About
the blog for soft pastel art lovers
Inspired by my love of pastels and the enjoyment I receive from teaching about them the How to Pastel Blog has tips & tricks, reviews, step-by-step progressions, guest bloggers, and a great community on Facebook.
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A bit about me
I am very lucky to have been born and brought up in Jamaica, a land of beauty and complexity, of warmth and coolness, of vibrancy and tension. Many say that my Caribbean upbringing influenced my palette and I think they may be right. I do know that it shaped my worldview. Check out these sites to learn more about me and my work.
My Art Practice
Gail Sibley
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Visit NowMost Recent Edition
Friday, 14 March 2025
2 Comments
15 minutes to paint? Yes, it’s possible! See how I skipped my usual thumbnail sketch (😱), grabbed my pastels, and made the most of a fleeting plein air moment.
More Editions...
Work In A Series – Some Lessons Learnt During The 31-Pastels-in-31-Days Challenge
Thursday, 12 October 2017
October is Challenge month at HowToPastel. In the 31 days available this month, participants attempt to pastel every single day (posting in the HowToPastel Facebook group). One of the things I decided to do during the challenge was to work in a series. There are some subjects I’ve yearned to paint and the Challenge is
Sally Strand with her tip on how to achieve beautiful light in your paintings
Wednesday, 26 June 2013
I’ve been a great admirer of the work of Sally Strand for I don’t know how many years. I think I discovered her work in magazines when I was just getting into pastels in the early 1990’s. I was intrigued by the figures in lawn bowling, their white clothing against green of the ground, their
14 Ways to Get the Most Out of a Workshop
Wednesday, 24 August 2016
Are you taking a workshop anytime soon? I recently taught my workshop, Ramp Up Your Colour, to a small group of students on Salt Spring Island. Their focus and willingness to follow where I led was so rewarding. They really were the ideal students! Seeing their dedication to learning inspired me to write this post
Cleaning Soft Pastels – Check Out My Easy Method
Friday, 15 August 2014
I don’t know about you but my pastels get miiiiighty dirty when I use them. Whether you wear gloves or not, every time you pick up a pastel, you transfer particles from the pastel you previously held to the new one. And so the pastels get dirtier and dirtier. Ugh I say. So, cleaning soft pastels – what’s the best way? When
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Thumbnail Sketches – What Can Happen If You Deviate From Them!
If you’ve followed me for some time, you know how I encourage (demand?!) the creation and use of thumbnail sketches. These
The Value Scale: How Thumbnail Values Relate To Your Painting
As you probably know, I’m a big believer in the power of thumbnails. I create three-value thumbnails in black, grey, and
Lightfastness In Pastels – D8330 – A New Standard
Lightfastness in pastels. Is this something you’ve given any thought to? I have. And I haven’t. To tell you the truth,
Julie Greig – The Feeling Of Being There
New Zealand artist Julie Greig shares her pastel landscapes along with her process. She also takes us through her journey to becoming the artist she is today.
Finishing a pastel – a look at “The Ginkgo Tree”
Saturday, 1 March 2014
Working in a Series – Unlocking Creative Potential for Artistic Growth
Friday, 1 September 2023
Taking Time in Tuscany – Sketch Your Way to Better Paintings
Friday, 6 December 2024
Seeing Colour In Greys – “Sipping Patrón”
Thursday, 3 February 2022
Seeing With An Artist’s Eye – Aren’t We The Lucky Ones?!
Saturday, 8 August 2020
![Pastels on black aper: Gail Sibley, "Untitled [at this point], Mount Vision pastels on Sansfix pastel card, 5 1/2 x 7 3/4 in](https://www.howtopastel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_9649-2.jpeg)
Using Pastels On Black Paper
Wednesday, 13 April 2016
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6 thoughts on “About”
Gail! Just got turned on to your website by a fellow artist from Wellington, Ontario… both of us former presidents of the Pastel Society of Eastern Canada. I work primarily in pastel and it will always be my medium of choice! I could never give them up! Being a landscape artist for years, I would now like to change things up a bit and try abstract. I was inspired by your article about the progression of your abstract painting…it’s given me the courage to take that (for me) giant leap and go ahead with an image I’ve had in my mind for a long time. Thank you! I look forward to future e-mails! Your’s is one of the best Pastel websites I’ve come across. Look forward to receiving your emails.
Kathryn
Thank you for writing Kathryn, and for your enthusiasm! It comes over loud and clear 🙂 I am wondering which article on abstraction you are referring to. Perhaps you can add a comment directly on the blog? Good luck with your leap. I know how difficult it is to make. It’s ongoing risk-taking that’s for sure! Please let me know how it goes.
Look forward to hearing more from you
I just read your article in the April issue of “Pastel Journal”. Thank you so much. I felt as if you were speaking directly to me. I am going to tear it out and tape it to my studio wall.
Marcia
Marcia, that’s the best reward a writer/artist could hear!! Thank you for letting me know. (As yet, I still haven’t received my copy!)
Hi Gail. I’m really excited and pleased to have discovered your website. I live in southern Australia and I started painting with pastels a few years ago (self taught) , but went a bit stale after doing a couple of workshops- mostly because the pastel artists here who I came across seem to be very conventional and felt that I wasn’t learning much. I’ve been working in oils since and enjoyed it- as I’ve realised, it’s similar in many ways. You showcase so many exciting works – use of colour, composition etc. , and your quick tips are helping me rethink how to approach my work. Looking forward to hearing more about your workshop in Tasmania, or perhaps one in Europe in a couple of years’ time.
Hi Judi,
Thanks for writing such a lovely introduction to yourself and your work. Certainly oils are similar to pastels in the way one builds a painting. Interesting that! I’m glad though that my blog may bring you back to the pastel side 😀 Even if not, so much of what’s here can be applied to the other media available for painting.
I look forward to having you in one of my workshops whether in Tasmania or Europe!!