Hi Kathryn. Yes, I remember you! Thank you for your kind words and I am happy to say that I am managing my diabetes as best as it can be managed and that my scans are clear as far as the cancer. I am looking forward to many years of living life and painting. I am also looking forward to teaching by creating loads of videos from the lessons I created on Patreon.
Those Ludwig pastels are so luscious, it can feel intimidating. I first learned about them when I won the Terry Ludwig Award in a competition years ago. I was sent all the lights, all the darks and all the greens. They were so rich I was scared of them but once I started using them it rocked my world. They will allow you to go darker and lighter than you ever have before. My advice would be to use a light on a highlight and see what happens. You will be amazed at how the lights "pop". Use a warm dark in the deepest part of a shadow and see how much darker it is than other pastels. Have fun, Kathryn and if you do paint a tree I would love to see it :)
Thanks again
Vianna