Painting Demo: Using An Easy No Fail Underpainting!

Do you ever wonder how to start a pastel painting? There are so many underpainting choices that it can be overwhelming. In this video I show you how I start a pastel painting using what I call a Simple No Fail Underpainting. It is my go to underpainting when I don't want to overthink a painting.
Note: I did add some finishing touches to the painting after the video ended. I added a few 'spice' marks.
You can see the finished painting and my description of spices on my blog kemstudios.blogspot.com/2018/0...
For more pastel and painting instruction check out my Patreon Page! / karenmargulis

[@Lily-uv9uu]

The best soft pastel teacher on KZbin. Beautiful technique

[@dejewa]

I agree!! My favorite! I’ve watched the other popular ladies, but a lot of videos they are selling - themselves, or products -it can be subtle or overt and I dislike that - and you are all about teaching and giving. Your personality and nature is so sincere. Thank you for your videos! I hope you more more - but I also just love going back and rewatching your old ones.

[@annamcknight2573]

You are a born teacher. And it is such a joy to watch the work progress through various stages. Suddenly it comes alive. You have total mastery of your medium and great generosity to share that mastery with us.

[@KarenMargulis]

Thank you very much Anna!

[@lamalightening7396]

Thank you Karen! I've only ever used pastels and pastel pencils without an underpainting. Love your technique.

[@monetcafe]

Wonderful demo Karen! I love the interaction when your videographer makes suggestions ;) If my husband were filming me I think he'd drive me crazy with nit-picky suggestions, LOL! But seriously, your hubby does a great job!

[@KarenMargulis]

Thank you!! We are a good team usually. Remind me to tell you about the time I had pastel on my face :)

[@monetcafe]

@@KarenMargulis Ha Ha.... I'm sure you guys have some great stories :) Such a blessing to work with your soulmate

[@lindagerhard8381]

Wonderful! I love seeing that contrasting underpainting peeking out in the trees. Thanks again for showing how to create reflections in the water. Great lesson!

[@Orchidlady50]

Karen your video quality is so improved. Sound is much better too. You are such a great teacher. I really appreciate your narratives on the reasoning behind your choices of color for layers etc. And I finally understand leaving some of your underpainting showing thru. I never understood why you would cover it up. Thank you so much for imparting your knowledge!

[@KarenMargulis]

Thanks! I appreciate your feedback!

[@marge8406]

You make it look so simple.

[@gathercreatelivewithleslie8340]

I love all the instruction, it is so very helpful. You make it all seem so easy. I'm kinda cheap so I've been saving all the dust with a piece of paper under my painting and I save it to mix with alcohol and do the underpainting. It doesn't give me the variance of color, but does color the white surface like using a colored paper. Lovely picture.

[@lisengel2498]

And I loved the wet underpainting used on pastels - really nice effect and lovely demonstration and talking of your process

[@dech4548]

Love this and it inspired to give it a go! Although, you make it look so easy, for us it’s not as easy as you make it seem but that’s ok, we just have to practice and practice some more! Great video, full of important lessons! Can’t wait for the trees! Thanks Karen 🙏

[@claudiachappel3350]

I think it is magical the way your under painting transformed into this magnificent and beautiful painting. Great job!

[@lindatobey4051]

Thank you so much. I am just starting out and you have helped me so much with a good foundation to start off with! Beautiful

[@simaabedini3617]

I took a picture very similar to this scene, except there are grasses in foreground . Every time I follow your teaching my painting gets all wows . Thank you Karen

[@KarenMargulis]

Thanks for your feedback! I appreciate it!

[@wieswarnders6501]

Beautiful painting Karen, I I have learned a lot from it! thank you!

[@sabinelloyd8532]

I love your style of teaching, it keeps things simple but achieves an intricate result!

[@KarenMargulis]

Many thanks!

