Pastel Demo....Trees and Sagebrush on Mystery Paper

'A View to Remember'            11x14           pastel             ©Karen Margulis
this painting is available for $150 click here to purchase

 It's Mystery Paper!  I though I knew my pastel paper but this has me stumped. I was taking paper inventory this morning since I am getting low and I came across this package of paper in my pile. I have a dwindling stack of assorted paper I purchased from an artist who was downsizing.

Mystery Paper....Anyone know what it is?

There were two sheets about 15x20 in a plastic bag sealed with a 'Made in Canada' sticker. The paper was toned this salmon color on the front. It felt like heavy rag paper with a soft touch. The sanded side wasn't gritty like sandpaper. Nothing like Uart. It reminded me more of Canson Touch or Colourfix, sanded but not sandy. I decided to give it a try on today's painting.

My thoughts: Like any paper tried for the first time it felt strange. I didn't dislike it but I didn't fall in love. It will take more paintings on it for me to give a fair assessment. I was actually relieved I didn't fall immediately in love with the paper since I don't know what it is.  Does anyone know what kind of paper this is?

Enjoy today's mini demo on this mystery paper. Stay tuned this weekend for the release of my latest PDF Demo Booklet which will also cover painting trees and shrubs!

Step 1:  Rough sketch with charcoal

 Step 2: Blocking in the dark shapes with 3 different dark value pastels. The pastels are having a hard time covering this paper.

Step 3: Working on the sky and distant mountain.

Step 4: I decided to blend in the first layer so I could get better coverage. Adding green to the trees.

Step 5: Adding more color to the trees and foreground sagebrush. I feel like I am getting close to filling the tooth of the paper so I decide to use some workable fixative spray.

Step 6: The fixative helped. I am able to add more color to the trees and start to develop the sagebrush. I needed to spray 2 more times to give me the tooth I needed to get the effect I wanted in my foliage.

Step 6: At this stage I begin working more on the foreground. I also added more color to the trees and sunlit shrubs. Finally I added more blue to the sky and lightened the mountain.

Pastel Demo on Canson Paper...New England Summer

'New England Summer'          16x20         pastel        ©Karen Margulis
purchase painting $225 on Etsy

I thought the painting was finished. I took the final photo and uploaded it to the blog. It wasn't done.  It happens quite often actually. There is nothing like looking at your painting on the big screen to show  all of the issues. So it was back to the easel.  In fact today it was back to the easel 3 more times until I finally was satisfied.

The painting just wasn't capturing the emotion I wanted. It was a beautiful afternoon on Nantucket Island. We came up to the beach and had a view of the distant ocean through a sea of wildflowers. The heady scent of the beach roses filled the air. It was magical.

I decided to remove the beach umbrellas and add more flowers. I softened the sky as well.  These changes helped create the mood I was after. Thank goodness for digital photos! They are so helpful for evaluating a painting. Enjoy today's mini demo.

I began the painting on a piece of 16x20 Canson MiTeintes paper Moonstone color. I blocked in the big shapes with 4 values of pink and rubbed it into the paper with a piece of pipe foam insulation.

Next I block in the dark areas underneath the foliage and then moved to the sky. I layer several blue pastels both warm and cool and dark to light. I tried to get a nice transition from top to bottom.

I work on the clouds layers using pale peach and yellow. I don't use pure white at all. I also put in the band of distant ocean.

I begin putting in the darker greens in the foliage areas and I indicate where the fence is. I end up removing the fence. I also layer some very light value yellows in the sand.

I build up several layers of greens in the foliage area. Because Canson doesn't have a lot of tooth I decide to spray some workable fixative so I could build up more layers and get some texture in the foliage.

I add the beach umbrellas and more greens. I also start to put in a few of the beach roses.

This is where I thought I was finished. I didn't like the texture in the clouds and the cloud shapes were too similar. I also didn't like the umbrellas. They were too small for where they were in the composition. If I kept them they would need to be larger and the painting wasn't about the umbrellas.....so I brushed them out.  I added more flowers and was much happier. (see top photo)

Monday Pastel Demo...Queen Anne's Lace

'It's a Blue Sky Day'           8x10          pastel          ©Karen Margulis
sold

 I am on an Underpainting Kick.  I go through that. Sometimes I don't want to bother with underpaintings and other time it's all I want to do.  Maybe it has something to do with the workshop I taught last week on underpaintings. I am in that mode. So for today's Monday Demo I am sharing a Queen Anne's Lace painting done with an Oil Stain Underpainting.

