A Wonderful Alternative to a Home-made Pastel Surface

'Magen's Bay Winter' 11x14 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with paypal $150

Do you like the look and feel of your own home-made pastel surfaces? I love it but I don't enjoy preparing my paper and boards. I have discovered a great alternative to making my own... Townsend Pastel Paper. This paper is made by Diane Townsend's daughter and it is available at Dakota Art Pastels. Here is the description from Dakota's website:

The exquisite velvety surface of this coated sheet is produced on Rives BFK 100% cotton paper. A mixture of two grades of silica, methylcellulose, liquid adhesive, chalk, whiting and water is hand brushed on the paper. Several passes are made to achieve an incredibly smooth, even surface. The resulting surface is like very fine sandpaper. The coating is clear, with coloration coming from the BFK papers. The Townsend paper is completely archival and will handle light water base washes and also solvent base washes.

I have been playing with this paper and really enjoy the soft feel of the Rives paper with the tooth of the ground. I find I am getting an textured effect very similar to a smoothly applied home-made ground. For today's painting I did a watercolor underpainting on white paper.

watercolor underpainting with Schminke watercolors

• The BFK Rives paper give a nice cushiony feel. I am a fan of paper rather than stiff boards.
• The hand applied ground is very smooth and even yet has nice tooth. I got about 50 layers of soft pastel in my layer test.
• I like the way the texture of the paper shows through and give the painting a textured look.
• If you are a fan of smooth blended areas you will need to put down several layers before you can blend.
  
• I like that the paper can accept a water or solvent based underpainting. I tried watercolor and alcohol wash with good results. There was very slight waving which 15 minutes under a heavy book flattened the paper right out.
• The paper is available in white,cream,grey and tan. This is actually the paper color since the ground is clear.

Overall this could easily become one of my favorite papers. I love how it feels and if I am painting a subject that would benefit from texture then I would definitely use this paper as one of my top choices. You can read more about the Townsend Pastel Paper on Diane Townsend's website. I also love her pastels and will review them in another post.

If you enjoyed today's post I'd love to hear from you and invite you to sign up for email updates.

How to Avoid Muddy Snow...A Quick Pastel Demo

'Winter Light' 6x6 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with paypal $75

Painting snow with pastels can be a challenge. I am especially snow-challenged because I live in the south. I don't get much opportunity to see snow so I have to work from bad photos. I have had to figure out ways to help me interpret winter photos to make better paintings. I have learned to exaggerate and add colors to my snow and shadows as they often appear black, white and grey in my photos.
One of the other challenges we have with snow and pastels is avoiding muddy looking snow. This can happen easily since in winter scenes we are working with very light values (snow) next to dark values (trees,water, rocks) If we don't plan out our value masses and end up trying to put snow on top of darks we risk getting dull and muddy color. Yes you can brush out and redo....but it is better to get it right the first time.
For snow scenes it is important to do your value studies and I like to take it a step further and do a value underpainting. I use a dark blue or blue-purple Nupastel to block in my dark and middle values leaving the paper color for the lights. I try to use no more than 4 values. I like to wash this in with an alcohol wash to set it into the paper. Now I have a value road map so I will have a better chance of getting it right with my pastels.

Mini Pastel Demo

1. Value study with 3 values. I like to use Tombow markers and a tiny sketchbook. Value study just indicates the big simple shapes...no details,no lines.
2. I am using white Pastelmat paper size 6x6. I have taped off my reference photo to find my composition. Looking at my value sketch, I block in the big shapes with a blue-purple Nupastel. I wash this in with rubbing alcohol to set it into the paper. This is my value road map.
3. A selection of pastels that I may use for my winter paintings. I pull these out of my big box and will use this palette for several winter scenes. It helps me keep my colors more harmonious if I pick them out before I start to paint.
4. Close-up of finished alcohol wash.
5. I start with soft pastels and reinforce the dark shapes with 2-3 layers of colors in the same value. I made sure to put some warm darks in the sunlit areas.
6. Next I key in the lightest lights in the snow and blocked in the sky.
7. I continue by blocking in the distant trees with a muted purple,the sunlit trees and the start of the shadows on the snow. All values are in place now it is a matter of refining the painting.
   