[@mardeg1008]

That underpainting changed the whole game of how the painting came to life and you have provide some great tips, love your work dear friend

[@KarenMargulis]

Thank you so much 😀

[@lisamartin1567]

Thank you for explaining the under painting process and making it more simplified! I don’t feel like I need to be overthinking it so much. The simple 4 values of one color will help me get over the fear of starting something too complicated!

[@KarenMargulis]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@angelreading5098]

I do love pastels,my favourite medium,lovely demonstration Karen.

[@Linda-qq5mg]

I learned so much from this video! It is wonderful, and was so enjoyable watching you paint and listening to your reasoning for the techniques you used! Thank you so very much.

[@KarenMargulis]

Thank you for watching Linda!

[@christanaden9085]

One word- Fantastic. Love your demos. CN

[@bevross935]

Really fantastic. So well grounded in color theory and such a good teacher and artist

[@KarenMargulis]

Thank you so much!! I appreciate you watching.

[@KSInvestor]

This was fantastic I tend to get stuck and how easy you make it and how my mind can just flow through that landscape

[@KarenMargulis]

Thanks for watching!

[@annakatzenstein9632]

Most beautiful piece of art, Karen, thank you for sharing. Step by step, watching your tutorials, I understand, that I am far away from being an arist. But I also learn where my attention has to by while painting. En german poet Rilke wrote it perfect to me: „He has to learn from the things start again like a child, because they, who were dear to God, did not leave him. One thing must he do again: fall, patiently resting in the heaviness, which conquered the birds all to fly ahead of it.“

[@lyneqc7805]

Karen I agree, video quality is a lot better, thank you for sharing your knowledge with us, it does help a lot, thank you have a nice day !

[@terrilynnstalvey1416]

Wow. Underpainting explained 👍. Reflections explained well what is up is in water 👍. Explains in such a cohesive way. Thank you. Paining is awesome, ❤ your style and process. Excited to try. 🤗

[@luzaguzman6306]

Wodefull videos. So informative! I just want to start using the pastels for the first time thanks for making it look so easy!

[@Beautiful_Dreamer]

Love your tutorials! Thank you! Greetings from Germany ❤️

[@chio53]

Thank you very much, Karen, for your video. It's very interesting and useful. It has helped me a lot.

[@johnsmall4318]

Fantastic tutorial Karen. Superb explanation of water!

[@autochick123]

Great tutorial! Your choices made the artwork pop. Thanks for sharing your work.

[@KarenMargulis]

Thanks so much 😊

[@adrianamathewd6482]

You are amazing, I’ve had these pastels and had no idea on how to use them. You make it look so easy and fun I can hardly wait to do it myself. You have in me a student for life thank you

[@KarenMargulis]

Thanks so much 😊

[@louisesommerfeld54]

love the way you introduce small bits of color throughout the painting = like little gems! Wonderful sense of color which makes your paintings irresistible to the eye encouraging many trips back to explore more wonderful eye candy.

[@KarenMargulis]

Thank you so much!

[@charleenpage107]

So helpful ,as always. Inspiring me to try pastel work

[@petrajimenez7323]

Very enjoyable demonstration ! Thank you .

[@amandas7096]

Thank you so much for the great lesson with all the detailed explanations, from an amazing artist! I just strated out using pastel and i learnt a lot just watching 1 or two video.... Can't wait to start painting... From Australia

[@KarenMargulis]

You're very welcome!

[@KathyBrooksArt]

Wow, what a beautiful painting. I loved learning about doing trees, reflections & water! Thanks

[@KarenMargulis]

Glad you enjoyed it Thanks for watching!

[@daleshawn1910]

This is wonderful. What I’ve been looking for. Thank you so much!

[@KarenMargulis]

Thanks for watching!

[@user-ks9wn8su4n]

Hello from Belarus! Thank you so much for your lessons!

[@poulos801]

Another great demo. Thank you.

