Try This for Your Next Pastel Painting

'Along the River'          8x10       pastel         ©Karen Margulis
available $145

You finished a painting. Now what? You may have a pile of pastels that you have been using. (unless you are disciplined and put them all away neatly!) Don't be so quick to clean up! Why not reuse those pastels? After all you took the time to choose and use colors that have hopefully worked in your last painting.

Why not challenge yourself to use them in another painting!  Get more milage from your hard work and challenge yourself to make the same  palette work for another painting....even if it isn't the same scene!

If you have seen any of my demos then you know that I like to choose a selection of pastels before I start a painting. This helps me to have clean and harmonious color. BUT I don't like putting the pastels back in my big box when I am done. I actually have 5 trays so that I don't have to keep cleaning up. When all trays are filled it is time to have a big clean up. Today I decided to challenge myself to reuse yesterday's pastel palette.

Pastels used for a beach/dune painting

I chose a photo taken in the South Carolina Lowcountry. I knew that most of the pastels used for my beach dunes would work for this painting. I needed the same darks. I needed some of the greens and some of the lights. I didn't need the pinks so I removed them from the tray. Instead I needed some browns and red oranges for the tree so I added a few. For the most part the pastels stayed the same which saved me time and allowed me to get painting!

The pastels with the pinks removed and the oranges added

I might just use this same palette again before they get put away! It is a fu challenge that helps you get to know your pastels even better!  Disclaimer: I did end up adding another purple to the tray which is not in the photo!