8. Continue building layers. Add some greens and snow to the evergreen tree, putting down the snow in shadows and in sunlight...shadows getting lighter and cooler into the distance and snow getting duller.
9. Adding the finishing touches by putting bright,warm snow on tree and sunlit trunks with a peach pastel.

I hope you enjoyed my mini demo! I plan to post a new demo each week so I hope you will sign up for updates so you don't miss a post. Sign up on the side bar for email updates, facebook and twitter too!

A Great Way to Store Finished Pastel Paintings

'Summer Fields' 5x7 pastel ©Karen Margulis SOLD

What do you do with all of your unfinished paintings? I have a multi step approach to painting storage and the first step is courtesy of IKEA. Many artists like to keep finished paintings around the studio before framing and storing so they can evaluate them with fresh eyes. This is a challenge with pastels because they need to be protected so leaving them sitting around the studio is inviting damage (especially when you have curious cats & dogs) So I discovered a great way to keep paintings in view but up and out of the way. It is a wire curtain line from IKEA.

My Hanging System courtesy of IKEA
Paintings on wall are part of my 100 variation challenge

This curtain wire is easily attached to the wall on two sides and mine stretches 12 feet. It comes with clips that hook onto the wire so it is simple to clip your painting and hang it on the wire. Extra hooks are available. I find I can hang about 30 paintings 11x14 or smaller...perfect for a month's work. Having them hanging all month gives me a chance to revisit them and make changes as I see fit. Looking at a month's allows me to see what I am pleased with and what I want to work on. At the end of the month I take them all down and file them away (I'll get into that in another post) I am now ready to start the new month. I find it helpful to keep my current work handy and in view. It is also great for my students to see what I've been working on up close.
This wire is available at Ikea stores. It is called a DEKA Curtain wire and it includes clips. Here is the link for the curtain wire from the Ikea website.
I will be sharing the next steps to my storage system in an upcoming post. Be sure to sign up for email updates (on sidebar) so you don't miss a post.

How to Paint Falling Snow with Pastels

'Evening Snow' 11x14 pastel on board ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with paypal $150

I've been painting up a storm! This week I have been working on my own home made surfaces and painting some winter landscapes. One of the things I have been wanting to paint is the effect of falling snow. Painting individual snowflakes doesn't work very well. Anytime you try to be too literal with landscape elements you don't leave much to the viewer's imagination. Painting every snow flake would be like trying to paint every leaf on a tree. I find it better to suggest rather than spell it all out. I wanted to find a way to suggest falling snow. I discovered a couple of techniques that work for me.

Snow Making Kit for pastels

• The first method is a twist on a technique I learned from Terry Ludwig. I attended a plein air workshop a few years ago and Terry demonstrated this technique for adding spray to whitewater. To make snow all you do is shave some white or very light value soft pastel into a cup or lid, add a few drops of water to make a paste. You are actually returning the pastel into is wet, pasty stage. Now take a stiff brush or toothbrush, rub it into the liquid pastel. To create the snow, hold the brush over your painting and either flick or run a finger over the bristles to spatter the pastel 'snow'. You might have to play around with the consistency of the paste to get the effect you want. Don't worry about the wet spatters. They will dry and most of the pastel snow will stick. Instant snow!
  

Palette Knife Technique

• Another snow making technique is to shave some soft pastel on the area of your painting where you want the snow. Press these shaved pieces into the paper with a palette knife. This works for adding small specks as well as for larger areas such as snow covered branches. I love using iridescent white pastels with this technique.
  

This photo shows both techniques and how they appear on your surface. I have fun with this technique and I have ideas for using it in other landscapes that I can't wait to try. Do you have techniques for painting falling snow? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
P.S. I just read Richard McKinley's Pastel Pointer blog post which is on this technique called 'Dusting'. He explains it in detail in his post.

