Soft Pastel

Hanna Larsson · 09-13-2002, 06:54 AM

I work in soft pastel and this is how I do it:

I

Linda Ciallelo · 09-19-2002, 07:13 PM

Hello Hanna,

I have worked a lot in soft pastels also. I try not to blend, but find that I can't resist when doing faces.

I use a medium toned paper. I think that gray works best for now. I start with a pastel pencil that is a dark, fairly cool red-brown. I use Conte' number 31(mars violet maybe, or madder lake) to start my drawing. I put the darkest shadows in first with the dark red-brown pencil. Then I use a NuPastel (slightly softer) ivory color for the lightest areas, then I scrub the medium tones in with a medium warm red-orange. After that I just keep refining anywhere that it needs it. I also look for some pale cool green or blue gray in the shadows.

I start with harder pastels and get softer as I work.

Mark Branscum · 09-20-2002, 12:49 PM

I don't think there is anything wrong with blending personally. As long as you don't over blend, IMHO.

Mark

Doreen Lepore · 09-21-2002, 09:33 AM

Hi Hanna,

I've been using soft pasels for a long time and in the past couple of years have been experimenting with washes and grounds.

In the pastel critique section I have one painting called "King of Southbeach" that I first established where the figure would go then put in the background. Then to soften, I washed with alcohol, as prescribed by Albert Handell in his book "Painting the Landscape in Pastel", since the alcohol dries faster than water.

Also, Judith Carducci uses water to wash in the base colors (article in American Artist, May 2001). Also, I think I've heard of using turpentine or mineral spirits the same way, but can't put my finger on exactly where I may have read it so I won't elaborate.

For any wash method though you need to be sure to use a paper that will hold up to getting wet. Both Handell and Carducci use Wallis Archival pastel paper (I've tried it and it's a beautiful sanded paper that takes in alot of layers) and Carducci also uses Pastelboard (I use this too, and it's made by Ampersand). It is masonite, conveniently coated with gesso and marble dust.

Although I've never used fixative on a finished painting, I have used reworkable fixative on a section (upper left corner of background in King painting) so that the final layer can just skim over without blending in. Daniel E. Greene also discusses use of fixatives while painting in his 1974 book "Pastel".

Enjoy experimenting!

Doreen Lepore · 09-29-2002, 09:23 AM

The recommendation to use Turpenoid to fix/wash in an underpainting was in the Handell book, but he said that the alcohol dries faster and smells less.

Sharon Knettell · 09-30-2002, 01:20 PM

Do not use tupentine or tupenoid on paper!! It is seriously dangerous to the paper; use rubber cement thinner instead. I think the "not blending" is more a modern caveat than a hard and fast rule. La Tour, Largilliere, Liotard etc. blended. I was just at a portrait show in Boston (the Vose Gallery), an artist Shirley Pulido had the most exquisite blended pastels. However, you will have fresher, clearer skintones if you use closely related colors, rather than trying to blend too many disparate tones.

Doreen Lepore · 10-01-2002, 08:13 AM

My p.s. referred to my previous post which already cautioned against using just any old paper when using a wash of any kind. I specifically said Wallis Archival Paper or Ampersand Pastelboard.

Sharon Knettell · 10-01-2002, 09:58 AM

Doreen,

The fact that the paper is archival will not save it from the damaging effects of turpentine or turpenoid. Archival, to put it simply, means that the paper is balanced between acid and alkaline components. 6.5 to 7.5 is within the range of neutral pH, a situation of balance between acid and alkaline components that prevents deterioration in paper. The numbers below 7 (center of the pH scale) contain more acid; above are more alkaline. Papers may aquire acidity by frequent handling or improper storage.

Turpentine or turpenoid leave an oily residue which affects that balance. There are few oil wash drawings that have survived because of the damage to the unprotected paper. It is better to use a faster drying solvent like benzol (rubber cement thinner). People have the mistaken notion that archival means the paper can protected from any kind of abuse. There are a few ways paper can be protected, gesso, oiling etc. Wallis archival is indeed fine and has a surface that protects the paper substrate.

Doreen Lepore · 10-02-2002, 08:03 AM

Your argument is pointless to me since I never said that the word "Archival" had anything to do with it but simply that it was information that was in Handell's book that I was passing on. Why don't you read it yourself?

Sharon Knettell · 10-02-2002, 10:17 AM

Doreen,

You simply said that the paper has to hold up to being wet. It was, unfortunately, unclear after rereading your post that you meant specically that the Wallis paper was the only paper to use for turpentine and turpenoid washes. My post was adressed to anyone who reads this thread. I have seen too many people use the turpentine wash method, even fellow professors at the Rhode Island School of Design where I taught. I was passing on information to others who come to this forum to learn proper methods. I'm sorry if it seemed to you that I misread your post. I have never heard of Mr. Handell or his book. Can you tell me where I can find it. I always enjoy learning more about my craft.