Sharon, here I go

Jimmie Arroyo · 05-05-2004, 11:25 AM

Sharon had asked to see me do color a couple of times and her recent pastels have inspired me to do so. Good weather has played a part also because it was way too cold to paint in the attic.

Anyhoo, the final size will be around 16x18 on Wallis pastel paper. So far it's been around six-seven hours work mainly using Giraults and Unisons. Which brings me to a question. I used to use Nupastels, but I heard it is not permanent. Has anyone heard that, because I know Daniel Greene uses them and I think Sharon uses them also (correct me if I'm wrong.) If so, can anyone recommend a good hard pastel substitute?

I'm also curious to know about pastel pencils. I have a small set of Derwents, but it seems to push color aside before it makes its own mark. Is this common, and if so, should I only use them in earlier stages? Chances are if the Nupastels are permanent, I wouldn't bother with the pencils anyway.

Please feel free to comment or critique, it is still early, but any suggestions may be helpful and appreciated. The colors on my screen are very close if you'd like to comment on color. Thank you.

Tom Edgerton · 05-05-2004, 12:47 PM

Jimmie--

Just one criticism...what took you so long?

(Great start, just go for it!)

Best--TE

Geary Wootten · 05-05-2004, 01:15 PM

Yo Jimmie! Friend o' mine, most of the time when people are asking that many questions about materials..... the work they're doing looks farily tentative. Ahhhh....say, buddy.....If you get the answers you're looking for.....this is going to be SCARY!

You put another half dozen hours into it.....she's going to walk off the paper!

-Gear

Kimberly Dow · 05-05-2004, 01:32 PM

Jimmy - great start! You'ra natural. I am so glad to see you do color.

The only thing I'd like to see is some softness at the hairline where it meets the face.

Jimmie Arroyo · 05-05-2004, 03:49 PM

Thanks guys for the comments and encouragement.

I think I'll need way more than six more hours into it. I've always had trouble with the hairline as Kimberly brought up and I'm avoiding the inevitable. I started the background color to pick up color from her eyes but did'nt know if I'd like it. Another weak point for me has always been the background. Chris posted her beautiful piece recently and the color is similar, so I may use it after all. I'll blend it with something else so I'm not copying.

Thanks again.

Sharon Knettell · 05-05-2004, 08:07 PM

Jimmie,

I noticed the similarity of your pastel to my first efforts in the medium. The skintones go from light to medium to dark orangey brown, without much variation. Look at your own hand in daylight. Look at the blues, the yellows, the reds, whatever you see. There is infinite variation.

It is really important to establish a background color as that adds reflected light and keys the skintones. Greens enhance the pinks, blues, the oranges, lavender, the ochres and so on. A painting of a head is not a drawing with color added.

When you are painting a head, you at first have to simplify the forms and add detail later. At this point, I think your shadow areas are a bit too complex and need to be simplified. The eyes appear too bright. Squinting is a good method.
I realize that this is an unfinished piece, but you have to start really seeing the colors on the face even if you have to exaggerate. Look for subtle blues, does the nose appear pinker?

In my opinion a couple of afternoons studying a head in daylight, using your pastels on an inexpensive tinted paper like Canson Metientes will help you see the wonderful variations that make up skintones. Do lots. don't worry about making masterpieces. Your drawing is great, just concentrate on color, even if it is the old lady next door. Then you can take your knowledge and work from a photo shot with a good film like Portra NC 160.

Pastel is, in my opinion one of the most difficult mediums to master, escpecially vis-a-vis skintones. You cannot mix them.

Try doing some studies in oils.

I know this may seem like difficult advice, but if anyone is up to it, it is you.

Sharon Knettell · 05-06-2004, 10:18 AM

Jimmie,

I neglected to address your question about Nupastels. There is a thread in Materials that discusses various manufacturers and lightfastness. As this is an ongoing investigation by the ASTM, there is no definitve answer as yet. I do believe, however, the Unisons, came out with flying colors, that there is no information about Giraults and that there is a problem with the NuPastels.

As to the pastel portraits, now that the weather is amenable, drag a few high school students outside and do color studies of their faces. Use a clothesline, anything, to drape different colored backdrops. Avoid direct sunlight and too much greenery, an umbrella on a rooftop would work fine. Just spend a couple of weeks studying the wonderful variety of color in the human visage. Do quick studies, half hour, one hour. Don't make them too precious.

Jimmie Arroyo · 05-06-2004, 11:43 PM

Sharon, thank you so much for your advice. There will be a 6 hour model session this month that I will be attending and I will have my pastels in hand. Hopefully I can pick up color variations while I'm in the right setting. I may even be able to squeeze in two hours on Mondays while my daughter's in school to work on my patio. I've never been good at color and not having proper lighting at home is no help either. I read Marvin's thread on lighting and plan to buy sometime soon.

Even if this piece turns out to be a huge failure, I know I will take something from it and use it later, even if it's what not to do.

Thank you again.

Sharon Knettell · 05-07-2004, 07:06 AM

Without a willingness to risk failure, we rarely succeed. Big pastels! How are you going to frame them? Who's going to buy them?

Color was never my strong suit either. Actually color acuity is the one faculty that improves with age, that's why doing lots of color studies at first will help the process. At first, just think simply about complementary colors; ex.,a dull orange head on grey blue background with a hit of bright orange red. A pinkish skin tone on an olive background with a bright pink lipstick. A yellowish skin on a greyed lavender background with a bright lemon yellow flower. One color is more neutral while its compliment can be at full strengh. This is a simple explanation to get you started. It is really like learning to ride a bike, once you master balance and technique, you can enjoy the scenery.

Hope this helps!

Tom Edgerton · 05-07-2004, 08:30 AM

Sharon--

Thanks for the comment on color. I've heard this before and it's reassuring to hear it again--that color is the element that one develops a mature sensibility for last of all. I'm counting on it. I've been painting like mad for a number of years and I only now feel that I have anything like a rudimentary grasp of color. I've said I'm a tonalist, but I suspect that's often an excuse to avoid getting in there and wrestling the beast.

Jimmie, you're ahead of the game if you take what Sharon is giving you and start to apply it now. Again, it's a strong start. And you've got the right attitude---you'll learn more from a big failure than a small success.

Best of luck--TE