A lot going on again this week, with Real Life getting in the way of my work in the studio. Not much art getting done for a variety of reasons, the main ones being a couple of funerals I had to attend, and the incredible heatwave we have been under for the last 2 weeks, which makes working anywhere, but especially in my top floor studio, very uncomfortable. We live out in the country and have never seriously considered putting in air conditioning, as it usually would be necessary only a few days a year. But this year has given us cause to reconsider that decision! I am happy to report however that I have made some major progress with soft pastels. In an effort to enjoy Plein air painting more, I had been considering using pastels rather than watercolors, because of their simplicity and immediacy. Pastels are very portable, and you don’t need an elaborate setup or a lot of supplies or tools. They don’t dry out, they don’t spill, and you only need a damp rag to clean up. Pastels are dusty, but outside this isn’t an issue. You can cover a lot of surface very quickly with pastels, so you can capture a fleeting scene in a few minutes. It’s no surprise that courtroom artists often use pastels! And if you remember my recent Plein air experiences, you know that anything to make it easier will be welcome! In a wave of optimism, I had brought my big box of pastels with me 10 days ago to the art show in the park, where I was doing some live painting to draw the attention of passers-by to the show. But I had also brought my Plein air easel, and in the end, I chose to go the safer route and worked in watercolor, as I figured that watching me stumble with pastels as I used them for the first time outdoors was probably not going to be a very good draw for the exhibition! A few weeks ago I discovered pastel artist Karen Margulis on Youtube. I strongly recommend her channel if you have any interest in pastels. I have watched quite a few of her videos and have tried some of her techniques. I really like her style, be it artistic, personal, or teaching, so I find it easy to learn from her. I did a small study in the studio early in the week applying some of what I learned, and it turned out better than I expected. I have included a photo of that effort and hope you like it! So I decided to look for a small box to pack a minimal set of pastels to take “on the road”, rather than my huge and heavy box which is really more than I need. I should be able to assemble this set today and I plan to take it with me to paint at the Farmer’s Market on Friday. Hopefully seeing me working will get people to stop and chat! It is also supposed to be significantly cooler Friday which will be a welcome change! Last week’s market was brutal!! So what tips or techniques have made such a difference you ask? The first is working small. I was surprised to find out that Ms. Margulis paints ACEOs like I do, but in pastels! I never even contemplated this, as I always considered pastels too fragile a medium (they can easily be smudged) but she has a few useful pointers on how to avoid this. The second is blocking in large shapes and values and blending them into a soft background before applying the “real” colors. This helps with evaluating the composition, sets the stage for the details, and ensures the paper is covered. The third is using a light touch (she calls it whispering) to allow for optical blending of multiple colors of pastels, which gives a beautiful effect, and the fourth is using directional strokes to help the viewer interpret what they are seeing as flat or upright objects. It may not sound like much, but I was not doing most of these things, so it makes a huge difference in the results. I still need lots of practice, but I am happy with the new direction this is taking me. So I have cut up some sheets of pastel paper into smaller pieces, I have bought a few supplies suggested by Karen Margulis and that I agreed would be useful, and I will be trying my hand at more pastels, outdoors this time! I would love you to tell me what you think of Karen Margulis, and if you have other tips or sources of tips on pastels, I would appreciate you sharing them! Thanks!
2 Comments
Claire
8/27/2021 10:15:57 pm
Thanks so much Jodi! I did take the pastel box to the market but it was not a success! First, there were very few people at the market (some blamed the fact that school has started!) and NO ONE stopped or asked to see what I was doing. In fact, it might have intimidated them! Just as well, because my results were horrible! I found out I need more colors, but what I really need is more practice!!! Oh well!!
Reply
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorMy name is Claire Bureau. Archives
March 2023
Categories
All
|