Yulia

[David Draime]

I decided to take Jimmie Arroyo's lead and post this here.

My first stab at pastels. Come to think of it, it's my first children's portrait! Yulia is the very special, 4 year-old daughter of a dear friend of mine in Ukraine. I took this picture on election day there, at one of the precincts while her mother was voting. She was just so cute, all bundled up like that. She's a very happy, very funny (but she doesn't know it - yet) little girl. I just smile every time I think of her.

I probably bit off more than I could chew. My goal in this one was just to see if I could get the pastels under control. I was afraid if I experimented too much, I'd end up with a muddy mess and resolve to never go near the stuff again. I'm pretty happy with it as a rendering - though I still have little issues with it - partly because, again, it wasn't the best reference photo.

The background gave me fits - I almost tore it up. When I took the photo, Yulia was sitting on a bench in front of this very colorful tapestry. The sun was setting and the light was streaming in through a stain glass window (!!!....I know...) onto her cute litte face. It made for a nice photo, but...I tried to do the tapestry and it was horrendous. In exasperation, I just blacked out the background. It looked much better.

As far as materials - I don't have a clue what I'm doing. If I worked on the background any more I'd expect holes to appear.

Anyway, please tell me what you think - pro and con - critiques welcome! Right now I can't "see" it. I'm cross-eyed.

[Jimmie Arroyo]

David, I knew you were gonna come up with something great. Very smooth transition of colors, almost like pencils.

I think the background looks just fine, and the rest does'nt look like you were having any problems.

Typical questions- Size, paper, brands of pastels used etc,etc etc...?

Again,

[Marvin Mattelson]

Forget the technical stuff. This image is both powerful and haunting.

[Sharon Knettell]

Marvin hit it on the nail.

Whatever you did works beautifully. When a work of art want to be born, the obstacles are but bumps in the road.

Luminous.

[Kimberly Dow]

David - Holy cow. There is nothing to say - except I wish I were you. Man.... this really took my breath away.

[David Draime]

Thanks so much Chris. Yes, I really beat up on the background - little chunks of paper rolling off the surface - yikes! I just got my first order of coated paper, including some Wallis. I CAN'T WAIT to try them out. But I must. I'm in the middle of my second pastel on uncoated paper and I'm determined to delay the gratification - I'm afraid if I try out the Wallis now, I'll give up on the current one.

Thank you Julie, Rob, Michele. You praise means a LOT - pastels are still so new to me, I find my confidence comes and goes.

Linda, I beat my head against the wall several times, but I think for different reasons.

Jean, I like pastels. I can see how it can become addicting. It's a strange medium - so immediate and forgiving, but it also seems so temporary. At times, it felt like one step away from sand painting: One false move and I could lose a nose! I just wish that it would "dry" or somehow become more permanent - I did a sample test strip with fixative, but I didn't like the effect - it gave it kind of a mottled(?) look...I still need to experiment more with different fixatives.

Thanks Sharon. I feel like I did fairly decent rendering, and that was my only goal in this. I told myself it may end up being overworked (and I think it is a bit) but a decent rendering is a good start. Now my task is to figure out how to get a beautiful, rich, luxurious surface (like yours!) - something as important to me as the illusion being created. How do you do it? I take it you don't smudge that much? Is it like scumbling w/ the pastels? I can't wait to see your pastels in person. I'm so intrigued now. I know I'll figure it out for myself, and I know it'll take time.

Originally Posted by Kimberly Dow

There is nothing to say - except I wish I were you.

No you don't. I have a lot of problems.

Thank you Patricia, Andrea. Your words are so encouraging to me. I really need it, too.

Anybody: Is it correct to call a pastel a "painting?" I've never heard that before coming on to the Forum. It still seems odd to me. I think of it as a drawing. But I do know pastels sure can be painterly...I just want to get right with the lingo!

[Garth Herrick]

David,

BEAUTIFUL! This is definitely pro all the way to me. You have such a stunning and compelling portrait of a beautiful child that I am still trying to catch my breath after you took it away! I love everything about this. She seems to speak volumes for the revolution in her midst. Her glow against the background fading to inky blackness is powerful, yet perfectly harmonious to me. These colors work well together. I don't know how you acheive such a natural feeling precision and finish. Wow!

Because of you (and Jimmie), I am afraid there will be another greater renaissance of pastels, this year. The rest of us had better learn how to use them too, lest we be blown away in the wake of your dust!

Garth

[Terri Ficenec]

Gorgeous David!
I just love how you handled the light and shadow, and reflected light on her delicate little face.

[David Draime]

??Really??!

Thanks, guys. I'm kind of blown away by your comments - delighted, but ...I guess I'm not seeing what your seeing. Maybe I'm still in "microscopic" mode, analyzing every little flaw and assuming everyone will see them like a billboard. Or maybe I just need more confidence....

Jimmie, thanks a bunch. It's 18 X 24" on Twinrocker "Tatiana" paper (pretty thin stuff and I gave it a beating) Various pastels - Rembrandt, Great American along w/ Pitt and Cretaclor pastel pencils. Expensive hobby.

Marvin, your words are a breath of fresh air. After reading all the threads concerning pastels - binders, substrates, fugitive, non-fugitive, fixatives.....my head was spinning. I know it's important, but... it was like: "I just wanna make a drawing." Thank you very much!

Garth, I think you're being overly generous...but, it sure sounds good!! Thank you so much. Your reponse makes me want to do another one - so I can see what Garth will have to say about it!! I've been under the weather lately and somewhat depressed. Your kind response has really cheered me up.

[Chris Saper]

Geez, David,

Your portrait is just beautiful! Geez! (I said that already) I think that anyother choice of background would have diminished the very powerful impact of this painting.

"Holes?" What surface did you use? Try the Wallis paper, you would need a drill to actually put holes is the stuff...