My Guide to Painting Beautiful Places....Nantucket Island

'A Nantucket Bouquet' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with Paypal $145

I have Nantucket sand in my shoes. My Grandfather was born and raised on Nantucket Island. A few years ago I did our family genealogy and discovered we go back to the founding fathers of the island. I also discovered a treasure....an unknown cousin who has lived on Nantucket all of his life and along with his father built many of the island homes. I have been to visit him a couple of times and hope to go back.
Nantucket is the most beautiful and inspiring place just full of magical landscapes. Nantucket has it all....beautiful beaches both wild and tame, harbors full of colorful boats, lighthouses, a wonderful town that takes you right back to the 1700's...cobblestone streets, gas lights and window boxes filled with flowers. But that is not all...the interior of the island has magical moors and meadows filled with wilflowers, misty marshes, ponds filled with waterlilies. Not to mention the birds and other wildlife. I could spend an entire summer soaking up and painting the beauty of this island. Here are some of my favorite spots.

'Steps Beach' 8x10 pastel

Many steep steps must be descended to get down to the beach but the views of the winding paths through the dunes are wonderful. I love standing at the top of the steps and feeling the sea breeze, smelling the beach roses and enjoying the expansive views. See more about The Beaches of Nantucket here.

'Madaket Daisies' 11x14 pastel

If you go as far west as you can you will come to Madaket Beach. This spot is famous for the sunsets. For me it was the wildflowers that got me excited. The fences and yards around the beach are filled with wonderful wildflowers. It is heaven for a wildflower lover like me. We visited Madaket on a foggy day which made the colors of the flowers even more intense. I was happy for some fog for moody photos but also glad when the sun came out later in the day. You can take the Wave...Nantucket Regional Transit Authority Shuttle buses to get to Madaket as well as all over the island. Read more about Nantucket Transportation here.

'Sanford Farm Path' 11x14 pastel

Nantucket is famous for beaches and as much as I love the sea I am just as drawn to the interior places on the Island. One of my favorite places is Sanford Farm. The Nantucket Conservation Foundation has preserved this beautiful spot and now it is laced with trails for hiking, birding, photography or plein air painting! To read more about Sanford Farms and other Nantucket Conservation Foundation properties visit their website here.

'Evening Stroll Nantucket' 8x10 pastel

Imagine a day exploring the island capped off by a wonderful dinner of Lobster rolls and fried clams (my favorites). After dinner you get an ice cream cone and stroll the cobblestone streets in town. I am not really a painter of architecture or street scenes but the possibilities here are endless. There is really something for everyone on Nantucket...art lovers, nature lovers, beach people, boat people...I can't wait to go back!
If you would like to visit Nantucket know that getting there is half the fun. I like to take the slow ferry. We don't take a car (expensive) and just use Island transportation. Here is more information on the ferries.

I posted an album of additional Nantucket paintings on my Facebook page. I'd love for you to have a look and 'like' my page! www.facebook.com/karenmargulisart

Nantucket Paintings are available for purchase. Contact me at kemstudios@yahoo.com for information

Laying it on Thick...A Recipe for Thick Pastel Ground

'Winter Creek' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with paypal $145

I love experimenting with new techniques. When I read the recent Pastel Journal article about Robert Carsten and how he uses homemade pastel grounds I knew I had to try them. I decided to go for the thickest ground. I wanted to get the most texture possible. I mixed a smaller amount since I only had one 8x10 piece of gatorboard to coat.
The recipe for the Thick Paste-like Ground calls for 1 cup of Golden's Light or Coarse Molding paste mixed with 1/8 to 1/4 cup of water with 4 tablespoons of grit added. I painted my board first with Golden Fluid Acrylic and when this was dry I applied my ground mixture. It made a wonderful textured board with lots of exciting brush marks!

Close-up of my painting showing the texture and underlying brushstrokes

When I began to apply pastel I had a mini panic. The ground was so rough the pastels only stuck to the higher ridges. Not only that it was rapidly eating up my pastels. I was about to give up. I like to experiment but not with my softest pastels! Luckily I had just found a box of Richeson pastels that I had forgotten about. (Don't you love when that happens!) and they worked perfectly on this surface. They were just the right consistency in that they were soft enough to fill in the ridges but hard enough to hold up pretty well. Not to mention the colors were wonderful. One thing I did was to push my first layer into the surface with a piece of pipe insulation foam. That gave me a nice underpainting to build on.

