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Pastels – Birds on Wire

Step 1

After getting all your kit together, don’t forget to check out the ‘What You Need’ tab above. Start by sketching on textured paper. Sketch 2 small birds in the centre of the page – they look a little bit like upside down tear drops. Then, add a line.

Step 2

Apply a first layer of black, and work in from dark to light, blend with your thumb. Add extra layers for texture and depth.

Step 3

Make sure to have a sharp edge on your black pastel and fill in the birds and add your wire – the pencil line you drew earlier. You’re done! Stand back and marvel at your masterpiece. Is it a flyaway success? Don’t worry if not, try again on a fresh sheet.

When using oil pastels, make sure that any layering work you do goes from dark to light.

This is what you’ll need

  • Sketching Pencil
  • Textured, oil paper
  • Oil pastels
  • Scalpel (not available from Reeves)

You can get all of these items in the Reeves oil pastel sets or in the oil colour Complete Set. Paper sold separately. You’ll find everything you need with a stockist below or from online.

Share your work with the world

Tag your masterpiece with #wearereeves. We’ll feature the best on our Instagram page.

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