Praise

I was fortunate to meet Gail at one of her painting with pastel workshops.  It was here that I was impressed with Gail’s ability to communicate with ease her own approach to painting while showcasing her talent and effervescent personality.  Now, I would like to thank Gail for creating her new video course Pastel Painting En Plein Air.  It has truly reignited my creative drive with it’s helpful step-by-step instruction and technical guidance.  Gail not only excels in her ability to teach, she is very generous and giving of her knowledge as a professional artist.

I highly recommend this video and any of her workshops to beginners and professional artists alike.  I continue to draw inspiration from this video … I know you won’t be disappointed!

~ Kathie Smithson, Salt Spring Island, B.C.

Gail, I just finished my marathon viewing of your course, Pastel Painting En Plein Air! THANK YOU so much for this course and your even more generous sharing of how you work. It was very helpful to see how much life your color choices gave the finished piece, as I tend to pick what I think should be the “perfect” color for everything from the start, and then wonder why I end up with flat, lifeless results!
Also, thank you for the pep talks at the end…much needed for this budding artist!

~ Rhonda S., Indiana, USA

Dear Gail, I thoroughly enjoyed your course. It was presented so clearly from choosing a location through to the finished piece. It was easy to follow along and stop at any point and come back later – something you can’t do in a workshop. The best part for me was watching you apply pastel. You have such a featherlight touch allowing you to add many layers of pastel. It was a good lesson watching you apply pastel. I think you proved to me that if the value is right it doesn’t matter what color you use. The colors in the finished piece worked beautifully together. Thanks!

~ Gailen Lovett, Louisiana, USA

In her series of videos, Pastel Painting En Plein Air, Gail Sibley masterfully demonstrates how to create a successful plein air landscape painting from start to finish. I was inspired and energized while watching these unique “real time” step-by-step videos as Gail details all the elements needed to paint a landscape painting.

These videos are wonderful – terrific, clear, beautiful videos. Watching them, I feel that I’m at a workshop yet even better as I could see the entire painting being created up close and heard all the reasons why Gail added or changed things. I took notes as I wanted to remember key points just as I would if I was at a workshop somewhere.

The course easily follows along from one video to another. It’s easy to stop at a point and easily pick up later. The information and instruction is very thorough and at each step, because of the course outline, I know what I will learn next.

Gail imparts a wealth of information with lots of basic to technical information and decision-making skills such as strategy, foundation, composition, design, color theory, atmospheric perspective, and values, all while showing each stroke used to create her painting. Watching and listening to Gail demonstrate was so much fun and I will be looking at them time and time again as she imparts so much knowledge.

For me the best of this workshop is that it is unique for the amount of technical information given and the stroke work shown. It will appeal to an artist any artist at any level, from a beginning pastellist to an advanced one. It’s very clear that Gail is a great teacher.

I am much more confident and knowledgeable now when heading out to paint, not only my next plein air pastel painting but any painting!

This is a very unique workshop set of videos. I doubt if there is anything so complete out there. I would highly recommend this course of what I call a workshop set of videos. It’s truly wonderful.

Next a workbook companion!

~ Sandi Graham, Glenville, New York, USA

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Pastel Painting En Plein Air – what a wonderful course!!  

They say that a picture is worth 1000 words, well watching the creation of a picture and hearing the thought process at the same time is a priceless educational tool!  I learned so much in 21/2 hrs.  I painted a picture of my own right along with Gail so I could experience each process as it was given. I never knew how easily one can erase, correct, and change colors if you use a LIGHT touch! I was impressed how important each small stroke was to the outcome of the finished work. I was thrilled to see just what one takes and how the set up looks when painting en plein air.  The progression of the painting from choice of scene to cleaning the pastel was invaluable!  

I can’t wait for more courses from Gail!

Congratulations on a job well done!

~ Renee H.,  Florida, USA

I thought Pastel Painting En Plein Air was a terrific course explaining every step of the process and being able to “hear” your thoughts as you painted. Not all excellent artists can do that. I also was impressed that you began with very simple shapes rather than a detailed drawing that would then be “filled in.” The entire process was one of successive approximations until ever so gradually the beautiful painting was revealed. I do believe your process will be invaluable as I embark on a 4-day plein air workshop in the mountains. I am also very impressed with what you can accomplish with such a limited palette though most of your videos do just that but doing this with landscape is edifying. Thank you so much. I feel as if I have been at your side throughout the painting process!

~ Marie Fritz, New Mexico, USA