Overall I had fun with this thicker ground once I found the right pastel to use. One thing I would do differently is to apply the ground with a palette knife the way Robert Carsten demonstrates in his article. I like the brushstrokes but it would be fun to get a different kind of texture. I will definitely be doing more thick pastel paintings!
Robert Carsten's article appears in the October 2011 issue of the Pastel Journal. For additional techniques from Robert see the online article on Artist Network.

One Way to Loosen Up Your Painting Style

'Winter Impressions' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with paypal $95

I am not one for painting details. A looser approach is just my natural tendency. If I wanted to get more detailed I have to work at it. I am often asked for advice on how to paint more loosely. If your natural tendency is to be detailed oriented there are some things you can try to loosen up. I want to share one way in today's post.
Change your painting surface to one with a lot of texture.
Why does this help? To paint in a loose manner it is important to focus on big simple shapes. You need to forget about details especially in the beginning stages of a painting. Too often we get bogged down with the details and try to paint every branch or blade of grass. If you want to paint loose, it is much better to paint the big shapes and put in just hints of the detail. A rough or textured surface makes it difficult to put in fussy details.
For pastels this means trying out some homemade surfaces. These surfaces can be made to have texture and brushstrokes which will affect how the pastel is applied. Pastels will glide over the ridges creating a 'painted' appearance. The brushstrokes of the ground will show. You can push some pastel down into the ridges but it is difficult to get too fussy. Details are suggested and you have instant looseness. Give it a try!

mini demo of my painting on my own homemade board

I made my own surfaces on Gatorfoam board. I cut a large piece of Gatorfoam into 8x10 pieces. It is easy to score with a utility knife. I coated the board with acrylic gesso to seal it. When it was dry I applied the ground which was made of acrylic gesso, fine pumice powder and water. I tinted this mixture with Golden fluid acrylic paint. There are several recipes for grounds that you can find and you will want to experiment with the ingredients to find mixture you like.
To read more about making your own grounds I recommend Richard McKinley's Pastel Pointer article on Home Grown Surfaces.
Do you like the look of pastels on homemade surfaces?

What Do You Do When a Painting Goes Bad?

'For the Bees' 3.5 x 2.5" pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with paypal $20

'Believe' 2.5 x 3.5" pastel ©Karen Margulis

Not every painting comes easy. In fact most of the time it is a struggle to end up with a painting that you are happy with. That is part of the process. I love the times when I am completely in the zone and a painting appears as if it were a magic trick. But I have also come to love the struggles. I learn the most when I have to work at a painting. It can be frustrating but I am stubborn and I rarely give up on a painting. I never throw a painting away. If I can't fix it or not sure what to do....I put it in a pile. One of my students calls these UFO's (unfinished objects) Sometimes I'll come back to them but often I will just end up reusing the paper.

Yesterday was a struggle. I worked on a small 6x6 painting of a bumblebee for 3 hours. For those of you who know me....this is a loooong time. I couldn't get the shape of the bee to look right. It was a close-up and he was in a strange angle. So I brushed him off and tried again...and again....I brushed that bee off 5 times. I was close to throwing it out but I reminded myself that I shouldn't give up. What could I do differently? I decided to make the painting into a daisy. I can paint those. I hated the daisy. So with nothing to lose I quickly painted a few little bees and cropped them into two small paintings. These bees made me smile. I'm glad I didn't give up.

• Never give up or get frustrated when a painting isn't going your way. Turn it into a game. What could you do differently? You have nothing to lose!
• Don't be afraid to brush or wipe the offending areas (even if that means the whole thing)
• Try not to make your work too precious or you will be hesitant to make changes.
• Sometimes it helps to get drastic...spray some workable fixative,do a wash, change the subject.
• When all else fails consider cropping out the good parts.
• I also learned that Pastelmat paper can take a lot of abuse!

What do you do when a painting isn't working?

Have You Tried Pastelmat Yet? 6 Reasons Why You Should.

