Lesson: Stop Putz-ing Around

Spring Beauty

8"x 8", pastel

Almost a month since the last post!!! Yikes, but really have been busy. Working on several paintings, won an award at the San Antonio Art League and Museum 86th Annual Artists Exhibition, plus playing pickleball (Google it).

This little painting is the latest work. In fact I just completed it about 30 minutes ago. Now it has been on the easel, in progress for over a week. Being the realist painter that I am, I was trying to include every little leaf and flower in the photo reference.........and just this morning determined that they were becoming the stars, not this precious hummer! Have been working on those leaves and flowers for days, but this morning took the alcohol to everything but the bird! In layman's terms, that means that all the pastel soaked into the board and became a muted surface on which to apply fresh pastel.

When it dried, there was no putz-ing (now I did look up the meaning of this word......didn't want to get myself in trouble here!) around, just gave the indication of flora around the star of the painting....pleased with the result.

Untitled-----any ideas?

Untitled

8" x 8", pastel

Click to Bid

This painting is the third version of this scene. One of the first two versions will be entered in the Austin Pastel Society Juried Member Show--still deciding which one. I began this with an underpainting as Barbara Jaenicke instructs. My next struggle was to keep it loose and depict the light and shadows.

Welcome all ideas on a title, just leave them in the comments section!

Miss Kitty

8 x 8, pastel

Miss Kitty loves lying in the sunshine and greeting customers at our groomers. Those dogs do not mess with her. I'm thinking she rules the roost. Her eyes are gorgeous, sort of imploring you to pet her. She is one fluffy kitty, as well, with different colored eyes!

Getting excited about the IAPS convention in Albuquerque, so many wonderful pastel artists in one place!!

Two Little Pigs, II

Two Little Pigs, II

8" x 8", pastel

Click to Buy

Painted another version of these pigs awhile back, and I guess I didn't post them. Thought I would try them again, but with a watercolor underpainting. The pigs were going to be shown in a local youth show and were shiny clean.

Rainy Morning

Rainy Morning

8 x 8, pastel
Click to buy

Rain in Citta Della Pieve was a welcome site while visiting there several years ago. You see south Texas had been in a drought that year and we hadn't seen rain in awhile. This is the second painting from this photo taken from my hotel window, haven't posted the first one yet.

One of my prizes for the Merit Award  from the APS was a package of black Canson pastel paper. I have been having fun exploring the use of this paper, plus the challenge of painting a rainy street scene.

Exploring the Process

Untitled

8 x 8, pastel

This was my second painting I attempted way back on November 19. I was enjoying just getting the pigment on the paper, exploring the painting process. I used the same design/subject that I had used in Marla Baggetta's workshop. The result---not every completed painting is a piece worthy to be framed. Sometimes it is just a learning experience, a chance to try something out of the ordinary to see what does and does not work.

That hits sort of hard for me. You see I am a pretty frugal painter, if a watercolor doesn't work, just turn it over and paint on the other side! That is not an option with pastel paper. One of the great pieces of wisdom/advice Richard McKinley shared with me is that I should use pastels over a watercolor underpainting or over an unsuccessful watercolor painting. Now that was a piece of advice I liked--one sheet of watercolor paper used front, back and then one more time!