Anyone here use pastels? (1 Viewer)

kittykat23uk · Aug 8, 2007

Hi

I was just wondering whether anyone here uses soft pastels for their bird art. I have recently been experimenting with them as a much faster medium to work with compared to what I had previously concentrated on, which was painting wargames miniatures with acrylics (which would typically take me months just to finish one piece).

Now that I am getting back into wildlife art again, I'm going to see which medium suits my style best, so far I've just got a watercolour travel set on order from ebay and my pastels to experiment with. I've got a week of leave coming up so plan to head to the coast to do some photography and sketching.

For those who are interested, my non-bird-related attempts at art can be found here:

http://www.kats-korner-uk.com/gallery.html

http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/kittykat23uk/paintings/

And a pastel painting of my gecko

Andrew Ellis · Aug 8, 2007

Love the Gecko ! really promising start. If you can check out the
work of an artist called Dino Pavarano. Alas Dino died a few years
back I think. But his pastel work was amazing.

wish you luck with them and your forey back to wildlife work.

is it a leopard Gecko?

kittykat23uk · Aug 8, 2007

Thanks! Yes this is Kai, my Leopard Gecko. He is about 8 years old now. I have a kingfisher and some long tailed tits that I will try and post later on.

timwootton · Aug 8, 2007

Really like the gecko drawing - look forward to more postings.

sunriseworkshop · Aug 8, 2007

I use pastels to capture sunsets a lot. They are a quick medium and offer even more options when they are wet. I use a fine wet brush to do small details with. Use them like a pan watercolor. It seems to set the pastel better and the details aren't as easily disturbed. I don't use them for my birds though. I'm quicker with a pen, it's easier to capture the pose of a bird right. I'm a smudger if I'm not careful as well, which is ok in a sunset, but can really muck up a bird. lol

sunriseworkshop · Aug 8, 2007

I really like the eye of the gecko! That's wonderful!

nickderry · Aug 8, 2007

the gecko is superb, don't use pastels myself, as I'm scared of the picture being wiped away, I suppose fixative would help there!

birderbf · Aug 9, 2007

I've used some pastels. Nothing scanned to share unfortunately!

tim.birdboy · Aug 9, 2007

I've used pastels once, it was a disaster. I was trying to draw/paint/color (whatever you do with pastels

) a male Green Araçari. I'm a control-freak while using mediums, so as you might guess, it ended up very messy and smudgy. :-D Very vivid, though!!

Yes, very nice gecko!

kittykat23uk · Aug 9, 2007

I do seem to have a problem with smudges too. Re the eyes. I was very pleased that I captured his eyes so well on this picture. They are like little balls of liquid bronze with cat-like slit pupils.

kittykat23uk · Aug 10, 2007

A great spotted woodpecker:

Storm-Petrel · Aug 11, 2007

The Gecko is simply amazing! I like the G.S.W.P too :t: :clap:

last time i used oil pastels in art was when i was 5 years old 8P

nickderry · Aug 11, 2007

Great great spot! I think I may have to get some pastels myself and have a go, the closest thing I've come to using pastels is drawing on the blackboard. Looking forward to seeing more.

dryslwyn · Aug 13, 2007

I like it very much - coud do with seeing it a bit smaller though. I've used pastels a bit and have a pretty good selection of artists colours. I do enjoy using them but don't have time at the moment - they can be a quick medium which is what I like and I don't mind the 'mess' of the soft pastels - usually have wet wipes to hand.Oil pastels are interesting also - I use them to a limited extent to give e textured feel underneath watercolour.
Looking forward to seeing more.

kittykat23uk · Aug 18, 2007

A Razorbill:

A kingfisher done on hand made paper:

Some long tailed tits again on some hand made paper:

Cheetah cubs seen on safari in Kenya:

deborah4 · Aug 18, 2007

These are really lovely Kittykat! Fantastic colour - especially love your Gecko and great Spot (but they are all excellent) - I bought some pastel paper yesterday but I thought I'd try experimenting with chalk and charcoal/ink rather than pastels.

Peewit · Aug 18, 2007

deborah4 said:
These are really lovely Kittykat! Fantastic colour - especially love your Gecko and great Spot (but they are all excellent) - I bought some pastel paper yesterday but I thought I'd try experimenting with chalk and charcoal/ink rather than pastels.

hi Kittykat

Love your pastel drawings. Pastel sometimes need a bit of practice. From what I can see of your pictures you have got it spot on.

I am impressed by your workmanship and the details which you have presented in your art work. Yes, Kai's eye detail is fantastic.

By the way, say hello to Kai from me, your Leopard Gecko.:t:

Is this one of your hobbies or otherwise?

dryslwyn · Aug 18, 2007

Especially like the longtailed tits. I've been trying to get a good photo of them for about two years to do a painting. Must persevere.

Storm-Petrel · Aug 18, 2007

I like that your doing the pictures on handmade paper. it gives it a natural look, and everything is a work of art, not just the colors on the paper, but the paper too

matt green · Aug 18, 2007

I think all of the above works are fantastic, Kittykat:t:

(Long Tailed Tits are my personal faves though)

What I really like about them is the fact that they all have a nice consistant style about them which you have made very much your own.

Look forward to seeing more.

Matt

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