|
|
Step 1: The subject
Vicki was attracted to the panoramic view of the
countryside and felt the thicket of trees functioned well as a
stable focal point. She also liked the way the old cedar fence
leads the eye into the composition. All it needed was a small
bank of clouds to add interest in an otherwise empty late
summer sky.
|
Subject photograph
|
Vicki on location
|
Step 2: What the artist used
Vicki worked at an upright easel, using a firm, 24"x36" board
padded with newsprint as her support. Bulldog clips held the
sheet of sanded pastel paper in place on her work surface.
She used vine charcoal to put in the initial drawing and dark
tones, and a white conte crayon for the lightest lights. She
also sprayed light coats of workable fixative at several stages
during the development of the painting.
|
|
Step 3: Revising reality
Using the photograph as her starting point, Vicki quickly
worked out her adjustments to the composition and values
in a pencil sketch.
MATERIALS USED
Support: A dark-toned (plum) sanded pastel paper
Pastels:
From Schmincke:
|
Light burnt sienna, ochre light, Greenish and
prussian blue, Moss green, cobalt blue 0 and D, Ultramarine pale,
caput mortuum deep 0, Blue indigo tone, cold green deep, Light
ochre, brown ochre D, Bohemian green, burnt light ochre.
|
|
From Unison:
|
Unison BE 14, unison grey 12.
|
|
Value sketch
|
Finished work
|
Step 4: The finished work
Finishing with flair and still working top to bottom, Vicki
continued to blend and soften the colours through the middle
ground and foreground. She also added bright highlights to
the fence posts, and finished with some lively strokes of
colour in the foreground grasses.
|
 Return to the tutorials homepage
|
