Carole Katchen, well-known artist, workshop instructor and author, invites readers to begin expressing their own ideas in the brilliant, liberating medium of pastel. This book will inspire pastel painters looking for new creative directions and gives beginners a great place to start. Checklists, tips and step-by-step demonstrations make the instruction easy to follow. Artists will first learn how to master basic techniques, from choosing colors, paper and fixatives to making expressive marks. The second half of the book guides artists to explore the "boundless limits" of their own creativity. Katchen motivates artists with: * A 10-point checklist for choosing evocative subjects * Tips on how to break the rules and take chances with pastel * Strokes that will reflect and enhance personal vision * Four different approaches to beginning a painting * Advice on how to strive for excellence, not perfection