'Taos Meadow' 8x10 pastel on Pastelmat with alcohol wash

purchase painting with paypal $145

Last week it was Canson MT Touch paper this week it is Pastelmat. I am having so much fun trying out new pastel papers. Pastelmat isn't exactly new but I haven't had the chance to use it much. This week I devoted myself to discovering all I could about Pastelmat. What did I discover? Like any surface it has pros and cons but what my work for my style may be perfect for yours so I encourage you to give it a try. Pastelmat is acid free, archival, lightfast and water resistant. It comes in 8 colors. It is a cellulose based surface that feels velvety but really grabs pastel.

Putting Pastelmat to the Test

I painted several paintings on 3 colors of pastelmat using a few different techniques. It is definitely worth giving it a try and here are 6 reasons why:

1. It feels smooth but really grabs pastel. I only got 15 layers before I lost tooth which is quite a bit less than Canson Touch, Uart and Wallis but plenty for me. It is actually surprising how many layers it takes since it feels so smooth.
   
2. Since it really grabs the pastel there is little dust and you don't really need fixative if you usually use it. But this also makes it hard to get big blended areas. You can blend but you can't spread the pastel with fingers. It stays put. You can easily blend by layering so it really isn't an issue for me. Love the NO DUST feature!
   
3. The soft velvety surface is great for Pan Pastels. It won't destroy the blending tools like other rough sanded paper can. Also easy on the fingers if you are a finger blender. See a demo of Pan Pastels on Pastelmat by Deborah Secor
4. Easy to correct problem areas. I had no problems making corrections. I was able to brush off a painting several times in a row with a stiff brush without removing the surface. I also was able to spray workable fixative in between to add texture.
   
5. Use it for Watercolor Underpaintings: The paper absorbed the watercolor like a sponge so there was little dripping and blooming. This can be good if you want control however I like the unpredictability of the wet underpainting and found that I wanted more drips and runs. The colors did dry nice and bright on the white paper. Drying time was slow....my 8x10 watercolor took at least 1/2 hour to dry. GOOD NEWS....no waving or buckling. The paper stayed flat and dried flat.
6. Use it for Alcohol washes: Same results as watercolor...there wasn't much in the way of drips. Very controlled if you like that. Love that it doesn't buckle or wave.
7. If you like to paint details you will be pleased with the ability to create nice crisp detailed lines on this paper. I found it easy to draw detailed lines on top of several layers of soft pastel.
   

How do you like Pastelmat? I welcome your impressions and tips!

My Most Indispensable Studio Gadget

'Safe and Sound' 6x6 pastel ©Karen Margulis

Purchase painting with paypal $50

I can't do without my masking tape dispenser! I can't believe I am saying this because I gave my husband such a hard time when he wanted to get one for me. But now I can't imagine painting without it. I use the dispenser for my white artist tape...which actually is also indispensable. I use a lot of artist tape in my daily studio activity so I tear a lot of tape. This dispenser is large enough to accommodate up to a one inch roll of tape. It is so much easier to get tape faster and cleaner with the dispenser. It seems minor but when you are using a lot of tape it is nice to be able to get a nice even piece of tape with only one hand. It is such a simple gadget but it really makes a big difference.

Can't live without my Masking Tape Dispenser and White Artist Tape

• White artist tape is acid free and repositionable and it is very versatile in the studio.
• I use it to secure my pastel paper to the support board (see below for my method)
• It can be used to secure glassine paper to finished pastels. I use it to make my fome cor shipping sandwiches.
• It can be used to attach your reference photo to your easel. You can write on the tape too if you want to add notes.
• You can use the tape to mask off your reference photos to find compositions.
  

I Use White Artist Tape to secure my paper to a board by hinging the tape.

To make a hinge, put a piece of tape sticky side up on the back of your paper then put another piece of tape across the sticky tape. I like hinges because they use less tape than taping down paper on all sides. They also allow the entire piece of paper to be available to paint on. Best of all....hinges remain sticky for several paintings. When you are done with a painting gently peel your paper from the hinges leaving them in place for your next piece of paper.

