Birds by the Ocean

Reflections & Sparkles

Learn how to paint the reflections in the wet sand and the textures of the sparkling sea foam.

Realistic Birds

Learn to use the light and shadow to shape the birds and make them look realistic.

Shallow Water

Learn how to create the illusion of the shallow water and the background of the waves and sea foam.

Independent Study Course

Painting Coastal Birds

with Soft Pastels

The coastal birds are a fascinating subject to explore for an artist - they allow for a more interesting composition, bring more life and emotion and create a story around them. In this course, coastal birds will be the main characters in the scene. We will learn how to add just enough detail to make them look realistic. The main focus will be on building an interesting scene with the birds and the surrounding shallow water, sparkling sea foam and wet sand, and even the waves in the background.

*Students will have unlimited access to the workshop recordings and videos (provided by Teachable.com).

Launch Special Price $180 (regular $190)

Save 15% OFF the Launch Special with the coupon code

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Register for Ocean Birds

$180

Launch Special Price (regular $190)

Online Independent Study Course: 3 full Video Demos & Exercises Videos

All course materials will be accessible through the student's account at teachable.com (by using it the students agree to receive emails from Lana Ballot’s school set up on this site).

The course does not include any Zoom meetings or critiques of the student's work.

All material in the course is copyrighted and cannot be reproduced or shared with anyone (links, pdfs, etc.), unless explicitly allowed by the instructor Lana Ballot.

Sharing images (on social media) of the work completed during the course is appreciated and needs to include the mention of the course and @lanaballot

By registering for this course, the student agrees to the following terms: the instructor, Lana Ballot, cannot be held responsible for any infringement on someone's copyright by students using the photos not provided within the course. Students using the reference photos not supplied in this course are fully responsible for complying with any copyright laws and getting the permission from the copyright holder of the images.

Teachable.com course platform provides unlimited time access to this course - you'll have many years to master the techniques I teach.

Materials

UART sanded paper, 400 grit, neutral color, 9"x12"

Premier (Clay color) or other mid tone tan/brown or gray sanded paper, 9"x12"

Mid tone gray sketching paper (for quick value studies)

Hard and Soft pastels (good range of basic colors from light to dark, particularly in greens, blues, browns, etc.)

Isopropyl Alcohol (you can use water instead)

Flat synthetic brush about 3/4"

Bristle brush for corrections

Toothbrush for foam spray effect

Artists' Masking Tape to attach the paper to the board

Foam core board

Glassine or Tracing paper to protect the finished project

Meet Lana

Hi! I'm Lana Ballot.

I'm excited to share with you my passion for the Color and the beautiful medium of pastels!

I am a professional artist and pastel painting instructor, living on Long Island, NY. I have been teaching classes and workshops throughout the United States and internationally.

I have been exhibiting and won awards in National as well as International Juried competitions, including the Pastel Society of America’s annual show Enduring Brilliance and the prestigious Pastel Journal’s Pastel 100 competition.

My work has been published in national and international art magazines, such as Plein Air Magazine, Pastel Issues of the Pratique des Arts, Artists & Illustrators.

I'm a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America and The American Society of Marine Artists.

Testimonials

What my students are saying about this course and my classes and workshops:

"I’ve signed up for this course, and I’m absolutely blown away by the professionalism, quality, tons of useful information, and priceless tips that Lana is delivering at each session. She is a great educator!

Highly recommended to everybody who wants to improve his painting skills!"

Mena L.

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"In a word, the workshop was “masterful.” But, I will go beyond just one word to express my deepest appreciation of your dedication to your craft. Whether the way you taught, emailed preparatory materials, painted, or critiqued, you exemplified the traits of a master. Thank you.

I learned a lot and plan to take future workshops with you."

Lisa D.

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"I have always admired your work, so I was thrilled to be able to take this class from you. Being a teacher, I can spot a good teacher a mile away, and you have what it takes to do that...you know how to break down the steps needed to get the lesson across to students and help them paint a successful painting. Thank you so much for offering this workshop!

Thank you again!"

Carole P.

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"I really enjoyed Lana's workshop. Her process is amazing to watch. I love how she took our photos into Photoshop and quickly illustrated how to edit our paintings to make them more interesting."
Chrissey D.