Kelly on Ice-my first custom panel - Page 4

Lisa Ober · 05-10-2005, 12:14 PM

Elizabeth, I am just now learning what I want to do with the board but I either use masonite or MDF panels. I have done one that I primed with gesso and them applied the pastel ground (made by Golden). That was fine but added more texture from the gesso than I wanted. This particular one was on MDF which I lightly sanded (very lightly). I did not apply gesso. I made a mildly diluted batch of the ground and added a little bit of Golden's matte acrylic to give it a color. I then took a big Purdy house paint brush for trim which is about 3 inches wide and swooshed on the ground. While still wet, I delicately swooshed back over it with the brush----very delicately in one direction. After that was dry I did the brush routine again in the other direction. That gave almost a linen weave look to it and a great texture. I recommend trying it. I think I will use it for all my larger pieces. I'll probably stick with Ampersand Pastelbord for the smaller standard size stuff. It's great to have options and it saves a lot of money.

I don't know if I could do pastels with gloves on but I might just give it a shot. My fingers really hurt today. Thanks for the reminder about oils from fingers. Any oil I had has been sucked out. I need a lotion fix.

Let me know if you try it. I'd like to hear your thoughts and discoveries.

Sharon, thank you for the info. I didn't know oils were used for tinting. I thought phtoographers used special tints. I haven't seen a regular photo in years since the computer age but it sounds like a good thing to try.

All of your comments are greatly appreciated. Please don't ever hesitate to speak your mind. Everything I learn here helps make me better even though it doesn't always show in the work.

Mike McCarty · 05-10-2005, 02:16 PM

Lisa,

Have you tried using one of those fabric band-aids wrapped over the tip of your finger for blending? It still has a pretty good sensitive feel.

Michele Rushworth · 05-10-2005, 05:16 PM

Goodness gracious - six hours! I'd take sixty hours and it still wouldn't be this good!

I think you might find that the problem with the eye on our left is that the angle is too flat, too level, and that it should tilt down more at the outside to match the angle of the other features. I find a common problem that artists (especially me) have to fight is the tendency to make features that would look right only if the model's face was absolutely vertical. I always have to stop myself and check the angles of features when I'm working from an angled pose (which is most of the time.)

Lisa Ober · 05-10-2005, 10:48 PM

Hi Mike! Great idea! Those are my favorite bandaids anyway since they don't hurt when you rip them off. I have never tried using them for pastels but I just bought new ones and think I will give it a shot. Thanks for thinking of the health of my fingertips.

Michelle, you're very sweet and you do great work! Thank you for the nice words.

I think that eye is the issue as well. It does need to look like it turns more. I have that same problem of turning faces more toward the viewer. I wonder why that is. Thanks for your helpful comments.

Jean Kelly · 05-11-2005, 12:33 AM

There are special funny shaped finger bandaids that I like to use. I put one on each finger cause I tend to use them all (both hands). Emu oil is great stuff for repairing damaged skin.

I call that angle problem parallelism! I fight my tendency for symmetry in every piece that I do. I thought it was from my drafting days, ductwork and boiler piping, refrigeration lines and electric circuits, yuck!

Jean

SB Wang · 05-11-2005, 08:36 PM

Lisa: you are a champion, trying to beat two men: . Passion and speed of Delacroix, style of Ingres.
World champion Lewis said that his key to win---
I suppose that the runway under my feet were a scorching steel plate.

I should suppose canvas were a knife, for I have a bad habit of looking too long at a canvas.

Julie Deane · 05-11-2005, 09:40 PM

Lisa, this is amazing! I looked at your pic briefly when it first came out, but with my work I didn't have the time to really read until today. I thought this was oil, because of the fine detail. Do you use pastel pencils too?

Lisa Ober · 05-12-2005, 11:23 PM

Jean, thank you for the finger saving tips. My finger tips are really a mess.

I also have the curse of wanting symmetry. You can see it all over my house. What is that?!

SB Wang, yes, speedy and I wouldn't recommend trying it. As you can see I often leave out the important details. Thank you for looking.

Julie, very kind of you! I'm happy you like it. I really enjoy doing detail work. Yes, I use pastel pencils for the little stuff like eyelashes, lips and nostrils. All the rest was done with the standard sticks...even the jacket but I break my pastels to get a sharper point. Thanks!