A recent pastel

[Thomasin Dewhurst]

Dear Steve

This is just really, really technically very good. Thanks for posting a close-up - so nice to see your excellent mark-making and your sensitivity to tone variations.

[Steve Craighead]

Thanks Thomasin.

[Sharon Knettell]

Steve,

She is so lovely.

I love pastels as well. Have thousands of the little sticks myself. There is a wonderful freedom about pastels that is hard to describe.

Duvenek did a wonderful full sized nude in pastel.

Do some for yourself. Don't wait for a commission.

[Steve Craighead]

Thanks Sharon. That Duveneck pastel sounds very interesting. Do you have a link or photo?

[Sharon Knettell]

Steve,

I forgot where to put the c in Duveneck!

I saw it in a book I have. I will try and find you a link.

I have been experimenting with life sized pastels myself and buy any book that has an example. I believe either Largilliere or Boucher did a 60" pastel of Madame Du Barry or Madame Pompadour. In the 18th century pastels were all the rage until the Salon refused to show them. The pastels were more brilliant that the paintings and the oil painters were jealous and prevented them from being shown, thus the decline.

[Karine Monaco]

Hi Steve, and thank you for answering my question.
I will try to find some pumice similar to yours here in France and give it a try.

Concerning de La Tour, this artist is well-known for wanting to always create perfect artworks. He also spent all his life trying tons of recipes to obtain the perfect fixative, that would not alter the colors, and that would protect the paintings from time damages. I remember consulting a website about this matter. They were showing differences between his different artworks when using such or such fixative of his own. Specialists of his work say that he finally found "the" recipe, but that no written notes about this fixative has been discovered to this day.
I unfortunately do not remember the website's address, since I saved it on another computer. I will try to find it again.

De La Tour was also known in his times as the pastel painter who could show his models' souls. And it is true that his portraits were very strong. You really can feel how he perceived people's minds. That is impressive.
Thank you for posting these two portraits, Steve. I LOVE to see pastel portraits, expecially De La Tour's.

And Sharon, thank you for the information about pastels not welcomed into Salons because of the oil painters competition. This could explain so many things, to me.
Did you, Sharon, post some of these nudes on the forum? I would love to see them.

I myself generally paint almost life-size pastel portraits and nudes. I will think about posting some in the nudes section, for any critiques you may have.

Sincerely,
Karine

[Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco]

Thanks, Steve, I hope you will post more of your works in the future.
I am glad you spotted that painting : not being a commission I disregarded the likeness (not particularly good) and tried to push colours.
As of Sharon suggestion of working for yourself, I find that keeping up a private practice, especially during busy commission times, is a good way of stay focused on the quality of the paint as well as the mouth of the sitter!
Ilaria (envious oil painter)

[Sharon Knettell]

Karine,

I don't have any to post right now of other artists.

I did post one on nudes unveiling called "Dakini"

The Salon was the place that the portrait artists showed their latest oeuvres and they were being shown up by the pastellists.

With pastel you are using pure pigment (in a good pastel). For brilliance oils cannot compete.

[Sharon Knettell]

Originally Posted by Steve Craighead

Allan and David, Here's a closeup. I don't know if you do pastel, but you might be interested in knowing that I use a combination of Nupastels, Rembrandt, Schmincke, and Unison. Really anything that works. I love the give of linen and therefore do pastels on a finely woven polyester fabric coated with acrylic gesso, pumice, toned with raw umber, and stapled over stretcher bars.

Steve, do have any problems with the flexibility of the material loosening up the pastel? I use a cradled MDF board or an aluminum substrate that are more rigid.

BTW, try the Great American Pastels. They are creamy, hold a fine line and don't crumble. This earth colors for skin-tones are evenly graded and don't jump.

I use a spray that does not change the color, Perfix by Rowney.

[Michele Rushworth]

What a beautifully delicate portrait. I was fortunate enough to see this in person a few weeks ago -- such a gem!