". . . a brush with nature"

During the final days of work on this pastel painting I worked on and then reworked the water surrounding the boys and their watercrafts. This part of the process took me several days as I laid in the initial colors I wanted then layered in many additional ones to add both depth to the water and highlights on the surface. Just as I thought I might be satisfied with an area and had moved on to another, I realized they were not working together as I wanted them to. This required me to revisit each part of the water again and again until I felt I was satisfied with it as an entire unit. Even then it led to more adjustments with the paddleboard, figures and clothing. The final step was adding a few more sparkling highlights to the water in the foreground with another, as yet unused, bright, light (but not pure white) pastel stick I hold back especially for this purpose.

The photo shown here was taken quickly with my phone and I feel it does not do the finished painting the justice it deserves. Please watch for the “official” photo of “The Race” when I add it to my website soon . . . and thanks for following along with me on this journey.

On day number four I started work on the water surrounding the rowboat and paddleboard. This time I started on the right side of the piece and will continue to work back across to the left hand side. This works well for me because I am left handed. Working in this manner will cut down on the possibility of damage to the work I have already completed thus far.  (It should be noted that I AM still using sheets of tracing paper between the painting surface and my hand for additional protection for my painting.)

Shown here are two close up detail shots of the beginning stages of reflections in the water and ripples on the far right side.  At this point the colors and direction of the water are only roughly laid in.

Day 5 brings more work on the water, as I continue to move around the boys and their crafts. I am still nowhere close to being done with this part of the painting, but I am beginning to feel better about how everything is starting to work together.  I keep bringing in colors that I have used elsewhere in the painting to give the work a more cohesive “feel”.

On the third day of work I started by protecting my four figures. I did so by securing individual tracing paper sheets over each of the boys. Each sheet is cut to be just slightly larger than the figure it is meant to protect. By securing each with a small piece of drafting tape I can easily flip the paper up or down as needed as I continue to work. When I am done the drafting tape can be simply removed without damaging the working surface.

Next I start “building my boat” around the boys. I bring in some of the same colors I used in their clothing to start creating that unified look I am going after. I'm satisfied with what is happening so far, but will, of course, make modifications and adjustments as the painting progresses.

Day two found me starting work on all the boys’ clothing. I wanted to keep to a palette of colors that would work well together not only on the figures, but also work effectively with the other components when I start to lay them in. On this particular painting I veered from my normal course of things by starting with the figures first. I did this because there are so many individuals involved in the piece and I wanted to make sure I had them correctly done before committing time to the background elements. Normally, in a less complicated composition, I move from background to main subject then to foreground. In either case I will eventually rework the entire painting to bring all parts together to create the cohesive look and feel that I am after.

Hot weather, the Fourth of July and summer fun at the lake with grand kids and friends inspired a new larger format pastel painting that I am very excited about working on. I just started it this week and decided that I would post the progress of this particular painting in my blog. I haven’t done this before in such a detailed manner, so this will be a new experience for both you, my readers, and for me. So here goes . . . I invite you to watch as my pastel dust settles!

As you can see here I have completed my fairly detailed sketch on my Pastel Premier sanded paper and have begun to add color to faces, etc.  I am working from several different photographs that my husband and I took ourselves of the kids having fun at the lake. I am not staying true to the composition of just one photo, but am choosing to combine several and make further additional modifications to those along the way. (Please remember that artistic license is always allowed, accepted and delighted in!)  I desired a bit more “drama” in this painting, so I tightened up on the composition by drawing the boat and paddleboard closer together. I believe this also allows for more interaction between the boys. Stay tuned to see how it all works in the end.