The tone of the surface you choose to work on has a profound effect on the appearance of the applied pastel (see my January 19 blog post for more about that). Since most of our subjects are made up of diverse value and color relationships, choosing just one tone on which to work can be a challenge. Due to this, many pastelists have relied on various techniques of underpainting as a means of setting-up an understructure in advance of pastel application. Ever the inventive group, pastelists have experimented with a wide variety of methods and products for these underpaintings. This has opened pastel up to a variety of mixed-media techniques with the use of watercolor, gouache, acrylic, liquid pure pigments, acrylic and even highly thinned oil paints.

A different medium does not have to be a prerequisite for pastel underpainting, though. Pastel itself is quite capable of producing a variety of beautiful effects. A common method is to lightly apply the desired pastel and then rub or smear it around the surface with the use of a rag or strong paper towel. Overuse of your hands should be avoided for health concerns, and be careful of generating pastel dust during this process; the biggest concern pastelists have is airborne pigment inhalation.

If a painterly look is desired, pastel can be wetted with water, paint thinner, gum turpentine or rubbing alcohol. Making pastel wet produces interesting effects as it drips and runs around the surface. The pigment pools and happy accidents occur. Remember that when pigment is wetted, it will appear brighter and darker. Once it dries, it will return to its original state. As exciting as these happenings can be, there are surface issues to be considered. Water on a highly rag surface or lightweight paper can produce wrinkles. If you plan to use water, it is best to have the paper mounted in advance of painting (see previous posts about mounting here and here). Rubbing alcohol can soften certain pastel surfaces that use an acrylic binder. Paint thinner and gum turpentine can have adverse effects on the appearance of certain pigments. Test for these in advance of painting by experimenting on a scrap of your preferred surface and mixing the solvents with the pastels you will be using. As long as the surface can tolerate the product being utilized and good archival techniques are employed, there is nothing to fear. Experiment, have fun, and enjoy the creative possibilities!

[pictured here] Pastel applied to Wallis paper [top] and then wetted with rubbing alcohol to produce a pastel underpainting.

The subject matter we are drawn to paint and how we ultimately portray it is as diverse as the human experience itself. We are each drawn to specific subject matter and even when two of us work from the same subject, we bring our own perspective to the portrayal. This is what makes painting so exciting.

The three broad categories of subject matter are: still life, portrait and landscape. Within these categories, of course, there are many subsets. Each has an aesthetic and sensitivity unique to its character. All of us have formed personal relationships with different subjects through our individual interactions with them, and we are capable of telling a story through this shared human experience. These perspectives form our attitudes and emotions when painting. By arranging and orchestrating the visual elements of the composition and utilizing a myriad of painting techniques, we make it individual.

In becoming a well-trained painter, each of these subject areas—still life, portrait, and landscape—provides a lesson and should not be overlooked due to a lack of motivation. You may not be attracted to the still life, uninterested in the portrait, or feel dispassionate about the landscape, but by practicing them you will polish technical skills that make you a more confident painter. A painting is a configuration of accurate shapes, a representation of lights influences, and a sensitive arrangement of colors. These exist in every representational painting, and for that matter every abstract painting. Individual subject matter is all composed of them. In that regard, everything we paint is all the same. Each subject does provide a heightened lesson, though. The still life teaches the importance of value. Within the confines of a relatively small distance, the influence of light and the manipulation of edge create form. The portrait teaches accurate drawing. The human likeness allows for no error. The landscape teaches color harmony. Natural light and its influence across nature’s palette help us to understand the relationship all colors have to one another. A wise instructor passed this thought on to me many years ago: “To learn value relationships, it’s the still life; to draw, it’s the portrait; and to become sensitive to color, it’s the landscape. Each has something to offer. Practice them often and then paint your passions!”

[pictured above] A portrait drawing demonstration of mine; just to prove that I still do my homework.

Color and light are the two biggest attractions artists mention when describing what draws them to subject matter. They are synonymous; one doesn’t exist without the other. Science has proven that no two of us perceive color in exactly the same way. The complexity of the human eye, combined with environmental and cultural influences, make each of us unique and individual artists.

