"A great painter will know a great deal about how he did it, but still he will say, "How did I do it?"
- Robert Henri - The Art Spirit ( 1865-1929)
INFORMATION ABOUT THE PASTEL MEDIUM
Pastels are pure powdered pigment which is ground into a pastel with a small amount of gum binder and then rolled into sticks. (NOT a chalk). The infinite variety of colours in the pastel palette range from soft and subtle to bold and brilliant. It has no liquid binder that may cause other media to darken, fade, yellow, crack or blister with time. Pastels from the 16th century exist today as fresh as the day they were painted.
An artwork is created by stroking the sticks of dry pigment across an art abrasive ground, embedding the colour in the 'tooth' of the paper, sandboard or canvas. If the ground is completely covered with pastel, the work is considered a pastel painting; leaving much of the ground exposed produces a pastel sketch. Techniques vary with individual artists. Pastel can be blended or used with visible strokes. The medium is favored by many artists because it allows a spontaneous approach. There is no drying time, and no allowances to be made for a change in colour due to drying.
Edgar Degas, an impressionist painter was the most prolific user of pastel, and is champion. His protege, Mary Cassatt introduced pastel and the impressionist style to her friends in Philadelphia and Washington, and thus to the United States. Famous Pastel painters of he Past: Edgar Degas, Edouard Manet, Eugene Delcroix, Maurice Quentin de la Tour, Jean Francois Millet, Jean-Baptist-Simieion Chardin, Mary Cassatt, Berthe Morsot, Henri De Toulouse-Lautrec, Auguste Renoir, Paul Gauguin, Edward Munch, James McNeil Whistler, Jean-Etienne Liotark, Rosalba Carriera, Leonardo Da Vinci.
(This article adapted from pastel description published by the Pastel Society of America)
CARE OF PASTEL PAINTINGS
As with all works of art, pastel paintings require a few simple steps for their preservation and enjoyment. Frame the painting under but spaced away from the glass. Hang away from direct or brightly sunlit areas. Provide an environment with low humidity and consistent temperature control.
For purchasing pastels/pastel paper/supplies/pastel easels, visit:
www.Terryludwig.com
www.cheapjoes.com
www.dakotapastels.com
www.dickblick.com
www.richesonart.com
www.jerryartarama.com
www.pasteletc.com for Girault pastels
www.cherryartproducts.com Information on machine to clean pastels.
This machine is among the best additions you can add to your pastel studio. I highly recommend it. I love mine!!
For tips on pastels to buy and how to use them, visit: www.painting.about.com
Other informative Links: www.artbusiness.com www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastel
Shipping Paintings Information: www.airfloatsys.com
If you need slides of your originals made from your jpegs, and for fast quality work, I high recommend:
Gamma Tech
1100 McKee Dr. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112
Main web site: www.gammatech.com tel. 877.293.9440
KEEP THE AIR PURE IN YOUR STUDIO....
As you work with pastels, fine particles of dust are released onto your pastel support. Be safe, do not blow your pastel dust off! Blowing this dust releases these fine particles into the air. Do not be fooled by their harmless appearance. These airborne particles can be hazardous and may cause severe problems in your respiratory system. Please be smart: Wear vinyl or latex protective gloves to prevent dust from getting into your skin, or you may use "Gloves in a Bottle" which is like an invisible pair of gloves for skin care that really works also. Keep a vacuum handy, a respiratory mask, or a HEPA air purifier to keep those harmful pollutants out of your lungs.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When I am at art shows or simply when someone discovers that I am an artist, many times people ask me questions about my work; the medium(s) I use, how long I have been painting and so forth. Even other artists at times ask how they can find out about art shows or what art materials I use. So, I decided to put a FAQ (frequently Asked Questions) section on my web site.
1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PAINTING?
This question seems to be the most asked question. The answer is simple. Ever since I can remember. Quite honestly when I was about 3 or 4 years of age, I remember sitting on the sofa with my mother as she was showing me how to draw the profile of a face. After that, she says, I added drawings (scribbles) to my baby books and any paper I could find, including at times, the walls. Drawing and painting became an absolute love for me. I usually carried a sketchbook with me wherever I went, even at an early age. Nature always attracted me. In my formative years as a young child, living in a place (Patton, PA) that was as county as country could be, there was a mountain behind our home, a natural habitat for rattlesnakes, copperheads and wild animals that would come down into our yard, and there were wooded streams, rivers, creeks, forests and woodland areas where I loved to walk and play. There was also farmland and pastures with horses, cows and sheep. It truly represented the beauty of nature in the Pennsylvania landscape.
2.HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO DO A PAINTING?
