MATERIALS
• Art Spectrum Colourfix sanded paper – Storm Blue;finished size 40 x 50 cm.
• Conte Hard Pastels (initially, for outlining and first underpainting).
• Art Spectrum Pastels. • Schminke Soft Pastels (for highlights and finishing)-many colours.
• Mahl stick.
• Torchons and rubber shaper.
• Two small paint brushes for erasing.
STEP ONE
The paper is taped to a board with masking tape.
I make a tray with newspaper, and tape it to the board – this gets thrown out when I am finished.
I use my fingers to blend colours and soften edges … a lot! I need to wash my hands frequently.
I use a cloth to clean the pastels if they get other colours on them.
STEP TWO
Repositioned leaf, working from top down.
STEP THREE
Highlights and middle.
STEP FOUR
Shows the underpainting.
STEP FIVE AND SIX
Working from top left to lower right. to prevent sudging
When I am finished, the pastels go into a container with some ground wheat; and after they are shaken around, they come out nice and clean.
I find it necessary to own and use a lot of pastels.
Most often, I use photographs for reference. The photographs are either taken by myself or acquired from Internet resources. Usually I work with several photographs for one painting – but for this Demonstration I used one photograph combined with visual observation. There are many frangipani trees near where I live.
I have only deviated marginally from the original photograph to create this painting.
The flowers required lots of blending because I was trying to maintain their smooth natural appearance.
