News page of the Step by Step Art website

2024 Workshops update, Our Current Services, Upcoming Ventures, and the Latest Articles

13/3/2024

"I'm a really good boy!"

" Regrettably, there won't be any art workshops scheduled for this year. The recent arrival of a new puppy has posed challenges in my ability to dedicate the required time and effort to organise the workshops effectively. "
Best Wishes, Karen M Berisford

Good news however, we have exciting plans for the brand. Our intention is to produce instructional videos for YouTube that will demonstrate a variety of art techniques and offer tips to viewers. Furthermore, our ultimate objective is to establish a membership-based online art tutoring service in due course. Despite the shift towards online offerings, Karen will still be running in-person art workshops for those who prefer them. Keep reading to discover more new additions.

TUTORIALS

Unlock your creative potential with our FREE online tutorials! Our website currently provides 20 tutorials that cover various mediums, such as coloured and graphite pencils, acrylic paints, soft pastels, and oil pastels. Click the image/button to explore our full collection.

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Here we cover lots of art related things like reviews, tips, product analysis, mini tutorials, art advice, unboxing and much, much more! Why not join us by subscribing and clicking the notification button.

OUR TWO LATEST ARTICLES

Acid-free versus Archival: What you need to know about paper quality for your art - promo ad

Are you an artist who is passionate about ensuring your work stands the test of time? You may be familiar with the terms "acid-free" and "archival" in relation to paper quality. But have you ever wondered what these terms really mean and how they can impact your art? In our latest article, we delve into these very questions. Click the image to read the article.

Ergonomic arm rest for artists: A Must have accessory for your workspace

" For me, working at an easel for long periods can be challenging as it usually ends up with pain and stiffness in my shoulder, arm and wrist. In this article, I share my experience with using an ergonomic armrest, allowing me to work at my easel for more extended periods without experiencing discomfort."
Click the image to read the article.

UPCOMING VENTURES

Coloured pencil drawing of a Sumatran Tiger

In the future, we plan to provide a range of tutorials to help you learn new skills and techniques from the comfort of your home. These tutorials will cover a variety of subjects and will be available for download at an affordable price. We will keep you posted about this via our Ko-fi page. Keep reading to find out more about ko-fi.

As our YouTube channel continues to evolve, we will begin to develop full-length art tutorials. These tutorials will be accessible through a subscription-based service that provides exclusive content. Even though we are currently in the initial phases and have not yet established a definite launch date, we aim to introduce this service to you in the upcoming months.

Ko-fi is a fun website where you can stay updated with all the exciting updates from Step by Step Art. Originally designed for donations, it has now grown to provide even more features. On our page, you can enjoy regular posts, articles, reviews, videos, and in time, you'll be able to shop for any goodies that may be available in our store. Plus, you'll get every post delivered straight to your inbox as soon as they're published. It's a super easy way to keep up with the latest information. It’s free to join, so feel free to follow our page, leave comments, or ask us any questions you may have. If you're curious about how to sign up for Ko-fi, just click the button below to find out more.

what is ko-fi and how do i subscribe?

visit our ko-fi page

Let us know in the comments if there are certain subjects you would like us to include in our future articles, art tutorials or on our YouTube Channel.

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Latest articles

28/2/2023

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Our newsletter has dropped and we have three new articles now available.

We like to cover a wide range of mediums and products in each article, so in this newsletter, we explore the Chromaflow coloured pencil range, the latest pencil produced by Derwent. Do we have a UK Prismacolor Premier pencil finally? Our second article covers the creamy oil pastels by Sennelier. Even if you don't work with oil pastels, you may find this article interesting, and you may even decide to try them yourself.
Finally, we have the latest tutorial for soft pastel artists. If you haven't tried soft pastels before, we highly recommend you give this tutorial a go. It's so easy and you don't need any previous experience to make a brilliant piece of art.

Click on any of the images below to visit the article and have a read. Why not grab a coffee, as we do throw lots of information into our articles, so we hope you enjoy them!

Derwents' new coloured pencil range

The Chromaflow pencil was released in June of 2021, initially in the USA and India and then the UK and the rest of the world, the following year. Derwent is a company, that has produced quality products for over a century and a half, so we would expect this new range to meet all the usual standards, but do they?

In this article, we analyse the quality and application of the pencils. Did we find the same quality that we have come to expect from Derwent?

We provide information from our own research, as well as reviews by other artists', found online. See how they compare to other brands, in particular with the highly popular Prismacolor Premier pencil, but with Derwents' other lines too.

Pink flamingo created with Sennelier oil pastels on Clairfontaine Pastelmat

Sennelier collaborated with Picasso to create this lightfast oil pastel range

The Sennelier (pronounced Sen-el-EE-A) oil pastel is creamy, with an extraordinarily high pigment content, providing vivid colour and excellent covering potential and brilliance, with a high degree of light stability. Oil pastels are comprised of pigment in a non-drying binder of oil and wax, which is formed into a compact stick. Like soft (dry) pastels, alternative brands offer diverse combinations of binder, oil and wax, which make them soft or hard. The Sennelier Oil Pastels use the same high quality pigments and high pigment loads as their other lines, combined with a pure, synthetic binding medium and mineral wax.

In this article, we explore the possibilities of this compelling brand and the rich history of the company. We discuss best practices, delve into lightfast properties and provide recommendations on effective accessories. Finally, we share the feedback of other users and our own thoughts on this product. Even if you have never used oil pastels before, this article may inspire you to give them a go.

Poppy fields soft pastel tutorial promo image

New tutorial - Poppy field on black base for soft pastel artists

This is a tutorial created for the soft pastel artist. You may be a complete novice, unsure where to begin on your journey, or an intermediate looking for more knowledge.

