Category Archives: Pastel

Sudanese Portrait

Posted on by Tracy Bezesky

I will be working on illustrations for a children’s book about a Sudanese boy who comes to America through many trials. As a first step, I wanted try different methods of working. As a test, I did a portrait with watercolor under hard pastel. I used a 140lb Arches paper on a block, sanded to work better with pastel. I would like to find a smoother paper, it has a rougher look than I would like. I’m also going to test pastel paper without using watercolor.

Landscape Design in Pastel

Posted on by Tracy Bezesky

I was able to make bold bright strokes over the faint color I blocked in, except the yellow and gold on the hay bails doesn’t have the pop that I would like it to, but I’m happy with the sky. I will play some more this week, experiment with different brands and effects.

Designing a Landscape

Posted on by Tracy Bezesky

I thought oil pastel might be useful for designing a landscape to be painted on a larger scale. For working out composition and color issues. I’m also hoping the painting might pick up some of the rhythm and movement from the marks in the pastel.

Brown paper is a good neutral for landscapes, like the dirt is already present underneath. I drew rough line in umber oil pastel of my landscape.

Next I faintly blocked in the midrange tones for the composition, deliberately not committing to any bold marks at this point. Tomorrow I will put in the bold marks and post the final if all goes well.