Meh

[Bartc]

Not that inspired today and it shows in the painting, but it did sort of come out. 8x10" on white PastelMat. Le Conte Trail in Montara, CA. B. Charlow 2022

 

[stlukesguild]

How do you like working in pastel on white paper? I never liked it and have always used a darker-toned paper... even with the students I teach.

 

[P. Barrie]

No meh from me. I think this is really good! The light and shadow is very convincing. You have captured the posture and stance of the figure with an elegant economy of stroke. The figure in the painting AND the color and style both make me think on Matisse.

 

[Bartc]

How do you like working in pastel on white paper? I never liked it and have always used a darker-toned paper... even with the students I teach.

I usually like to work on toned paper too. Recently bought a set of large white PastelMat sheets to cut down to various sizes not available in pads. Bought the white as most versatile and they come in 5 packs, though I could have bought individual colored sheets (much more expensive that way and couldn't decide on colors). Sometimes I'm fine with the white, sometimes not. But it's easy to underpaint or tint them if desired. PastelMat is one of the few pastel surfaces that actually takes to wet underpainting (water, alcohol, turp) without warping or ripping, which is partly why I use it.

 

[stlukesguild]

I currently work on a brown paper but prime most of it (except for under the figures) in a red (burnt Sienna/Tuscan red mix).

 

[Jo Castillo]

I love this. Were you painting with a friend or it is a self portrait?

 

[Bartc]

Others also thought it was a self-portrait, but it isn't. Our plein air group was out and I saw this one painter at the moment of conception. So I kept her in it, though the scene and the painters kept swapping out constantly.

 

[OleKobe]

I like the sunlight effect and composition. Well done!

 

[Donna T]

Any day of plein air painting is better than not painting in my opinion, Bart. I like this one but wonder if the foreground shadows aren't a little distracting. I would be tempted to unify that area in shadow but that's how plein air work gets wrecked sometimes.

 

[Bartc]

Donna, capturing dappled light when the sun keeps moving is quite challenging on the best of days!

 

[Artyczar]

Well, I really love how this turned out and it "looks" inspired to me! I especially love the how all the grasses look. It's a very sweet composition Bart.

 

[Bartc]

Well, I really love how this turned out and it "looks" inspired to me! I especially love the how all the grasses look. It's a very sweet composition Bart.

Well, thanks for that, Ayin. I suspect folks like the story in the painting. The painting itself still leaves me flat. But it was a good day out with our group and as Donna said, any day out is a good day regardless.