How to Create a Softer Landscape

'Summer Buzz'             5x7          pastel       ©Karen Margulis
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Paper choice does make a difference. I have blogged about paper choice before but it is always a good thing to keep in mind. I choose my paper type and color to help me convey my message. I usually recommend that anytime you try a new paper you use it exclusively for awhile so you can get to know it. Eventually choosing the right paper for a painting becomes intuitive. The more you experience and get to know your paper options the easier it will be to choose the right paper for the job.

The paper for today's painting gave me a distinctly different effect than my usual favorite paper (Uart) for landscapes. It gave me a softer look and feel.

close up detail of my bumblebees

Today's painting was done on brown LaCarte Pastelcard by Sennelier. This paper is sanded but it is a vegetable fiber based sanded surface. This gives it a very soft touch. Yet the paper still holds many layers of pastel. I usually like to use LaCarte paper for animals. The softness of the paper is perfect for painting fur and feathers.

I usually like a crisp feeling in my landscapes. I may paint some areas with a soft focus of soft edges but overall my paintings are crisp with bolder mark-making. I decided to try my same technique on the LaCarte paper. The result was a much softer and dreamy feel to my painting.

Paper choice made the difference! I will be trying more landscapes on LaCarte!

This is a painting done on Pastel Premiere white sanded paper....see the difference?

Purchase LaCarte at Dakota Art Pastels. Click here for the link and more information.