Category Archives: Pastel

Blossoms in Blue Complete

4 x 6 postcard, watercolor, Nupastel, oil pastel, crayon.

I placed this on a shelf to look at it from a distance. I decided to up the volume, adding more white, a brighter yellow, and a brighter pink. I added a bit of dark blue pastel which is reading almost turquoise on the scan. I also added a few more blue splatters to replace what was under the pastel work. I still think the front stem needs work, but I am calling this done.

Deadline is looming, I need to finish one or two more, and make a decision.

Enjoy your evening~

Blossoms in Blue

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Postcard #1 is complete. I think. I will look at it with fresh eyes tomorrow. I did some subtractive painting, adding spots of yellow, and a light wash of white acrylic. Next I scraped away some of the white wash to show the yellow, and create some grassy texture.

Added some yellow, and a light wash of white. Scraped and scratched the wash.

The stems were already there. They were part of the first blue layers. I added the flower center, some petal detail on the smaller blooms, and scribbled in some grass. Two blue splatters look like distant flowers, and one of them even has a stem. Pure luck that.

Adding details.

OK, I know this is a bit blurry. I couldn’t get a decent shot, and I was anxious to see how it would scan. I need to seal it, so I experimented and used Saran wrap to cover the scanner bed. (You can see the wrinkles.)

mixed media, sheilascorner.com

I used oil pastel to add more yellow, and bits of pink and purple. I added nupastel to add more white, and some sky blue, I softened some with a Q-tip, and left some marks rough. I tried to bring back some of the white crayon marks that were in the under painting.

Maybe I will add more yellow. Or more white. White splatters?

I am not thrilled with where the two stems are meeting. I tried to bring one stem forward by making it brighter. Didn’t quite work. I need to darken the background a bit I think.

What do you think? I would value any opinions on how I can improve this. It may not be the one I send in to the Gallery, but I do really like it. On to create another…

Pastel Pear

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I am a slacker. Apparently. It has been two weeks since my last post. (Why does that sound as if I am in the confession box?)

As long as I am confessing, I will add my name to the list of artists who feel like they have hit a brick wall. Slight relief to know at least, that I am not alone.

Is there something in the air?

Does pollen make you procrastinate?

I have worked on this pear for several days. Not sure why pastels are drawing me in now. But I do know it has a lot to do with Karen Margulis and her amazing work. She is a daily painter and she is so generous in sharing her insights on her blog. She also has Fabulous lessons for sale in her Etsy shop.

A couple of years ago, I took several free online classes with Johannes Vloothuis. He worked in several mediums, one of them pan pastels. It was love at first sight for me! I never had any interest in pastels before. Much as I did not appreciate Impressionism when I studied art history, I could not find beauty in pastel paintings. They just never captured my eye.

But again, I have done a 180. I think it is due to the fact that so often details are kept to a minimum. I find pastel very, soothing, Pastel landscapes, draw me in, and give me… a peaceful moment. I have yet to try pan pastels (expensive!!) but I my lust for them is like that of a youngin’ counting the days until Christmas, in July.

I just have to give a huge “Thank You!” to all the artists who share their knowledge so freely. What a blessing!

Here is my humble pear study. I’d love to hear what you think.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!