Pastels are a quick and easy medium, making them ideal for the absolute beginner. We provide a simple breakdown of how to create an eye catching landscape of these sun-kissed poppies. We show you how to build the foundations and offer practical techniques. By providing images and descriptions, we offer an easy to follow guide for every artist.

You may just wish to pass the time with a box of pastel and a cuppa, simply because you like the composition. Wherever you are in the process, we encourage you to embellish as much as you want, or keep it as simple as we have. Why not give it a go?

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Articles found in our latest Newsletter (Q2)

20/6/2022

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Our newsletter has dropped and we have four new articles, including a brand new medium for our mini tutorials section, the oil pastel. If you haven't tried oil pastels, we would highly recommend you give them a go. Our new tutorial only takes 10 minutes to create a highly effective piece of work, and maybe you will fall in love with the medium too? We certainly love them!
We like to cover a different medium or product, in each article, so this quarter, we provide a list of blending tools for soft pastel artists, a selection of black papers for artists who enjoy working on a dark surface. We have chosen various surfaces and brands, suitable for numerous mediums, not just pencils.
Finally, we have updated the Prismacolor pencil artist. We really delved deep into the history of these pencils and believe us, these pencils have a great history. They span over a hundred years! We also discuss what these pencils can achieve, as we are aware that they are a favourite of many coloured pencil artists.

Click on any of the images below to visit the article and have a read. Why not grab a coffee, as we do throw lots of information into our articles, so we hope you enjoy them.

About the Prismacolor pencil
Updated

In this quarters' newsletter is the Prismacolor pencil. We analyse the claims found on the Prismacolor.com regarding their pencils. We share our personal views, as well as those of other artists', found from online research, and explain the metamorphosis of the Prismacolor pencil, which spans over a 100 years and is fascinating! Click the link to read the article. It is a long one so you may wish to grab a coffee before you start.

10 blending tools for soft pastels

Do you work with soft pastels or relatively new to the medium and require guidance? Have you found a particularly efficient way to mix soft pastels? Did you know that there are many ways to blend pastels? In this article, we provide a list of 10 blending tools that will assist you in your work.

12 Popular black papers for artists

During our search for the 12 black surfaces in this article, we found many more, with companies producing their own ranges, in varying shades of black and different textures. The following article provides you with a selection of the most popular brands, including some lesser known.

Brand new medium added to our tutorials section
Oil pastels

Are you new to oil pastels or wish to try the medium, but unsure where to start? Oil pastels are so easy to manipulate, which make them an ideal medium for the absolute beginner. We provide a simple step by step guide, allowing you to create a highly effective drawing in just 10 minutes.

Juicy strawberry oil pastel painting for a tutorial

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Let us know if you would like to see any other articles or tutorials by leaving us a comment below this article. Also, if you enjoyed an article in particular, let us know so we can do more like it. We always like to hear from you, the reader, so we can continue providing you useful content, and that you become a returning visitor to step by step art.

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Latest coloured pencil tutorial in the Colored pencil magazine

4/4/2022

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For the last few years, we have taken part in the workshop series, found in the American Colored pencil magazine. This year, we chose a very different subject for the series, which was the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. You can purchase this magazine as a digital download, and try this tutorial yourself.

Front cover of Colored pencil magazine April 2022 edition

We chose black paper and just 6 colours from the Prismacolor Premier range, plus the introduction of Derwent Metallic colours and the Gelly pens by Sakura. A fascinating study, which works extremely well on dark paper. Click the black bar below to go to the website and purchase your own digital download from just £2.99, or click the link button to view the full tutorial, here on the step by step art website.

Northern Lights coloured pencil drawing for a tutorial in the Colored pencil Magazine April 2022

progress of a coloured pencil drawing for a tutorial

workshop series promo for the Northern lights coloured pencil tutorial

try this tutorial today

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2024 Workshops update, Our Current Services, Upcoming Ventures, and the Latest Articles

TUTORIALS

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

OUR TWO LATEST ARTICLES

UPCOMING VENTURES

Let us know in the comments if there are certain subjects you would like us to include in our future articles, art tutorials or on our YouTube Channel.

Latest articles

Derwents' new coloured pencil range

Sennelier collaborated with Picasso to create this lightfast oil pastel range

New tutorial - Poppy field on black base for soft pastel artists

Articles found in our latest Newsletter (Q2)

About the Prismacolor pencil
Updated

10 blending tools for soft pastels

12 Popular black papers for artists

Brand new medium added to our tutorials section
Oil pastels

Latest coloured pencil tutorial in the Colored pencil magazine

Author

Archives

Categories

QUICK LINKS

HOW TO SUPPORT US

2024 Workshops update, Our Current Services, Upcoming Ventures, and the Latest Articles

TUTORIALS

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

OUR TWO LATEST ARTICLES

UPCOMING VENTURES

Let us know in the comments if there are certain subjects you would like us to include in our future articles, art tutorials or on our YouTube Channel.

Latest articles

Derwents' new coloured pencil range

Sennelier collaborated with Picasso to create this lightfast oil pastel range

New tutorial - Poppy field on black base for soft pastel artists

Articles found in our latest Newsletter (Q2)

About the Prismacolor pencilUpdated

10 blending tools for soft pastels

12 Popular black papers for artists

Brand new medium added to our tutorials sectionOil pastels

Latest coloured pencil tutorial in the Colored pencil magazine

Author

Archives

Categories

QUICK LINKS

HOW TO SUPPORT US

About the Prismacolor pencil
Updated

Brand new medium added to our tutorials section
Oil pastels