Pastel Mark Making

My second homework assignment for this particular pastel class is now complete.  Well..... until I get my critique on Wednesday.  The assignment was to paint the entire painting using only lines.  What a challenge!  No blending of any kind and no touching the surface with anything but the pastels.  Plus only using thin straight lines.  I have to confess I walked away from this one quite often.  Boy your arm gets so tired so fast. Most of the class chose the same photo reference - I can't wait to see how everyone's paintings turned out. 

Time for Butterflies

Monarch 14x11 Pastel

I'm getting excited because it's almost time for the monarchs so I thought I'd do a painting in their honor.  From spring to fall I search for monarch eggs on milkweed plants and bring them indoors.  After they've hatched, I care for them through all their stages until it's time to release them.  The numbers of the monarchs have drastically declined over the years, and I just try to offer a little help - keeping them from the predators and giving them a chance to grow in numbers.  There is something really special in watching a butterfly grow from egg to butterfly.  Keep checking the blog throughout this season because there will be more paintings of monarchs to come and also some ways that you too could help the monarchs.

This painting was done on canvas board that I primed myself with gesso specifically for pastels.

Lessons learned in class today

Sometimes life just gets in the way of you being able to accomplish your goals, and it gets frustrating, but you can't give up.  Back in the saddle again so they say.  Well, I didn't get the painting finished that I had started yesterday, and that's a little upsetting when I made a goal to do a painting a day, but hopefully I will be able to call it complete sometime this evening.

So instead I thought I'd share some lessons I learned in today's pastel class.  This is the painting I did last Wednesday for homework that was critiqued today.

I was happy with this one, but absolutely LOVE it after I put in place all the pointers I received today.
Here is the updated version.

So first  Nick Serratore (the instructor) suggested I use broader strokes on the yellow and mint colored trees - of course I couldn't remember what colors in my box I had used, so I had to improvise with similar colors.  Next,  I needed some more hints to sunlight to bring out the shadows more so I used the same color as the yellow tree and added a bit to the cherry tree and the grass area.  Then I was reminded to always add colors that in the sky and the main subject to the ground area so that it creates continuity.  This, I already knew to do, but sometimes you need to be reminded.  I put more pinks into the grass area. 

I was pretty pleased that I didn't need to do a major overhaul. Today's homework is going to be a major challenge for me.  We are to use only lines - no blending and no touching the paper with anything but the pastel.  I, for one, am a heavy blender so this will be a struggle, very monotonous with all the lines - but I'm excited to have learned about yet another technique so I will share the finished product soon.

Painting reflections

Heading for Shore 9x12 Pastel

Whew! This painting was amazingly fun to do, but at the same time a huge challenge.  Everything in and around the water is actually reflections.  The shore is still a ways off for these hurrying little geese.  I thought I'd share my reference photo so you could get an idea of how challenging this was.  I really do love this picture - it's always drawn my attention.

Here's the reference photo:

I cut down on the water movement around the geese because I didn't want them to get lost in all the commotion. 

I really should call it a night, but I've chosen tomorrow's painting subject and I'm really excited for this one - something very close to my heart. So I may go ahead and get it drawn out, but you'll have to check back tomorrow ~ I don't want to ruin the surprise.

From Land to Bay

Butterflies at the Biltmore 9x12 Pastel

I had something entirely different planned for the painting above, but in the end, a butterfly garden called out to me. This is one of the many gardens found around the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, NC.  Love it there! Ashville, I mean.  The views are simply spectacular!


Since I'm behind a day or two posting, I decided to post another painting that I completed about a month ago- a little before I had the blog up and running.

Just Waiting 9x12 Pastel SOLD

This is from a photo I took at Terrapin Park - minus the blue heron.  I first did the painting on Strathmore pastel paper and really hated it! I really struggled to get the pastel to adhere to the paper.  So I found out that Strathmore is not my favorite of choices for pastel paper, but they had really intriging colors that I wanted to try -- live and learn.  I decided to give it another go, but felt it really needed something more. Voila! A blue heron.  I found the heron picture on the Wet Canvas website and  placed him dead center.  After all, they are such a majestic bird and they deserve to be front and center.  They are very common here on the Shore. I've even had them wading in the stream of my backyard.

I still have an itch to paint some more so I think I will get back to it and hopefully post a third painting before the nights end. 

Homework Re-Do

New Beginning 9x12 Pastel

The more I looked at yesterday's  homework, the more I disliked it.  My daughter gave me a helpful critique - all critiques are good critiques no matter how hurtful they may be to hear - they challenge us to be a better artist, so I welcome all critiques. After looking at I realized that I actually did exactly what the instructor had taught us, but it was his style not mine, so I reworked the tree using my own style. I am much happier with the results.  I also added some fallen leaves and some more of that wonderful deep blue in the background. We'll see what pointers the instructor has for me on Wed, otherwise I'm calling this one done.

Pastel Class Homework

New Beginning 9x12 Pastel

Today was the start of yet another pastel class - Luminosity in the Landscape with Nick Serratore.  What a great class! We learned an underpainting technique and tools found around the house to use to achieve different looks. Like a rubber spatula to create lines and textures.  He is such a great instructor!  So much fun!  For homework, Nick gave each of us the same photo and asked us to paint it and bring it next week to class.  Here is my painting.  I can't wait to see what everyone else's looks like. 


Here's a picture of Nick beginning his instruction:

You can check out his website to see his latest works at serratoreart.com 
I promise you will be impressed!