16"X20" pastel on PastelMat
This is a cute one I did not too long ago... I ended up doing back ground similar to a portrait I did of a springer spaniel last year.... the leaves became more pattern than realistic. I like this affect for small portraits. And believe it or not it is a little easier. I took the stepping stones from that portrait as well. I had the little dogs sitting on a outdoor table in their photographs... helps to keep the little guys from running around! And I do not have to lay down on the ground to take their pics!!
Love your work, Debi! Amazes me every time I see it. How do you get all the fine details in? Pastel pencils? What brand of pastel pencils do you find works best?
ReplyDeleteThanks Jackie! I use a few different brands of pastel sticks and pencils.... the sticks are Girualts (my favorites and nice and hard, though pricey but good rich colors), Holbeins (another harder stick... great colors), Senneliers (very soft, great colors, good for backgrounds and 1st layer), Rembrandts ( though you have to be careful... some of the lavenders, I have found to not be color fast, But this brand is a work horse and good value), and then NuPastels which are hard and inexpensive... though the quality has come down esp. since Prismacolors bought them. So I am phasing them out... but they have been great for details, as they can be easily broken for sharp edges. As for the pencils... I use Derwent (which is a fairly soft pencil) , Faber-Castell Pitt, Stabilo CarbOthellos, and a few Conte. I sharpen with an exacto to get the sharpness that I need. I use a heavier duty exacto to trim the ends of the sticks. Hope this helps! I will try to start listing the pastels I use in the next work in progress I do! I have had several people ask this same question... Thanks again for the compliment and for following my blog!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!
ReplyDeleteThanks Hilda!
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