Time to Tackle my Pile of Characters

'Time for Ice Cream'             8x8                  pastel                 ©Karen Margulis
available $155

I have a pile of photos of interesting people. When I travelled I would always sneak some quick candid photos of interesting people. My good friend and wonderful Artist Marsha Savage calls them characters! As a professional People Watcher  I am drawn to these characters. I wonder about their stories. What are they doing? Who are they with? Where are they going? I always have my camera ready to take a quick incognito shot!

I have collected these photos but rarely paint from them. I needed a push to get started so I made 'People Paintings' a part of this month's Patreon focus. There is nothing like a good assignment to get me excited! The first painting in my new series is this 8x8 pastel on MingArt pastel paper. I pulled out my box of random Girault pastels. They were the perfect size, shape and consistency for my people.

I started with this trio at the cafe's ice cream counter in Avignon France. I was sitting under an umbrella on a very hot summer day enjoying my own ice cream cone when these three approached the counter. I decided that they were grandparents on an outing with their granddaughter and had stopped for the obligatory ice cream cone!

The Girault pastels I used for today's painting

You can see a video demo of this painting over on my Patreon Page. Join us this month for some fun as we add people to put paintings!  www.patreon.com/karenmargulis