Well, it has taken me a lifetime. Maybe not exactly the answer you are looking for. It depends upon the medium I choose to work with. Pastels (which is my preferred medium) can be a quick and spontaneous medium, and I do not have to wait for colours to dry, as I with with oils. It does depend upon the subject matter and the size. I also will take a break from the painting for awhile during the day so I can re-evaluate my progress on it and if need be rework an area...and I always reflect it in a mirror because by doing that, it will look fresh and different to me. Sometimes a small painting can take as long as a larger piece. Although a larger piece can usually take me anywhere from a few days to a week (unless it is plein-air) considering preliminary drawings and tonal studies. A smaller painting or sketch done outdoors can help in working on a larger piece in my studio.
3.HOW DO YOU BEGIN A PASTEL?
I can only say how I start one of my own pastel paintings. Each artist has their own technique and style. Working at an upright, slightly titlted forward easel, I usually use Wallis paper/board or USArt board. The initial drawing is done with vine charcoal because it does not mix into the added pastels. Other times I may just do a light drawing with a regular pencil. Then the drawing or subject matter is blocked in first with the darker tones using broad side strokes and sketching in lines perhaps where I might want some trees. I use hard pastels such as Nupastels and Rembrandts in the beginning putting in the darks and then switch to softer pastels. I will also sometimes do an undercoating using alcohol laying on over the Nupastel with a brush.
The colour is gradually built up and added by layering and working all areas of the subject. I add details last. I may use short, dabbing strokes which create textural effects as I work on the piece and use circular motion to mix the colours together or blending to create a more smooth look if desired. I also may do some cross-hatching which can be done with different colours. I pat the back of the paper from time ot time during the painting process to get rid of the excess pastel. When the painting is completed and before framing, I give teh paper a really good whack or pat on the back and shake it free of the excess pastel dust. I do not use fixative.
4. ARE PASTELS PERMANENT?
They are known to be the most permanent of artists mediums if done on archival papers, properly framed and protected under glass. (see Facts About Pastels).
5. WHAT DOES ARCHIVAL MEAN?
Free of acid. All art work that is intended to last should be craeted using archival materials.
6. WHAT TYPE OF PAPER DO YOU USE?
I usually use Wallis paper or board which was created by pastel artist Kitty Wallis. (Unfortunately, this paper is no longer available.) It has a granular surface which grips the pastel. This paper can handle many layers of pastels. It comes in two different colours and accepts any type of medium. It is archival, water resistant and re-workable. I Love this paper!! Lately, I also have been using UART Board which I like almost as much as the Wallis. They are my two favorite types of surface for working with pastels.
When I work in Watercolours, I use acid-free Fabriano cold press peper or 300 lb. weight Arches cold press paper and Winsor and Newton Professional watercolours. When I work in oils, I prefer Winsor and Newton oil paints and Grumbacher oil paints.
7. WHAT PASTELS DO YOU USE?
Many people ask me if I use oil pastels. I am asked that question all the time at the outdoor art shows I participate in. My answer is NO. I use hard and soft dry pastels. The harder ones that I use are Nupastel and Rembrandt which I normally apply first. The softer pastels that I use are Sennelier, Terry Ludwig, Mount Vision, Diane Townsend, Girualt,Unison, Mt. Vernon, and Great American.
8. IS YOUR MATTING ACID FREE?
When I use matting.....Yes, all my matting is 100% acid free rag mat. I also like to use a fillet that keeps the pastels away from the glass. It a fillet is not used, I use a spacer so that the pastel does not touch the glass. I use archival backing board to atach the pastel painting (or watercolour) before matting and framing, and then place paper on the back as a protective dust cover.
9. DO I NEED TO USE A FIXATIVE ON MY PASTELS?
Using a fixative -- some do and some do not. If you do use a fixative, be sure to wear a mask and spray outside or in a well-ventilated area. I hardly ever use a fixative...and never at the completion of a painting. Maybe in the beginning. It can darken the colours.
You do not want to inhale the fumes. Spray the painting evenly back asnd forth and do it lightly and quickly so it does not darken the colours. Allow the piece to dry between sprays. Some will put the first coat down and then spray before continuing with the pastel painting. Keep painting in a vertical position while spraying. Do not lay flat while spraying. IF you saturate the pastel layer it will darken for sure. This is a technique used by many artists when they want to obtain darker colours. The fixative can help build more layers of colours. You can also spray fixative on the back side of the paper if using light or medium weight paper.
10. DO I NEED TO WEAR GLOVES OR DUST MASK WHEN WORKING WITH PASTEL?
Yes, I do. I also have a Hepa filter running in my studio which I consider a must in any art studio for any medium being used. Actually, I have three filters in my studio. (perhaps a bit over-cautious) I also have the "Artist's Air" cleaning system which is connected to the easel and helps filter out dusts and solvents.
