Summer 2019 Pastel Class

Pastel Project: Apple Turnover Revised Week 1

I started my project on a 19 x 14" gray, sanded paper, mounted to foam core. While this isn't necessary I do suggest that you have some support to attach your work to even if it is temporary, because it will give you a good solid surface to work on.

As many of you found out, working larger is a better way to work but getting that larger design on the paper isn't as easy as it sounds. While I strongly suggest that you practice your drawing skills no matter what medium you end up working in, there are other methods to get a design on your paper such as using the grid system, or a projector or finding a computer program such as the two listed in Lerri's Links in the side bar (Poster8 for PCs and PosteRazor for Macs) that will enlarge your design to the size you need using regular 8 1/5 x 11 printer paper to print it out. Depending on the paper, you might be able to transfer the design using either a light box or, what I do, tape it to a window with good sunlight then tape you paper over that for a poor man's light box. You may also want to try transfer paper but be sure that it is the non-waxy kind. Whatever way works for you, this sketch is your guide, it doesn't need to be perfect and you can make needed changes as you work but it does give you the basic idea of where you are going with your painting.

Once you get your design on your paper you have to figure out where you are going to start. For me, I usually start with the subject of my painting when I am working in pastel so I can make adjustment to size or shape to my subject with the background color before I head into finishing up my painting. This is just the way I work, other pastel artists may work a completely different way so don't think that anything I tell you is set in stone, everything is ope n to interpretation.

The under painting for the outside of the basket I found several colors ranging from a middle burnt sienna color to a medium gold, using the darker sienna color in the shadowed part of the basket, switching to a lighter sienna or gold color, then to the medium gold color. You are going from the darker color to the lighter color to give it shape, same with the handle. In the darkest part near the bottom of the outside of the basket, I also added some dark blue (indigo, its a gray blue), then blended all the colors together. Wipe your fingers often if you go from dark to light.

Be sure to have your reference photo in front of you so you can see where the light changes on the basket.

The interior of the basket was done with a medium dark, cool brown, the middle gold color and the indigo, then blended together.

I am not working on detail yet or any final highlights or shadows, I am just getting my under painting in which is the foundation of my painting. I can, and probably will, make changes as I go along but this under painting is probably the most important part of your painting, don't try to skip it or you finish piece could look flat.

Next, I started under painting the apples. I was using a dark, cool red for the shadow parts of the apples, like an alizarin crimson, and a medium red for lighter areas, and the indigo for the darkest areas between the apples. I then blended the colors together.

All I am trying to do here is to establish shapes and suggest shadows, this is not the finished form of these apples by a long shot this is just the base where I start to work from over the next couple of week, these apples will (I hope) look good enough to eat.

One thing about the indigo, I really like it to add dark into shadow areas rather than black. Black, across the mediums, is a color killer though I do occasionally use it in pastel if I have no other choice, then I use it carefully. I would rather mix to a dark color because it has more life and it doesn't dull the colors around it. Indigo is a blue/gray color but you can also use any dark blue with maybe a bit of dark brown for a similar effect.

I only managed to get one of the runaway apples done before end of class and yes, I am outside the lines but not to worry, I will fix it later. Again, this was done just using the 2 reds and the indigo and looking at the reference photo but you can already see shape and that is important. The red delicious apples have a different shape than the green Granny Smiths and that is important.

This is where I left off in class and where I will pick up when we meet again. I don't like to do things at home because I don't what anyone getting lost. We have the hard part done, getting the drawing on the rest should go quickly.

Keep painting and I will see you in class.