Monday, May 5, 2014

Early Morning Clouds

Early Morning Clouds
Image size 3.5" x 8"
Pastels
This is a quick pastels study.  I rarely work in pastels but I do enjoy using the medium and I especially like the look of pastels.  I feel like I struggle with the medium which is probably why I don't use it often.  Of course, if I practiced more, I would get better and I would enjoy it more…the old vicious cycle.

Long ago, I put pumice gel on scrap pieces of mat board to have them ready for pastels.  This is a piece of black mat board that has a texture.  I probably should have put the pumice on the back side and painted a surface color instead of using the front for the color and having to deal with this texture.  I like random texture that can be created by the pumice gel but don't like the overall pattern of this texture.  It's hard to get the pastels into the divots and I find that patterned texture annoying.  Oh well,  I tried to deal with it and not let it bother me in this painting.  I like bits of background color peeking through but I think the pattern is distracting.


13 comments:

  1. Bonjour chère amie,
    Les nuances de couleurs que vous avez employées dans ce pastel sont magnifiques.
    J'aime beaucoup votre ciel. Une très belle oeuvre.
    Gros bisous ♡

    ReplyDelete
  2. Glad to see you getting dusty. I like the size and shape and the feeling if open. When I put pumice on a board even thought I go both ways I get funny texture too. Maybe next time, do alcohol,wash of base coat and then go on top, but I like the board peeking thru

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Usually, when I apply pumice gel to a smooth board, I do brushstrokes in random directions because I love the texture. I just don't like regular, machine made texture.

      Delete
  3. This pastel landscape is beautiful, Nancy!! The colors are fantastic as well as the texture. I never heard of the pumice gel? but it sounds interesting. I use the sanded paper with the alcohol wash but I love to try different methods with pastel. I love the gold/purples in the foreground...Wonderful work as always!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The pumice gel that I use is made by Golden and it is one of their acrylic mediums. You can get it in fine, course and extra course. I use the fine one and it gives a wonderful surface. It probably has about the same tooth as your sanded paper but I like using it to make a random texture.

      Delete
    2. Karen Marguelis also coats her paper with clear gesso, this also has a rough texture, not as gritty as the gel pumice but 2 coats on front gives texture to take a lot of layers, 2 on the back keeps it from curling.

      Delete
  4. I think this is beautiful, Nancy! I like the black peeking through and do not find the pattern distracting in the least. It is such a strong landscape composition that I find myself focusing on the gorgeous color and the composition itself. Beautiful work! I would guess these are oil pastels then?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sherry. No, they are the regular chalky pastels.

      Delete
  5. This is a very nice study Nancy, you've captured a lot of atmosphere! Love all your recent works too!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lovely pastel painting. Movement and emotions. Gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts with Thumbnails