11. HOW DO I PROTECT MY ARTWORKS?
Many people ask if they can hang their paintings in the bathroom. In answer to that question, do not store or hang artwork in areas of high humidity such as bathrooms, basements or other high humidity areas. You also should not hang or leave your artwork in an area of high direct sunlight or powerful artificial lighting. This means all original artworks, no matter what the medium is.
12. DO YOU PAINT EVERY DAY?
This question is often asked of me. Yes, I try to do so. There is something inside me that seems to beckon me to do so. If it isn't an actual painting, it will be planning one or drawing. If I wish to improve upon the quality of my work, I require myself to draw, study or paint most everyday. Besides, it is part of who I am. If I am not creating, then something is very, very wrong. There are times I run into a block and have to try to go with the flow. I find it means I am pushing and trying too hard and I need to take a breath and step back. A block will happen to every artist from time to time. When it happens, none of us it like it.
13. HOW DO YOU DECIDE UPON A PRICE FOR EACH PAINTING?
That is not easy. I still find that difficult after all these years. For me, it depends how much time is spent on it, the size, the type of framing, and if it completely and totally speaks of what I wish to express or interpret. (I haev pieces stored away that are waiting for me to either discard or rework.)
14. CAN I FRAME A PASTEL WITHOUT A MAT?
This seems to be quite popular right now. Using a spacer between the glass and the pastels is important and can easily be done. It is quite safe to do. It really depends upon the final presentation one desires of their artwork. It is certainly less costly that way too.
15. HOW DO I CLEAN THE GLASS ON AN ARTWORK?
When cleaning glass on already framed artwork, never spray directly on the glass. Spray with a mild cleaner on a soft cotton cloth and then wipe the glass clean. If you spray the cleaner directly on the glass it can run down and get under theh glass, on the mat or the artwork...with or without a mat.
16. HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR PASTEL STICKS CLEAN SO THEY DO NOT MUDDY UP YOUR PAINTNGS?
There is a wonderfulart product on the market made especially for pastel artists called simply, "The Pastel Cleaner" which I highly recommend. This cleaner makes the pastel sticks as clean as new again with ease. It takes away the burdensome time-consuming task of trying to clean pastel sticks the old fashioned way. I would rather spend time working on a pastel painting then cleaning he pastel sticks. (For more information on this product: www.Cherryartproducts.com There are other ways too of cleaning your pastels too.
Also, while working on a painting, keep those pastel sticks that you are using separate and in a small container so you can just reach for those being used for that particular painting. Then you can wipe clean with a tissue when finished.
17. WHAT DOES STYLE MEAN IN ARTISTS WORK?
Style is a manner of painting, drawing, writing, speaking, dressing, decorating or a person's manners or way of being, their actions.
In painting or drawing, style is the way they use their own technique, creativity and abilities or way of being as an artist. An artist's style can no more change or be different than their own handwriting. It represents a huge part of who they are.
In other words, some people may think if an artist paints a floral subject as opposed to usually painting landscape work, that they are painting in a different style. IT IS NOT a different style at all. It is simply a different subject matter and not a change of style. The floral is still drawn or painted in the artists same style. People are just not accustom to seeing that subject painted by that artist. The only reason that it looks different is because it is a floral and not a landscape...and will be handled differently than a landscape. Or one may think that if an artist is painting in a different art medium, he/she has a different style. Again, not so. Impossible. It is merely a different or change of medium. Not a change of style.
Your handwriting is always the same, just as an artists tyle is always the same. The style can be improved upon throughout the days, weeksn and years.
Think about it, we cannot change who we are, although we may continually improve upon who we are or how we act as we live through life's experiences and happenings, but we cannot become another person since we were all created different. It is in our DNA. We can no sooner change our DNA than we can change our style. AND why would we want to? Let's celebrate who we are. Let's celebrate the arts!!
18. WHEN JUDGING ART SHOWS, WHO WOULD MAKE THE BEST ART SHOW JUDGE?
Obviously someone who is well qualified, unbiased and usually not affiliated with the show they are judging; certainly know the varied art mediums or medium being juried in the show and doesn't mind taking their time to really review each artists works without scorning the work they are judging.
It is also good to have at least two or three judges with different areas of expertise reviewing the art. They should also not have an attitude that he or she is above the artists being judged and they must reat each artist with respect.
If possible, it is best too that they do not personally know the artists whose works they are judging. A good combination/panel of judges is a professor of art, a curator and one or two exceptionally, outstanding artists. Of course, show promoters should be prepared to pay the fee for qualified, unbiased jurying.
Thank you for your patronage of my work. I truly appreciate it. Perhaps we will meet at an art show or at my home studio gallery. In the meantime, may you be well and happy, and revel in the wonderful world of creativity that sourrounds us. I look forward to speaking with you.
Artfully yours,
Sandy
