Revisiting the Dunes with a Limited Palette

'Serenade by the Sea II'            9x12           pastel               ©Karen Margulis
available $175

 I learned something valuable with this exercise. I learned that I can be resourceful. I learned that I didn't need to have hundreds of pastels to paint a successful painting. I challenged myself with this painting and it felt great. It is easy to paint something you've painted many many times. You intuitively know what pastel sticks will give you the right effect. When you have access to all of your pastels you can reach for your old favorites....the ones that already worked.

Something exciting happens when you take those old favorites away. When you are given a challenge of working with a palette of pastels that is limited in colors....both in intensity and in value. I wondered what I would be able to paint with them. I had to work hard. I had to think things through. In the end I had a painting that I liked more than the same scene I had painted with access to all of my pastels.

                                Tip for working with a limited palette of pastels
Ask yourself questions such as :Do I need this area to be lighter? darker? more intense or more dull? Warmer? Cooler? If you need to adjust the value do it by layering lighter or darker values or use black and white. If you need something to be duller try to layer multiple colors or the complement all will create a more neutral color. 

The Aftermath! I used this set of 16 assorted pastels by Daler Rowney

The underpainting is an alcohol wash with a dark blue Nupastel

This is the version I painted with  a larger palette of Terry Ludwig pastels

Which version do you prefer?  You can see the entire step by step demo of the top painting on my Patreon Page. www.patreon.com/karenmargulis