I got my tape dispenser on Ebay but I found one on a restaurant supply website for $10. If you use a lot of artist tape, it will be the best $10 you ever spent!

What is your most indispensable studio gadget?

3 Ways Pinterest Can Help Artists & Art Collectors

'Cape May Point' 8x8 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with Paypal $125

A Screen shot of my Pinterest Boards

It's time to start pinning! If you have been holding out or don't know what Pinterest is, you are in for a treat! What is Pinterest?
"Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. You can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests."
If you are worried that joining Pinterest will be just another time waster than let me convince you to give it a try. To me, looking at beautiful images on Pinterest is inspiring and motivates me to want to create more art. I leave my Pinterest browsing session refreshed and inspired. How can that be a waste of my time! Not to mention all of the tempting recipes,fashions and decorating ideas. Still not convinced? Let me give you three ways that Pinterest can help you as an artist or art lover & collector.

1. INSPIRATION BOARDS I use Pinterest to pin all of the wonderful art I come across while browsing the web. I have set up pin boards devoted to things that inspire me. I have a Southwest board, a Color board, a Wildflower board to name a few. I am now starting to make a weekly board devoted to a theme or subject and I will browse the web looking for images in that theme that inspire me. This week it is 'Art of the Beach' and I am on the hunt for beach art that speaks to me.
2. PRACTICAL ART INFORMATION You can use Pinterest to organize all of the great ideas you find for the practice of creating art. I have an Art Studio board where I pin inspiring artist's studios and storage ideas. How about a board devoted to your medium....supplies you covet? The possibilities for this kind of board are endless. My boards are all a work in progress which adds to the fun.
   
3. SHARING/MARKETING YOUR WORK Pinterest discourages users from too much self promotion but there are ways to get your art out there and your followers can certainly pin your work to their boards. Just remember that it is better to share more than your own art. This is new territory for marketing so if you would like to read more I recommend this post on Pinterest for Business on Firebelly Marketing's Blog.

So what are you waiting for? Do yourself a favor and join the fun on Pinterest. Let's share our favorite art and art tips. You will be inspired!
If you would like an invitation to join Pinterest, comment below with your email or send me an email at kemstudios@yahoo.com

Follow me on Pinterest

A Simple Way to Spice up a Boring Reference Photo

'Nantucket Dunes' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting with Paypal $125

'Nantucket Beach Dreams' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

You have a nice photo that you want to paint. But it just nice....nothing special or exciting. How can you make it have more impact? Change the horizon! Take a good look at that reference photo. Where is the horizon? If it is right in the middle than move it up or down....or do a painting with each point of view. It is usually not a good composition with the picture divided in half. You don't want equal emphasis on the sky and the land. That is boring and often the viewer isn't sure where to look first.

• Spice things up by choosing what you want to be more important. When I look at a scene one of the first things I decide is if I want the painting to be about the sky or about what's happening on the ground. Each choice will have an entirely different mood and feeling. I like to do thumbnail sketched and try out my choices. It is challenging to break away from a literal interpretation of the photo but a simple change of horizon will open up many possibilities for a more interesting painting.

I decided to to paint two versions of my Nantucket Island Beach scene. In the top painting It is more about the dunes and grasses. The sky is softened and downplayed. In the bottom painting, I moved the horizon down so I could focus on the sky. I added more interest with some clouds and downplayed the grasses. What a fun and easy way to break free from copying a boring photo!
PS Both paintings are done on Pastelmat paper which I will be reviewing here this week so be sure to sign up for updates.

Look What the Dog Dragged In! The Adventures of Heidi the Studio Dog

'Lavender Skies' 5x7 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase painting on Paypal $50

Heidi reading the latest issue of Art Collector Magazine

I can't imagine how she got it. I don't even know where she found it but yesterday Heidi came trotting into my studio with this painting hanging out of her mouth. Now you need to know that Heidi is an 11 month old Golden /Lab mix and she loves to shred paper. Any kind of paper. So I was concerned about that painting. She thought she had won the lottery and she looked determined to hang onto her prize. Fortunately she is highly motivated by food so she gladly dropped the painting for some kibbles. It was UArt paper so the little bit of dog drool quickly dried leaving the painting in perfect condition. I still don't know how she got her paws on a painting but I'm glad she found it! It's always an adventure with Heidi around!

