Home › Forums › Explore Media › Pastels › Soft Pastel Studio and Gallery › White Lily WIP
- This topic has 10 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 8 months ago by Crazyjade2131.
-
AuthorPosts
-
February 13, 2019 at 8:34 pm #469100
So it has been quite a long time since I posted anything and probably just as long since i have picked up my pastels. But being stuck on the couch for almost a week with the stomach flu has me picking them up again. So I was quite happy with how this was turning out until I sprayed the first layer of fixative. It darkened everything far more then what I was expecting, ive re worked a few of the areas but there are a few that already have quite a bit of pigment on them and don’t want to take much more. Any suggestions? Should I just roll with it and continue on or is there a way I can fix. I’m using La Carte for the pastel board/paper and the spectra fix spray and the basic blick pastels. I have not used La Carte before, I bought the sample pack a while back so I could experiment with the different surfaces.
Below is original
February 14, 2019 at 1:57 pm #782375Welcome back! Sorry about the flu. You’ve put your down time to better use than I would have. La Carte can take many layers of pastels, so I think you’re okay. I used fixative once, maybe 25 years ago, and I’ve never used it again. Also be aware that La Carte does not like moisture. If a drop of water falls on it, the vegetable particles will dissolve and you will be left with the untextured backing showing. That backing will not hold pastels and you will have to fix that error before continuing. With La Carte, if you want to change something you can take a stiff bristly brush and gently dislodge some of the pastel. Keep going. I’d like to see the finished painting. Feel better!
[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Karen, IAPS/MC, PSA WC Moderator-Pastels
web site , Getting started in soft pastels., What you need to know, Critique Guide LinesFebruary 14, 2019 at 3:44 pm #782371Gosh, sorry to hear about the flu. I hope it’s a thing of the past by now. I think you’re coming along fine with this! Karen works with La Carte more than I do so I will try to remember her advice about moisture. If you can, try to hold off on your whitest or brightest colors until the very end. I keep making the mistake of going too light too quickly and when I try to adjust the colors I get mud. Recently, I heard the advice to “sneak up on the lights.” I like your background even if it’s a little darker than you expected. Your flower will pop out against it even more!
February 14, 2019 at 8:44 pm #782377Would I be better off finishing it and then not spraying? Is there something else that you would use on La Carte paper to make the colors stick? After re working some of the lights last night i sprayed again gently and it immediately darkened everything again, so maybe this is one of the ones that I would be better off not spraying st all?
On another note I am having a bit of difficulty with some of the super bright areas of the petals and how to really make them stand out and look three dimensional. Any suggestions, I feel like there’s so much for me to learn and I don’t remember half of my high school art classes like I should!! Any good suggestions on books? Don’t know if I’ll get much time to work on it tonight but will try and post another image tomorrow.
February 15, 2019 at 4:36 pm #782372If the spray is darkening all the colors I would definitely not use it again. There shouldn’t be any pastel coming off unless you have some very thickly built-up areas; even then the pastel will usually just slide around and not fall off. Maybe I’m misunderstanding and you’re referring to dust falling as you paint? I wish I had more experience with that brand of paper/support. If you have another image to post maybe I could see the areas that are bugging you and try to help.
February 15, 2019 at 10:45 pm #782378If the spray is darkening all the colors I would definitely not use it again. There shouldn’t be any pastel coming off unless you have some very thickly built-up areas; even then the pastel will usually just slide around and not fall off. Maybe I’m misunderstanding and you’re referring to dust falling as you paint? I wish I had more experience with that brand of paper/support. If you have another image to post maybe I could see the areas that are bugging you and try to help.
Yes the spray is definitely darkening all colors, I’ve always thought that in order to preserve the paintings with pastels they always needed to be sprayed with a fixative during or as a finish but I am also very very new to the finer side of pastels and with the different types of surfaces.
Anyway here’s tonight’s current update, since the fixative darkened everything a second time and some of the areas have been really worked already (specially the bud in the left corner) I really only just highlighted a few areas again in the background and think I’m going to leave that alone. I’ve started a little bit with the lily and I guess at this point I’m kinda just experimenting with how to get things the way I want them. I feel like I don’t know nearly as much as I should about all the colors and value and warm and cool colors and I get impatient and want to draw before finishing reading and studying 😅.
February 16, 2019 at 12:32 am #782379Ok last update for the night because it’s 12:30 and I need to go to sleep. I’m pretty happy with things so far though I’m not sure how to do the folds of the top petals. And since I’m mostly just winging this as I go I think I’m doing pretty good.
February 16, 2019 at 7:51 am #782373This is coming along very nicely! Maybe it was a blessing in disguise that the fixative darkened the background because your white flower looks very bright against it. I think we’re all constantly learning about color and color temperatures so you’re in good company there! Just be careful, if you can, not to mix or layer the warms and cools unless you specifically want a neutral color. As for the folds, they are just shapes that are defined by slightly different values and colors. If you can keep those shapes distinctly separate from each other they should give the impression of a fold from a distance. Sometimes the more we fuss with an area the more we flatten it as our values get mixed together. Keep up the good work!
February 17, 2019 at 9:29 am #782380This is coming along very nicely! Maybe it was a blessing in disguise that the fixative darkened the background because your white flower looks very bright against it. I think we’re all constantly learning about color and color temperatures so you’re in good company there! Just be careful, if you can, not to mix or layer the warms and cools unless you specifically want a neutral color. As for the folds, they are just shapes that are defined by slightly different values and colors. If you can keep those shapes distinctly separate from each other they should give the impression of a fold from a distance. Sometimes the more we fuss with an area the more we flatten it as our values get mixed together. Keep up the good work!
I will try to keep that in mind, honestly I really need to get to know the colors in my box better and play with figuring them out more, which ones are warm/cool and their values and tones instead of just diving into a new project and picking a color out of my box because I think it looks right or may work.
February 17, 2019 at 10:41 am #782374February 22, 2019 at 4:52 pm #782376Thank you for this WIP! Your photo reference is difficult (at least I see it like that) because of the light bright flower, and the dark, almost uniform in color leaves. But you’re doing a great job with it.
I agree with Donna…save your lightest lights for the end. That’s one I have a hard time remembering. Maybe get yourself a grey scale chart. You can put it in front of your photo and see the value as converted to grey, black or white. Sometimes, it’s hard to see past the hue, especially if bright.
Also agree with Karen and Donna re fixatives on LaCarte. If it doesn’t destroy the surface, it will definitely darken your colors. When you’re through painting, give painting (I assume it’s mounted on board or foamcore) a sharp rap on the back. It will continue to “shed” a few particles, but won’t smear unless you accidentally brush it with your hand or an object, and holds very well.
LaCarte does have its drawbacks, but it’s a beautiful paper to work with!
Cheers!
Kris
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Register For This Site
A password will be e-mailed to you.
Search