Snow Pastel

LadyMadonna · #1 01-16-2011, 04:05 PM

Here is what I worked on today. I do not wish to spend to much more time on this as I still had the paper I did not like and am anxious to try the primer on a sturdier board. I did enjoy the process . Any suggestions offered are more than welcome. I have learned a lot from all of you.

PETE K · #2 01-16-2011, 04:44 PM

HI Lady, this one is nice also. I see you tried to get the snowing effect in this one from what I can see. This pic is really light or it may be the light here in the Gallery where I'm working today. I have quite about of glare on my screen. I have something you could do while waiting on you sanded paper. use the smooth side and take a piece of sand paper and sand the back of your paper some. if your using a cream/tan colour of paper this works out great with the paper you have. I sand each and every sheet of my paper befor putting pastels to paper. To me I t works wonders for it. If you get deep scrtches dont worry it takes some times 3 to 4 layers to cover them. then you cant tell that they were even there. This works like night and day with the paper. I make my own sanded paper on water colour paper. I use pumice mixed with gesso. Dekota pastels sell the pumice $5.00 for a bag that I have at least 80 percent leftand thats over many years of use. Hope this helps in the mean time.

LadyMadonna · #3 01-16-2011, 05:07 PM

It does help Pete ..thank you. I have an entire pad of this paper to practise on so that idea will come in handy. I find that this medium is always light with me and yet I see so many of you with definitive color. Is it because these pastels are not oils ?

PETE K · #4 01-16-2011, 05:23 PM

No you just may not have any darks except black. I had that problem when i first started. then got some better sticks. more colours and some darks with it. some times you have to order dark set or singles. I still love Canso MT and the paper you have just a little less. not much at all. most of my painting are done on the type of paper you use. With true sanded paper like Colourfix. you will have different problems. you have to make which ever type of paper you use, work for your strengths of the paper. they all have there up and downs.

Nansketch · #5 01-16-2011, 08:56 PM

I like the shapes on the this -- has a very icy, snow storm feel. I took Pete's advice on sanding mi-tientes paper and have been much happier using it.

Nancy

**DAK723** · #6 01-16-2011, 10:24 PM

Even after only 3 pastels, your atmospheric style is quite evident! Many pastel sets lack darks, but there are some makers (Ludwig is probably the most popular) that have special sets of darks. Getting some darks in open stock is also a good way to supplement your collection.

Don

LadyMadonna · #7 01-17-2011, 08:09 AM

I will have to purchase some more darks then. I wish to achieve some vibrancy in the layering and it stays light no matter how much I do ...I think it is also because I only have a few really decent pastels and the rest were much cheaper. Not good Everything I do is atmospheric because I cannot get the other look !

Dcam · #8 01-17-2011, 08:32 AM

Lady: If you don't already know of him, look up Twachtman....one of my favorite American impressionists. Your painting reminds me of his style. A kind of tonalist style with texture. Nice job. I like it.
Derek

**allydoodle** · #9 01-17-2011, 02:26 PM

I agree with Derek - you have a nice style, very impressionistic. As far as pastels go, you might want to consider a sampler from Dakota Pastels. It's a nice way to try different brands to see what you will like. Everybody has different tastes and styles, and this is a very cost effective way to try different brands.

So long as you're not using student grade pastels, you will get good color results. Rembrants are a good, affordable pastel to start out with. I know not everyone likes them, but I've found them to work very well. A half stick set would probably be a good start, as you would get lots of colors at a reasonable price. Just some thoughts for you.... I know it can be overwhelming, so that is why I suggested the sampler.

LadyMadonna · #10 01-17-2011, 03:54 PM

I will look that up Derek. Thank you. I have discovered the curse of the artist. We are never satisfied. I reworked it a bit for more depth. Not sure if I did the right thing or not but NOW I will leave it be .....I think .Hah. I do have a small set of Rembrants and a few higher quality hard pastels. So am I reading this right ? I start my painting with the darker , harder pastels and go from there ??

robertsloan2 · #11 01-17-2011, 06:12 PM

I like the reworked, more intense version. Yes, it helps a lot to work from dark to light on pastels. Since what you have is Rembrandts, you might look at the six packs of Art Spectrum, there's a darks one.

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