Tips for Working on a Homemade Surface

'Homeward Bound'             9x12                 pastel              ©Karen Margulis
available $165

I enjoy working on a homemade surface. Sometimes my pastels don't enjoy it though. If the texture is too rough it eats up the pastels too quickly. It can be difficult to get the type of mark you want when the ridges grab the pastel. But when mastered, texture can make a pastel painting even more interesting. I used half of a textured paper for the painting 'Homeward Bound'. I kept the sky smooth so that I could paint a smooth and quiet sky. I wanted texture for the trees and grasses.

I just released a video that was made available for one of my Patreon units on pastel surfaces. In the video I paint a wheat filed and share more tips for success on a textured ground. Click on the link under the painting to see the video on YouTube. Be sure to like and share and subscribe to my channel! I appreciate the love! 

Link to Video:

https://youtu.be/X54osTn_jYY

Link to blog article about making a textured surface:
http://kemstudios.blogspot.com/2018/07/making-your-own-pastel-surfaces.html