[@Kyomiibrown]

Wonderful tutorial, thanks Karen 🙂

[@ranjanachand9306]

Lovely painting and style....I never thought of pastel painting being interesting.. I'm tempted now to go down that way too... Thanks

[@KarenMargulis]

Go for it! Pastel is so much fun! Thanks for watching!

[@valeriefairbanks4172]

Thank you so much for sharing your talent, I appreciate that very very much. your teaching is fun and understandable for me.

[@KarenMargulis]

Thanks for watching and your kind comment! I appreciate it!

[@christinelozeart7474]

Beautiful. You make it look so easy!

[@KarenMargulis]

Thank you! 😊

[@MathinusG]

Thanks Mam. Great to see the test samples on the side too.

[@alexloweh1]

My favourite soft pastel artist 👍🇬🇧👍🇬🇧

[@jimspatz9211]

Great Karen. Thank you.

[@rezahossainzadehnasser2537]

Great tutorial. Thanks a lot Karen.

[@blurredfate]

this was so helpful, Wow! beautiful painting

[@user-yd6nw5gh5w]

I stand in awe of your talent Karen. My hands are itching to try it myself. Everything I have done so far looks so bland compared to yours.

[@naomibrik8843]

Marvellous, thank you so much! I very like the grey green for the background... Suggestive

[@NolaDWrites]

T hanks so much. Didn’t know that one could do a wet under painting. Very informative.

[@KarenMargulis]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@Coco2345ful]

Lovely! Thanks for sharing!

[@sueaberle935]

Love this!

[@joannemulcahy1116]

Thank you Karen for another clear and instructive video, you've renewed my enthusiasm for pastels! In your last few videos, I have been admiring the large blue toned tree painting you have to your left. I wondered if there would be any chance of a demo on that? Greetings from the UK x

[@KarenMargulis]

Thank you for watching! I will add your suggestion to my list!

[@eveeichner3627]

Thank you for your great videos!

[@belindaroca4577]

Karen your videos are so awesomea

[@marcelacastillo2580]

, very , very good, thanks.

[@annelloydholden2567]

Thank you. Very informative!

[@KarenMargulis]

You are welcome!

[@jamesholder13]

Awesome painting!

[@ginatexasgirl9438]

Karen~it would be better when before starting all your lessons ( materials ) tell the type of board or papers on all of your lessons that you are using.You are the best of all artist using pastels. I started with pastel back in 1964. I am 89.

[@scrappysoulsister]

Love this, very helpful!

[@KarenMargulis]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@janecourtenay3676]

Thank you, Karen for this terrific demonstration. I am a portrait painter and find doing landscapes very difficult. I simply don’t know where to start! You help me so much with your simple directions and unfussy approach, so I am gaining more confidence and becoming much more daring in my approach to landscapes. Maybe one day I shall be a lot better at them. 💓

[@KarenMargulis]

Thank you Jane! I appreciate you watching my videos!

[@aurawright2130]

Awesome video! Thank you!

[@stephengreico2810]

Amazing teacher

[@GGGG-zy3yn]

Hi Karen. I love this painting. You really do a great job of breaking down the steps. You make it look so easy....I know it isn't though!! Can you tell me 2 things please? How do you attach the paper to the board and what kind of board is it? Also, what size is this paper? Thank you so much!

[@adrianamathewd6482]

I tried doing a lake scene and for my first time it looks okay. I’m so excited to learn more. Thank you see you on you tube Adriana Mathews

[@KarenMargulis]

Have fun! Thanks for watching!

[@agold1702]

Beautiful

[@KarenMargulis]

Thank you! I appreciate you watching!

[@potomaccrafter]

That was amazing, and so informative on so many levels. I have a question that may sound really basic--even silly? What is a warm and a cool color, exactly? Is it just the presence or absence of yellow? I never seem to get this right, haha!

[@donnagannon5239]

Hi, Karen. I started painting with you last year but had to take a break until now. Your teaching is SO helpful that I can just pick up where I left off (except for personal practice!). Thank you . Please keep up the demos. Did you say that you have your own set of plein air pastels for sale?