The painting is a Lowcountry Marsh scene. I was working on departing from the literal and interpreting a not so exciting photo. I'll be doing more of that this week.

How to Make your Poppies Pop...A Quick Demo

'Poppy Love' 5x7 pastel ©Karen Margulis

sold

Painting red flowers can be tricky. How do you make them rich and colorful? How do you make them have depth? How can you paint them so they pop off the paper. I want you to feel like you can pick my flowers. It helps to have the right colors especially with pastels. While you can layer and create new colors with pastels, to make really vibrant flowers, you need to have the right vibrant pastels. Terry Ludwig makes the most luscious rich vibrant reds. I like to use his pastels and some others from Great American. They make up my 'go to' reds. Use the darkest coolest reds first and layer your reds getting warmer in the 'sunlit' areas. You want to use warmer reds.....not lighter reds (pinks). Also you can surround the red flowers with cooler greens and blues which will help intensify the reds.

1. I started this painting on grey Canson MT Touch paper with a watercolor underpainting. (I prefer white for more vibrant watercolor but Grey is all I had)
2. I chose my palette. I like to pick out the pastels I might use before painting. It helps me keep a more harmonious limited palette.
3. I began with my soft pastels blocking in the darkest cooler brick reds and the dark blue-purples in the centers of the flowers.
4. Decide where the light touches the petals and layer progressively warmer reds. Pale reds (pinks) will make your flowers washed out rather than lit by the sun.
5. I didn't want to completely cover my watercolor in the background so I lightly layered some greens and blues. Very lightly!
6. I finished the painting by adding details to the poppy centers and added some stems and seed pods. I use some line work with the edge of the pastels for this step.

If you'd like to see more mini demos let me know what you would like to see! I'd love for you to sign up for updates or join me on Facebook and Twitter!

Miniature pastel paintings of poppies available by auction this week Click HERE

poppy aceo's

How Wet Can it Get? My Review of Canson Mi-Teintes Touch part 2

'Into the Sunshine' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis

purchase with Paypal $145

First layer of pastel before the alcohol wash. Canson Touch Flannel Grey

I love wet drippy underpaintings! So one of the reasons I was excited to try the new Canson Mi-Teintes Touch paper was it's ability to take a wash. It can handle both water and solvent based underpaintings. I tested the paper with a watercolor underpainting and an alcohol wash. My criteria for a paper to rate high in wet underpaintings is that it must dry flat with no waving or buckling. I also like the surface to allow for drips, blooms and happy accidents to occur. My favorite surface for underpaintings has been UArt. So how does Canson Touch compare?

• The paper seems very absorbent. It takes the water and alcohol washes and grabs onto it. I didn't have much dripping or blooming. This can be a good thing if you like your colors to stay put but I like to see more 'happy accidents'. I haven't tried turpenoid so I can't comment on the results of a turpenoid wash or oil stain. (I'll report on this soon)
• The colors remained vibrant as they dried. I was working on grey paper and I will be trying the white next. My wet underpaintings are always more luminous on white.
• Buckling....I would rate the paper in between Uart and Wallis for buckling. For both the watercolor and alcohol wash, the paper waved slightly but dried flat without me doing anything. For a second watercolor I tried getting very wet and drippy and I even spritzed extra water. This sample did buckle more and dried slightly wavy. I put it under a heavy book for an hour and it flattened out. I rarely have any buckling on unmounted Uart so it has become my favorite. Keep in mind I was working on unmounted paper. The board and mounted paper will react differently.

Overall I was pleased with how well the paper performed with wet underpaintings. I want to try some turpenoid washes and oil stains but I would definitely add it to my favorite paper list. As a side note, my pastel class tried the paper out in class last night and everyone was very pleased with their results and will plan on using it again.
I recommend the following merchants who now carry Canson Touch:
Dakota Art Pastels
Blick