# Emma Colbert
*Soft Pastel Artist*

Emma Colbert is a soft pastel artist originally from Northern Ireland, now based in the south of Spain, best known as a leading animal portrait artist working in a highly detailed, painterly style.

After graduating with a BA Hons in Illustration from UCA Maidstone in 2007, she began building a career on portrait commissions and her own series of wildlife paintings, drawn to soft pastel for its unique ability to capture both fine detail and softness, a combination she finds unmatched by any other medium. Her work is endorsed by Unison Soft Colour Pastels, for whom she has created a dedicated colour selection designed specifically for painting animals. While animals remain at the heart of her practice, Emma's subject matter has broadened over the years to include landscapes, still life, and people, always drawn to the way light falls across a scene.

Emma has spent close to two decades teaching soft pastel technique to artists around the world, first through her YouTube channel and later through Patreon, where she offers in-depth video tutorials, reference photos, and paint-along demos. Teaching has pushed her into new creative territory too, including a growing passion for landscape painting discovered through making tutorials for her students. Having settled in a natural park in southern Spain after years spent touring Europe, Emma finds herself surrounded by the kind of animals and landscapes that continue to inspire her work today, making this retreat's setting close to home. Her approach centers on helping artists at every stage push past their comfort zones and progress with confidence, whether they're picking up a pastel stick for the first time or refining a technique they've worked at for years.

Learn more about Emma Colbert and her work by visiting her [website](https://www.emmacolbertart.com/) or her [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/emmacolbertart/).

**Connect:** [Website](https://www.emmacolbertart.com/) · [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/emmacolbertart/)

## Retreats led by Emma Colbert

### Mastering Soft Pastel Retreat with Artist Emma Colbert in Spain
October 10 - 17, 2027 · Níjar, Almería, Spain · $5,200
Instructors: Emma Colbert
[Details](https://uptrek.com/ai/content/retreat/mastering-soft-pastel-retreat-artist-emma-colbert-spain) · [Book on uptrek.com →](https://uptrek.com/retreat/mastering-soft-pastel-retreat-artist-emma-colbert-spain#book)

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**Last updated:** 2026-07-09