An Oil Stain is easy. Just thin oil paint with turpenoid to the consistency of tea and paint!  In this photo I have begun reinforcing my dark areas with dark value pastels.  I always begin the painting by reinforcing the darks.

Next I work on the lights....the sky. I add a few pale blues and pinks to the sky area.

I decide the sky needed to be less active since the flowers will be so busy so I gently blend the sky with my fingers.

Next I work on the distant trees using cool greens and blues. I use a very light touch!

Time to work on the meadow so I add some pinks and purples which will be the clover.

Next I layer some green pastels over the underpainitng in the meadow. Cool in the back to warm in the front.

I now block in the flowers with a gray purple. I arrange them so that they are moving or dancing in the wind.

I gradually lighten the Queen Anne's Lace by using pale greens, pinks and yellows. And finally white.

I put in some of the clover shapes and add a suggestion of stems to the flowers. I add some warmer greens and put in some grasses and and call it finished! (see photo at top)
Be sure to click on the photo at the top to enlarge it so you can see the detail of the underpainitng.

Monday Pastel Demo....Painting Lupines on a Reclaimed Surface

'Summer Days in Maine'             8x10         pastel on board      ©Karen Margulis
sold

Which comes first....the paper or the subject?  Usually I recommend choosing the surface after deciding on the subject and concept for the painting. That way the paper type can be a better match for the concept.  The surface does have a big impact on the way the painting looks.

Today I did it backwards. I am trying to use up some older prepared surfaces so I chose from the top of the pile. I got an 8x10 piece of pastelbord that I had covered with a yellow tones pumice and gesso mix. It was a wonderful textured surface and I need a subject to fit!  I went with purple flowers....Maine Lupines inspired by a summer trip to Maine.

I begin by blocking in the dark values using several colors all the same dark value. Look at all the textures from the brushstrokes of the ground!

Next step is to paint the sky. I decided to go with a few pale lavenders for the sky and some pale yellows for the horizon. After I block in foliage I will go back and put in skyholes.

I work on the trees next using a cool blue green for the distant trees.  I add some dark purples to the grasses and rub it in. I want to cover some of the yellow board so the top layers of grass will show up better.

I layer some greens in the grassy area. It skips over the texture leaving the suggestion of grass.

Now it is finally time for the flowers. These Lupines are a mix of purples and deep blue. I begin with a dark blue-purple.

 I work on the Lupines using very soft Schminke and Great American purples. I am trying for a variety of shapes and sizes and interesting placement of each Lupine stalk. I want them to dance!

For the finishing touches I add some brighter greens for the stems and suggest a few leaves. I decide I need to reintroduce some of the yellow so I put in a few bright yellow flower dots. Finished! I enjoy how the texture of the board helps me be less fussy with all of the foliage! It does a lot of the work for me!

If you enjoyed this condensed demo you might like to try one of my pdf demo downloads. These demos are filled with photos and detailed commentary on each step of the painting. You can see the demos in my etsy shop here.

The Secret to Painting Wildflowers

'A Special Place'         8x10          pastel  on textured board         ©Karen Margulis
available for purchase $145

What is the secret?  I admit that I don't have all the answers but I do know what has worked for me. The secret for painting wildflowers for me is that I paint them often and with passion.  Paint what you love. Paint your truth. I have heard this advice many times.  I've blogged about it recently. Figure out what it is you are drawn to. What makes your heart race? What compels you to capture it on canvas or paper? 

As much as I love painting landscapes and wide open spaces, I always return to the wildflower. Queen Anne's Lace is probably my favorite.  When I see them bobbing by the roadside my heart sings. When I paint them I try to paint them with the same excitement and passion. If you can paint something with passion and love than this will show in your work. Enjoy today's pictorial step by step demo and the tips I share for painting with passion. (be sure to click on the photo to see them larger)

My secret for painting any subject well:

• Paint what you love. Sure, you need to stretch and paint other things to help you learn and grow as an artist. But always make time to return to your favorite subjects.
• Paint what you know....or really get to know your favorite subject. Study it and paint it over and over. I can't tell you how many variations on this same field of Queen Anne's Lace I have painted. I vary the technique,color palette, composition....and with each painting I get to know the flower even better. I never tire of painting them because they move me
• Plan and then paint with Passion!  When I paint a field of Queen Anne's Lace I start with a plan so  that when I paint I can paint with passion and just intuitively respond to my painting. I don't want anything to slow me down like choosing colors and making composition decisions. 

What subject makes your heart sing?  How many times have you painted it? The more you paint it, the more you will make it your own and your own unique style will emerge. I think I will go paint some more Queen Anne's Lace!