As pastelists, we have a rainbow of colors from which to choose in our paintings. A well-structured palette will represent the full spectrum of the color wheel in a full range of light and dark values completed with the addition of an assortment of weaker grayed tones, which are easily mixed with paint but problematic to the pastelist. This affords the pastel painter the ability to work without limitation (see previous blog post about palette setups). Over time our palettes expand, we make additions and subtractions to better fill in what seems to be lacking. As this process unfolds, it becomes apparent which areas are our favorites. They are the pastels most often replaced and a larger portion of the palette is devoted to them. This may reflect subject matter choices but those choices also reflect a personal attraction. These expanded, well used, areas are the color families you are attracted to. How many times have you selected individual pastels at the art store only to find that you already had an abundance of them when you return to the studio?

Understanding our individual color preferences, and realizing they will inevitably be placed in a painting, can make the other color choices easier. They are major players, producing an influence over the whole of the painting. Sometimes it is expressive, relating more of how we feel. At other times, they are old-friend colors that we have grown to rely on. These color preferences should not be something to fret about. They are part of what makes us the painters we are.

Over years of painting I have had color preferences that have come and gone. One that has been a big influence the last decade is violet/gray. At times it leans to blue, at other times to red, but without a doubt, it is always present. For me, it is the tone in the landscape that threads the scene together, adding atmosphere and continuity. I am not sure if it is really present in all the scenes I paint or if I have just convinced myself it is there. Whatever the answer, it is a major part of my palette and finished paintings. What are yours? Please reflect on your work and post a comment. Then, look for that "Special Color" in other artists’ paintings you admire. It’s often what makes them stand out.

[pictured above] A field-sketch with color swatches showing my favorite pastels. They are easy to identify in the painting.

In last week's blog post, I discussed how working on various value and color surface choices could produce exciting outcomes. After deciding on a texture, value and color for your pastel painting surfaces, you may find it not readily available. Even with the ever-expanding availability of new pastel surfaces, finding exactly the right combination can often prove frustrating. When the perfect combination is not easily found, existing pastel surfaces can be altered, or you can make your own homemade surfaces that allow you to control the texture, color and value.

If you wish to purchase ready-made pastel surfaces, there are many currently available. Clairefontaine Rhodia’s “PastelMat” and Ampersand’s “Pastelbord” offer fine choices. When it comes to black or rich dark offerings, and Art Spectrum’s “Colourfix” and Jack Richeson’s “Premium Pastel Surfaces” are many artists’ favorites. Both offer a variety of color and value combinations. Richeson’s surface has a toothier texture and is available on heavyweight Paper, Hardboard, and Gator Foam (a popular choice among plein air artists, due to its strength and lightweight nature).

If you are happy with your lighter/white surface but wish it were available in a different color/value combination, try toning it yourself. A thin application of pastel spread with rubbing alcohol often provides a desirable result with little effort. Make sure to test this in advance of committing to a large sheet of paper. Some acrylic based surfaces are susceptible to the effects of rubbing alcohol. A light spray of workable fixative will add additional durability to the tone, allowing for more technique opportunities. If the surface can tolerate water, a liquid pigment product, often utilized for airbrush techniques, can be a good choice. These have great covering ability with minimal threat of filling the tooth of the surface. Be cautious with acrylic-based paints. They can easily fill the surface tooth when not properly diluted.

If you wish to produce your own surface, start by substituting artist grade acrylic paint for the binder in your grit recipe (see my blog post from April 7, 2008 or my article download “Supports, Grounds & Underpaintings”). My recipe for a homemade black surface is to start with black gesso, available from Golden Acrylic Company or Utrecht Company. Fine pumice powder and water are added to make the desired consistency. Art Spectrum’s “Colourfix Primer” is also available in their full range of surface colors. These primers, along with homemade grit primers, can be applied in a variety of methods to produce a multitude of textures.

With a little effort, you can fine-tune any surface to exactly the color and value you desire, allowing you to be in control of your own process and as creative as you wish.

[pictured above] A variety of colored surfaces and Colourfix Black and Clear Primer.

