We are delighted to celebrate the completion of the Pastels Certificate Course by Adam Perryman, whose final assignment showcases a wonderful range of work and a genuine enthusiasm for the medium that shines through every piece.
Adam has clearly thrown himself into this course with real commitment, and his journey with pastels has been an adventurous one. Starting out with more modest materials before working his way up through Faber-Castell, Sennelier and ultimately a rather well deserved set of 200 Jackson’s Pastels, he has developed a confident and expressive approach that is very much his own.
For Drawing 1, Adam tackled one of the most challenging subjects any artist can attempt, the human hand. Working within a strict 20 minute time limit for each study, he produced three versions, first in pencil and then in pastel. The pencil study is particularly impressive, with lovely tonal variation and a strong sense of form and weight in the fingers. The coloured pastel version, with its warm skin tones against a vivid blue shadow, shows a boldness with colour that is very appealing.
Drawing 2 explored perspective, and Adam approached both parts of this exercise with admirable persistence. The parallelogram colour study, bold blocks of red, white, yellow and blue against a rich green ground. The two-point perspective box construction, spread across three sheets of A2, shows a solid understanding of how receding lines work in space.
Drawing 3 his landscape in pastels, based on a photograph taken along the banks of the River Thames. The sky is beautiful, with soft, layered clouds sitting naturally in a blue that deepens towards the top. The warm glow across the foreground field and the textured tree line give the whole composition a lovely sense of atmosphere and depth. Adam tells us he was so pleased with this one that he has had it framed, and we are not at all surprised.
Drawing 5, the vegetable composition, is another highlight. Adam originally experimented with boxes and bottles before deciding they lacked contrast, and his solution was inspired. A butternut squash, a head of celery, a sweet potato and two purple turnips make for a wonderfully varied still life, full of rich colour, contrasting textures and satisfying tonal variety. The pale blue background sets everything off beautifully. This one has been framed too, and quite rightly.
Adam writes that the course has helped him discover techniques he would never have tried otherwise, and has given him the confidence to tackle tutorials and projects he would previously have avoided. That growing confidence is written all over this final assignment, and it is a joy to see. We wish him every success with his pastel journey ahead, wherever it takes him next!
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