Fall 2018 Pastel Class

Fall Pastel Class Project: Dancing Boots Week 1

For this project I am working on sanded foam core presentation board that was gray to start and I covered it with Golden's Ground for Pastel to make the sanded surface. You can use pastel paper, the sanded surface is just my choice, just know you may have to spray your project at various times with workable fixative if your paper won't take any more layers of chalk.

The first thing I did was to transfer my design onto the surface of my board. To do that I used a pattern I made from the drawing I did using the Poster 8 program (see Lerri's Links in the sidebar). I used a white chalk to go over the lines on the back of my pattern, it was more of a broad, scribbling with the side of the chalk rather than following the lines so I could make sure when I was transferring the design I would find chalk. I used the end of the handle of a brush to trace the pattern onto my board.

When I got my design on, I started with the cactus, looking at my reference photo often to see where the lights and shadows were and to note the scalloped edges of the ribs of the cactus.

I used grayer and bluer greens along with my indigo blue in the dark shadows. You may need to add a touch of sienna or orange to your green to gray the color if your green is too brilliant. Use your darkest green and blue in the shadows.

This is just the under painting and will probably change a bit as the painting progresses.

Next I did the under painting for the boots. I had a very light blue for highlights, a cerulean blue for the mid-tone blues and a medium dark lavender blue for the mid shadows and I used my indigo blue (dark blue) for the darker shadows. The interior of the boots are 2 or my lightest tans, if you don't have tan, use sienna, a little light blue and white.

If you don't have a lot of blues, use as close to the overall blue as you can and use white to lighten and a darker blue or purple for the shadows. This is not an exact science. 

Look at the reference photo to see where all the folds and wrinkles are, what I usually do is apply out the different colors where I see the color changes and once I have the colors where I want them, I blend the colors together with my fingers. Remember to follow the shape of the area you are blending. You may have to go back in and add more dark or light colors until you are satisfied with your painting.

This is where I left off on Wed. and will pick up from here. If you can, try to get your painting to this stage before the next class, I will be finishing under painting the boots, putting in the background and maybe finishing the project, I'm not sure, pastels work up fast.

Keep painting and I will see you in class.