I thought I’d share this film snippet as I personally find that adding even the most unexpected colours to a portrait can help bring it to life! Here I have gently applied some green pastel on areas of light hair which is under shadow. I find this helps create depth and compliments the green in her eyes to help them pop. It may not seem like I am doing much but a little goes a long way! Faber Castell Pitt Pastel Pencils, PastelMat Paper

So after years of doing Pastel commissions, I finally put aside the time to draw my dog Badger! <3 I was smiling from start to finish during this as has been something that I have wanted to do for so long :) plus the fact I actually get to keep this one for myself in the studio!

One of my favourite parts of any pastel artworks are the final hairs. Pastels are very brittle and delicate in nature (you may see a bit fly off in this clip!) so I have to make sure they are nice and sharp.

This piece was an absolute joy to do and has now arrived in her new home all the way in Oklahoma USA :) I will be revealing the finished piece soon but thought it would be fun to show a short clip. Getting the reflection details of the trees and barn in the eye was my favourite part! I always get asked what my methods are when working and in all honestly it’s pretty spontaneous! I jump from various areas of the piece, adding colours and tones depending on what colour pastel I have in my hand. I also like to leave areas and come back to it with a fresh eye. Also apologises about the music...I left the radio on by mistake!

This was such a fabulous commission, as a being a fellow spaniel lover they were so much fun to create. Even though they appear so similar at first, I got to study their individual facial characteristics from Grandma, Mum and sparky Granddaughter! Now to by some more brown pastels!

This was such an interesting pose of her two horses and their little kiss is especially cute ❤️ I loved creating the dramatic light contrasts in their coats which really allowed me to use a whole spectrum of colours. Faber Castell Pitt pastel pencils - PastelMat Paper - 14”x18”

Working progress on a piece adding highlights along with my two favourite contrasting colours orange and blue to add depth of colour :) excuse my dog Badger barking!

Here is a little snippet of me putting some stitching onto the leather part of Orla the dog’s collar. Summer days like this in the studio are so relaxing... especially when the church bells are playing! Faber Castell Pitt Pastel pencils, pastelmat paper

A short video of me adding some little whiskers to this lovely brown Labrador. I really had fun adding what I call ‘secret colours’ such as blue and purple hues as I find it adds such depth and detail of the high and low lights of the brown coat. I also noticed when watching this back that I turn my pastels in my hand whilst I work (I was not aware I did this!) but I realised it was because then I could always get the sharpest edge of the pastel lead :) 10”x12” Faber Castell Pitt Pastel Pencil, PastelMat paper

This was the first piece I had done for a long time working on a light blue/grey shade of PastelMat. I really liked using this shade and have since used it multiple times!

This is a very short video showing me adding the ‘barely there whisky whiskers’ of his fantastic wirey coat as part of the finishing touches.

A little snippet of me adding some whiskers on the lovely Lily posing fabulously at the great age of 13 :)

A little snippet of me adding some whiskers which give the portraits their finishing touch! Also a first look at the nose which along with the eyes, are my favourite parts of animals to do…especially spaniels (not that I am biased much :P)

A short video I took once the piece was completed showing some close ups.

Here’s a little video of me adding the finishing touches :) This little dog has such fantastic ‘glass like’ eyes and I loved capturing the reflections shown in them! Faber Castell Pitt pastel pencils - 10”x12”