Many pastel artists have witnessed the “pop” pastel can have when applied to certain surfaces. This is, of course, an optical illusion. The pastel stick hasn’t changed, just the relationship it has to the surrounding area. This perceived change is the foundation of the theory of “simultaneous contrast” (described in July 30, 2007 blog post). The phenomenon can be summed up this way: Everything is affected by the opposite of what it is next to.

To better understand this, and ultimately harness its power, do a series of experiments. Select an assortment of surface scraps that have various value and color differences. Next, choose various pastel sticks that also have variation. Apply similar pastel marks on all the surfaces. You will instantly see the differences. A pastel stick applied to a dark surface tends to look lighter. On a lighter surface it appears darker. Color bias, or temperature, of the stick will also appear to shift depending on the color of the surface. Warmer toned surfaces make pastels look cooler, and cooler surfaces make things look warmer.

We respond to these perceived shifts while painting and that is why pastel selections vary from situation to situation. There isn’t a perfect pastel for blue skies, green trees, or flesh tone. It is all relative to it surroundings. What worked perfectly in one painting situation can be a failure in another. Next time you feel like the mountains are not dark enough, try lightening the surrounding sky and see if they change. If the flesh tone of your portrait appears too dull, try weakening the chromatic intensity (brightness) of the background. There is a reason most classic portrait painters begin with a dull warm gray-green undertone and traditional landscape painters have relied on a warm undertone when starting; they both create a base tone for the color choices that follow.

Our pastel paintings are nothing more than a series of relationships. The tones we choose to work on set up a situation for the pastel to interact with. Some painters may prefer to work on dark surfaces, while others prefer light. Some prefer warm hues, while others prefer cool. By practicing on a variety of surface tones, you will gain experience on how they affect your pastel choices, allowing you to be better equipped to respond to the various scenarios your painting adventures may get you into. Viva la Difference!

[pictured above] Different value and color surfaces with the same pastel marks.

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Richard McKinley's column "Pastel Pointers" appears reguarly in The Pastel Journal. See the latest issue here. Look for downloads of his articles on Grounds & Supports and Fixing Mistakes in our shop.

New Years, besides providing a time for resolutions, is the perfect time for studio cleaning and reorganization. The days are short, cold and dreary for most of us in the United States, and motivation to paint is lacking. This provides a perfect opportunity to clean house.

Over a year of painting, it is easy to accumulate many good starts, a few mediocre attempts, and a number of complete failures. These pile up in the nooks and crannies of our studios and, with time, become a burden. Personally, I am an advocate of walking away from any painting when the motivation is gone. Otherwise, if forced to completion, it can easily become mechanical and lack artistic merit. The enthusiasm and inspiration have to be there, or else marks of pastel are just being made to make marks. Sometimes the inspiration returns, and it is easy to pick up where it was left, but, when the urge doesn’t return after a period of time, it is best to move on. The more these attempts are held on to, the more they own us. They represent the struggles and failures that are an everyday part of painting and can lead to painting anxiety and depression. Every time we enter our studios, they remind us of our shortcomings.

It is easy to justify retention of these attempts. We retain a certain degree of hope for possible completion or the awareness of the dollars invested in the supplies expended on their behalf. This is where individual personalities come into play. There are those that easily discard and those that easily amass. Diversity is good. Each of us needs to confront this with a degree of introspection by honoring our individual comfort levels. Being someone that has more starts sitting around his studio than finished paintings, I can attest to the weight they can pose. I know I am capable of finishing most of them but at what cost? I remember being told once by an early painting mentor that internally we all know with the first few strokes to surface if a painting is going to work or not. While it is important to persevere through the ups and downs of the process, it is equally important to not keep looking back but to look forward.

Getting rid of unwanted art supplies and failed paintings can be a chore and is often difficult to confront, but the energy produced by purging can prove quiet exhilarating. Reclaim surfaces when possible (see the blog post "Can This Surface Be Saved?") or destroy them. Trust me; it is a great feeling. Suppress the urge to store them away for another day. They will always be in the back of your mind, reminding you of the past. Even though hope remains eternal, there is a time to move on. Begin the new year with a clean painting slate. It will provide an optimistic setting in which to look forward.

[pictured] Stacks of “waiting” paintings in my studio.