[@KarenMargulis]

Hi Donna, Thank you!! I appreciate your comment. I am working on putting together my own set of 60 pastels for Terry Ludwig. I will announce more when I have more details! Hopefully soon!

[@markthompson3449]

SHAZAM!

[@naomiruthie]

This painting was fabulous. Great demo!! Can you tell me if you can get the similar results using water rather than alcohol or do you need the alcohol to loosen the pigment?

[@KarenMargulis]

Thank you! Water works as well with similar results!

[@michellet204]

Beautiful painting Karen! After you lay down the wet underpainting do you use soft or hard pastels?

[@KarenMargulis]

Thanks for watching! I usually use soft pastels over the underpainting but I use a light touch so I can build up my layers.

[@carolfactor1865]

Can I find out what brand/kind of pastels you use in this video? Thank you for your instructions!

[@KarenMargulis]

Thanks for watching. I use a variety of pastels but most of them will be Terry Ludwig. I also like to use Diane Townsend.

[@naomibrik8843]

Wonderful Karen. I don't understand how do you prepare alcohol wet? Thank you, bye bye

[@carolferguson5467]

Very helpful Karen! Your technique helps anyone look like an artist! Can you refer me to a video on how you mount your Uart paper to a board? I’m not happy with pre-mounted boards. They have these weird lines running though them 🙄 Thanks again for your continued guidance 🎨❤️

[@KarenMargulis]

Thanks Carol, I don't know of a video on mounting but I am planning to do one soon!

[@ginatexasgirl9438]

Yes, I second the notion....what paper to use and mounting the paper on ?

[@carolferguson5467]

Gina TexasGirl I did watch one pastel artist on KZbin that does pet portraits, wish I could remember her name. She use a 2 sided contact paper on foam board and then put paper down. I think she use Pastelmat but I’m sure it would work with any paper. Karen works a lot with Uart paper, 400 or 500 grit. It’s a fabulous paper.

[@aronhorvath3281]

Really like you works! Can i use denaturate alcohol for washing the underpainting instead of the rubbing alcohol? What kind of surface you use? What sort of paper? Thank you very much, keep painting!!! :)

[@KarenMargulis]

I have not tried that but you can use any liquid so I imagine it willl work. I use sanded papers mostly Uart or Luxarchival papers.

[@pcdas72]

How to preserve soft pastels paintings. What type of fixtures available and where can i get it in India

[@mantastrumpickas5508]

Hi, I think you could have drawn a roof of some kind of a building on the right. So that might fix the balance of the contrast and composition. Its just my own opinion :)

[@jamesmorgan8193]

Will there be any adverse effects between the pastel and paint over time?

[@KarenMargulis]

There shouldn't be since pastel is made from the same pigments as the paint. That is my understanding.

[@aroosamalik3806]

Can we do pastels on canvas as well ?

[@KarenMargulis]

Yes! Although the texture can be more challenging to get smoother marks.

[@joyceart5949]

What type of paper do you use?

[@KarenMargulis]

I use all brands of pastel paper but my go to paper is Uart and Luxarchival paper.

[@janapeony8561]

Hello

[@debbiejohnson2789]

Don’t know why this is referred to as a painting. It is indeed a drawing in chalk!

[@KarenMargulis]

I suggest you educate yourself on the medium of pastel. Here is a good place to start: www.iapspastel.org/ai_pastel.php

[@debbiejohnson2789]

Karen Margulis I have used pastel chalks many times and have enjoyed this medium very much; however, being that it is a dry medium and not liquid paint that is applied with a brush, I hardly consider art work using it as a painting. It’s all about terminology. I was an all-level art teacher for 26 years and this is the first time I have ever heard of a chalk applied drawing called a painting. Your work is very beautiful and you have great skill with this medium. It is just as viable as any other. It’s only a matter of terminology. Thank you for your tutorial. Again, I love your work.