New tools!

Judy Perrin, my teacher at the Calgary School of Art, introduced me to a new type of pastels (new to me, anyway...) called PanPastels.
These are very soft, low dust and highly pigmented pastels that don't come in a stick but in a small round plastic container called a "pan". Looks like makeup, really...
They are applied with specially designed tools called Sofft Tools - different size / shape sponges, some attached to a handle to resemble a paintbrush, some on their own, all intriguing and a lot of fun to work with. Each individual colour comes with a couple of tools; they can be purchased separately as well.
Judy also gave me a few sheets of sandpaper to play with, since I didn't have any at the time.
I've been experimenting with these ever since, having a blast. They blend so well, the colours are so vibrant, the tools are so interesting, the sandpaper holds so much pigment... I use them with my hard and soft pastels, as each kind has its own applications.

For more information on the PanPastels go to their website. Not all art stores carry them, and not all colours are available in Canada at this time. I got my set from Opus Art Supplies online store, my individual colours from Colours in Calgary.
There is also a new kind of paper that works very well with pastels called PastelMat, but I haven't been able to get any yet.
Painted on 10" x 9" sanded paper using PanPastels and hard pastels.

Working from photographs

I find working from photographs quite enjoyable and convenient, specially in winter. I know that there are artists that prefer 'plain aire' work - I'm not there yet...

Also, there are places I want to paint that I don't have access to at this time, like Europe. Maybe one day I can take a painting tour to Tuscany, who knows? That would be something!

I use my own photographs, or published works in books or travel magazines.
This painting I did from a photo I took myself on a trip to Nova Scotia with my sister. The place is called Peggy's Cove, truly delightful.
Painted on 11" x 14" Strathmore Pastel paper with Faber-Castell Polychroms hard pastels. This painting belongs to a private collector.

Learning from the Masters

There are literally tons of resources out there...
here is a collection of books I borrowed from the local Library, and a couple of my own.
Some of these books have step-by-step instructions that guide me through to the finished painting.

Copying a master's work is also a good exercise, as I don't need to worry about composition and can concentrate on technique instead. I have done a few of those and enjoyed the challenge, and will continue to do so. My favourites are the Impressionists, but there are a lot of contemporary artists whose work I admire.

There are also video recordings of artists teaching different aspects of pastel painting. I find these quite enjoyable and learn a lot from them, especially since each artist has a different approach to the whole process.
Some are on DVD, others can be downloaded from the Internet. I get these from The Artists' Network (see link)
Some of these artists have their own websites and blogs, and share freely of their knowledge.

Then there are the publications: I subscribe to The Pastel Journal, a bi-monthly magazine that I read from cover to cover. There are previous issues for sale in downloadable form, or a whole year on DVD; see link.

I have listed all the books in this photo in the Resources section of this blog.

There are also, of course, dedicated teachers that offer workshops in their studios or teach at Community Centers and Art Schools. I participate in an Open Studio class with Judy Perrin at the Calgary School of Art and I am learning lots and having fun in the process.
Judy is a great teacher, the group is lighthearted and dedicated and the facilities are great. Having the ability of buying your supplies on the spot certainly helps. The Calgary School of Art is located within the Cactus Art Supplies in S. E. Calgary.

Take 1 and Take 2

Take 1 - top photo.
Next I painted this garden scene, and wasn't really happy with it. So I let it sit for a while...

Take 2 - bottom photo.
After a few weeks I went back to it and this is the result. I like Take 2 better.
Painted with Faber-Castell Polychroms hard pastels on 11" x 14" Strathmore pastel paper

Venetian window

Here is another Venetian window. This time I decided to use some old coloured paper I had lying around since my first try at pastels eons ago... I had a lot of fun with this one. Faber-Castell Polychroms pastels on 14" x 17" Canson sanguine paper.

Venetian window

This was my next painting, of a Venetian window with potted plants. I liked the texture and color of the white wall.
Painted on 11" x 14" Strathmore Pastel paper with Faber-Castell Polychroms hard pastels.