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"Reclining
Nude" pastel on paper ©by Robert
K. Roark
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Over time the medium of pastel has achieved a somewhat
dubious reputation, not at all deserved. Today
when the word pastel is mentioned, we too often conjure up images of blurry
portraits of children rendered in saccharine shades of, well, pastel colors.
While the medium of pastel may lend itself well to
portrait painting, it is, at the same time, one of the most versatile mediums
available to today’s artists. The
range of colors, textures and effects that can be created with pastels is
virtually unlimited.
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Many artist avoid working with pastels, claming that the
powdery sticks are “tricky”, difficult to control, too messy and just
generally not worth the effort considering the end results. But, as with any creative endeavor, a bit of knowledge and a
lot of practice can go a long way toward dispelling these notions.
First, let’s talk about the wide variety of pastel
materials from which one may choose. The
most common type of crayons used today is known as soft pastel.
These are paper-wrapped round sticks of color about 3 inches in length
and 3/8 of an inch in diameter. Depending
on the particular color and manufacturer, the consistency of soft pastels can
range from crumbly to quite hard. And
your color choices number in the hundreds, a factor that can add to the
bewilderment of someone who is just starting out.
I would suggest that you start with a boxed assortment of
colors, then add to or replenish with individual sticks as needed.
You will sometimes see boxes labeled “Portrait Assortment” or
“Landscape Assortment”. Unless you have a specific reason to do otherwise, avoid
these pre-selected sets in favor of a more generic range of colors.
There are other types of stick pastels that may be used in
conjunction with or instead of the soft variety.
Nu-pastel, for example, comes in long, square-shaped sticks.
This type of pastel is generally much harder than the soft pastel and can
even be filed or sanded to a fine point if needed.
Because of its hardness, Nu-pastel would usually be applied first to the
working surface.
Then there are the pastel pencils such as Carb-Othello.
For extremely fine, detailed work, requiring exactitude and precision,
the pastel pencil is your weapon of choice.
Most pastel mediums can be intermixed with no problems.
A fine-line drawing, for instance, can be made with a pastel pencil and
then filled in with soft pastel. With
a little experimentation, you’ll quickly learn how to mix and match the
various forms of pastel.
Any painting surface that will “hold” the pastel
pigment may be used. The most
commonly used surface is pastel paper such as Canson.
Papers are available in a wide range of colors, weights and textures.
Watercolor paper is also popular with pastel artists.
This paper may be toned with watercolor before the pastel is applied.
Papers with a sandpaper surface or a soft velour surface
are also commonly used. Each type
of surface will help to create a particular “look” to your artwork.
Some artists like to work on canvas that would normally be used for oil
painting. Again, any type of
surface is OK as long as the pigment will hold.
Intermediate layers of pastel may be sprayed with fixative
to help hold the particles in place. It
is not recommended that the final layer be “fixed”, as this can create a
dulling effect.
In order to protect a finished pastel painting, it must be
properly framed under glass. The
surface of the painting must not come into contact with the underside of the
glass. To this end, a paper mat or
other type of “separator” is used between the painting and the glass.
Once framed, avoid any bumping or jarring of the artwork as this can
cause small bits of pastel to dislodge.
Pastels may be used to create any artistic effect you
desire from loose and painterly to tight and photographic. They are among the most rewarding tools with which an artist
can work.
Experimentation and practice are the keys!
Good luck! |
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