Winter 2019 Pastel Class

Charcoal and Alcohol Wash Under Painting

While this technique is similar to the previous way I started a painting is is different in a couple of ways: The previous demo I started with colors on untreated watercolor paper, set the colors with alcohol before adding the pastel ground over the entire paper. At that time I treated another sheet of watercolor paper with the ground so I had a sheet to with with later. This second sheet of treated paper was what I used to start my new painting.

I used charcoal to lay in the elements of my painting, roughly doing a value study, then I set this drawing with the alcohol and let it dry before I started to work on my painting.

This is just the first layers of chalk over the alcohol and charcoal wash.

These are by no means the only ways to start a painting just a couple that I am familiar with and as I learn more I will pass them along to you.

Keep painting and I will see you in class.