How to Create An Exciting Pastel Effect

'Sky Shimmer'              8x10                pastel              ©Karen Margulis
available $150

It was one of those so called happy accidents. I didn't do it on purpose and when it happened I thought about changing it. After all it wasn't in my plan. But I decided to embrace it and it opened a door to something exciting! Lesson learned.

I was choosing pastels to use for my evening sky painting. I picked out some darks for the shadows, some middle values and finally some lights for the illuminated part of the sky. I don't usually pay too much attention to the exact color. I am more interested in getting the value I need. So I was hunting for a very light value blue green....almost white. I was excited to find just the right piece of pastel....until I made a mark.

It sparkled!  It shimmered! It was glittery and shiny! It was a Great American Pearlescent blue pastel and a piece somehow made it into my big pastel box. 

I made another mark. And another. I started to like the resulting shimmer in my sky. It was an accident but I was happy! So I pulled out the box of pearlescent pastels from my shelf and finished the sky and the foreground with some of these beautiful pastels.  I now have a new use for all of those pearlescent pastels I've collected....Sky Shimmer!

A closer look at the shimmer of the iridescent pastels

It is a bit difficult to see the shimmer and sparkle of the pastel in a photo but it is really special in person!