Pastel "painting" is a completely different challenge than using acrylics or oils for me. I began experimenting with pastels this summer and was "hooked" immediately. I love the vibrancy of the colors and the ability to blend colors right on the surface of the work. The varying "hardness" of different brands of pastels makes the possibilities endless.
I had been working exclusively in acrylics for two years and painting mostly portraits, so it was a real change for me to begin with pastels concentrating on landscapes.
The biggest difficulty with pastel paintings is whether to "fix" them or not. I know pastel artists with many years success who swear by a certain fixative spray; others with just as much experience are adamantly against it. I have to admit I've tried both ways…
Continue reading…
