take in all the changing colors of nature, as if stepping into a painting of a lush landscape. And, to that point, why not try to capture this vibrancy within an actual painting? Enter award-winning pastelist Liz Haywood-Sullivan with her latest instructional video streaming on ArtistsNetwork.tv, Landscape Painting in Pastel: Spring Greens!

After a review of project materials and tools, Liz shows how to create a lovely spring green composition step by step, with budding flowers scattered in the foreground and middle ground—in both sunlight and shadow.

Along the way you’ll learn key pastel techniques, from preparing thumbnails and value sketches, establishing the underpainting and setting a strong foundation, to developing the many layers of warm and cool pastels, adding a sense of depth in shadows, and creating the final highlights on the wild blooms. (Insider Tip: Mixing greens in pastel is easy when you have the right color for your underpainting. Use a warmer red for summer greens and a cool red, almost purple, for spring greens.)

Below is a sneak peek of Liz’s new video. To stream the full-length demonstration, head over to ArtistsNetwork.tv and discover how to capture a lasting memory of spring on paper, no matter the season.

About the Artist

Vice president of the International Association of Pastel Societies, Liz Haywood-Sullivan teaches workshops across the U.S. and abroad. She has “Signature Memberships” in several art groups, including Pastel Society of America and Academic Artists of America, and her award-winning pastel paintings can be found in numerous national galleries. You can learn more about Liz and her art by visiting her website, LizHaywoodSullivan.com.

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