Dottie

Dottie, originally uploaded by debifitz.

pastel on suede
private collection
actual size 16"X20"

This is the cutest little dog! The white can be a problem in the photography end of things... thank goodness for photo shop and shooting in the raw format. I was able to shoot in the sun and still manage to get some details. Otherwise she would have become very flat. And it is also a real challenge to keep the whites clean when working on the suede. I used the warm grey suede for this one.

I have been on a research mission to find new paper to work on. So far I have tried Wallis... and LOVED it! I have ordered some of the museum quality paper to work on my next big piece. It has a light golden retriever in it which I think will do well on that paper. Plus I have a dark bay horse in this same portrait along with a flea bitten grey horse... since this is from one side of the spectrum to the other, I think the Wallis is my best bet! I should be able to get my darks, dark and whites, white. Will try to do a progression on it and post them here. I plan on doing an under painting on it also. Really looking forward to it!

I have also seen some gorgeous work done on Royal Sovereign pastel card... but I can't seem to find it. After spending WAY too much time on-line looking for it. I did find some references to it from Cornelissen's art supply in GB... Royal Sovereign is also know as Frisk pastel board, "old" Sansfix, and Rembrandt pastel card. None of which I can get in the US. Finally I found one more supplier in England that made reference to it and states that it is now Sennelier la carte pastel board... that I could find. So I have ordered a couple of boards to try. Sounds interesting... made out of vegetable flakes...? Unfortunately, you can not use wet media on it. But it comes in some very beautiful colors.

In the mean time I have seen some very beautiful pastel work on-line while conducting my search! It has been fun!