Playing with pastels for a little bit today. The actual piece is about 11" x 14", but I really like this crop of the upper half of the piece.
Here's how today went ...
Starting with a piece of prepared mat board , with lines measured out to use a pre-cut 10 1/2" x 13 1/2" mat. (Board prepped with a mix of acrylic matte medium and very fine aluminum oxide grit, tinted with a drop or two of liquid acrylic paint. I wish I'd gone over it a second time, brushing the opposite direction with a bit more grip and matte medium, so that the surface was a little more even.) The photo is from Wet Canvas and was taken by Carlanna. First, I laid in the basic lines with a medium charcoal pencil. Now that I look at this, I wonder if I should have just stopped here... :-D
Within about 10 minutes I've laid in basic darks and lights. Again, maybe I should have stopped here, at least to consider my lower right corner ...
One hour and 20 minutes later I'm as done as I'm willing to be right now. It was nice and fresh an hour ago, but now it feels a bit overworked. Darn it.
Can you tell that there is a path that leads up the hill, or does it just read as a stripe? There's still a lot of work to do on this one, slowly, though.... slowly!
I think it might be fun to try this in watercolor, too. It's a great reference photo -- lots to learn from it!
(And for you music lovers -- I'm listening to Cat Power's Jukebox CD. Amazing!!!)
11 comments:
BEAUTIFUL JOB !!! And yes it reads as a path -- the kind that we have here -- a tad overgrown, narrow -- but definitely a path! And thanks for the step by step -- Idon't know a think about pastels and it's interesting to see the way you work them!!! I'd LOVE to see this in wc!
I see the path also and lots of pretty colors along side of it. It was interesting for me too as I know nothing about pastels.
Good to see some beautiful work from you.
your pastels are so beautiful. This one stunning!
I love the look only pastels can accomplish. This has such pretty movement to it. I enjoyed reading your step by step. This is lovely.
I don't think it is overworked. It is a very nice painting that reveals your skills and potential. I hope you continue to work with pastels, they offer so many options.
You're way too hard on yourself. This is a lovely, bursting with color and yet so very soft.
I agree with Janey, you are too hard on yourself. This is beautiful. I see the path and the color is wonderful. Pastels are a lot of fun, I'm taking some to my art group tonight to do some work.
Such wonderous colours ... I can indeed see the path ... wish I was on it walking down the meadow ...
Oh, I think it's beautiful and inviting...makes me want to see where it leads...in a "Road Less Traveled" kind of way, you know? I love the crop at the top, too!
A very nice piece of impressionism, and does not strike me as overworked. And yes, the stripe reads as a path, not a stripe. ;-)
Just a quickie to say I answered your comment on my blog.
I'm always blown away by each new piece you post! Amazing!
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