Underpainting

"Chrysanthemums", 2007

pastel on Wallis paper, 18" x 12"

"Blue Bottle", 2007
pastel on sanded Wallis paper, 18" x 12"

These paintings were done in a workshop with Rosalie Nadeau, PSA, at the Creative Arts Center in Chatham, MA. Each painting has an underpainting of a few warm colors in large value shapes. Matching the values was important. For dark values I chose a dark, warm pastel. When the entire picture was blocked in, the warm color was rubbed into the Wallis paper. I then used "real" colors for the composition over the underpainting. This adds color interest, and helps the artist move away from photographic color. Each painting was completed in one session.

This workshop certainly pushed me to work out of my comfort zone. Rosalie, as have other teachers, encouraged me to work "looser". My pastels and especially my colored pencil drawings are "tight". Since this class I've read an article by Gary Greene in the November 2008 issue of the Artist's Magazine. The title was "Uptight is All Right!". I guess there's room for every style.