# My oil pastel work



## terri

Okay, I'm starting this thread so I don't interfere with @snowbear and his ink work thread, even though he invites me to hijack it periodically.    

I started messing around with oil pastels as another medium for hand coloring B&W photographs.   I never really warmed up to them for that, though.   Unlike actual photo oils, which are made to be transparent enough to allow the photograph to show through, oil pastels are quite opaque - like crayons, which they resemble.  When I first had a play, the idea of actually _covering the photo_ and having to do any _drawing myself_ to make sense of the image was terrifying.   Drawing is not my forte, and I've had scant  training.

A couple of them *kind of* worked, but meh.   
Here's one of the first things I tried.   I had a photo I took on a very bright day with a Holga - limited camera controls, so it's totally blown out.   But the negative did at least show this very cool, ancient electric plant built on Lake Superior:






Horrible negative, with nothing good to come from it.   I scanned it anyway, and printed it out to try again with the oil pastels, just made it more a nighttime scene:



 

So, not a total loss of the negative, but not very good, either.    Since then, I've just tried to get away from using bad photos to paint over, and figuring out how a non-painter/sketcher like me could still have fun with a medium like this.   

In my own little art journey, I've been studying some of Picasso's work and doing some reading. I never liked much of his stuff (and I'm still not a huge fan of analytical cubism - the earlier form of this style), but I do like quite a lot of his other work, especially portraits.  It seems very liberating to not have to think about being anatomically correct.   

With this in mind, I decided to use another one of my photos for a reference - which, btw, is actually a B&W photo that I took of my husband and later hand painted with  photo oils. (Why yes, I _did_ have to mention that. The skin tones and hair came out great!)   

Here's the photo:


 


And here is the oil pastel painting I made from it, Picasso-style:




 

I wasn't going to try to draw any of that background or do anything, really, too much like the photo.   So it was just a lot of fun - and btw, he loves it!    So I view this one as a success.

I've scanned or photographed most of my stuff.  Oil pastels can be slick and messy, so not much scanning anymore.    Most of what I do is from some kind of photo reference, though not all.


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## Derrel

Your cubist portrait _is a success_.


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## Jeff15

Very clever portrait...............


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## terri

Here's another one where I used one of my photos as a reference.   A cell phone shot of part of the beach at Mackinac Island:




Eww, that file is bigger than I thought.    


Here is the oil pastel painting I did, working from that.   I was interested in the long shadows, as well as trying to paint water. 





I kind of screwed up the little people, proportionally, but it was still a good exercise for me.   I had only white paper at the time, and I did an underpainting of burnt sienna to try for some depth of color.   It kind of bleeds through the sand color, as well as the water.   Good practice.


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## terri

Derrel said:


> Your cubist portrait _is a success_.


Thank you, Derrel, Jeff!   Nice of you to comment.    

I have a long way to go.


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## Jeff15

A nice beach too................


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## Derrel

I like the beach shot's translation into oil.


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## stapo49

I am not really into cubism but really like the beach painting. 

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk


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## snowbear

Thanks for posting these.  I really need to spend more time on the art - half-way hoping that will be my final career (something to do if I ever really retire). 

I _LOVE_ the beach scene and the portrait; excellent job on the hand painting, as well.  Water is not easy to paint, at least it isn't for me.

I still have some pastel pieces around from when I was taking classes; I may dig them out and play.


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## jcdeboever

Nicely executed. I used to burn through Senneller oil pastels back in the day. I tried a lot of different brands and nothing was even close.


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## tirediron

Lovely work, Terri.  I've always wished I had the ability to do stuff like this.


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## terri

stapo49 said:


> I am not really into cubism but really like the beach painting.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk


Understood; it's not everyone's cuppa.   But just for fun - consider that Picasso could - and did - paint like Raphael by the time he was 15.   And his brain was pondering other things, particularly when it came to portraits: 

“Are we to paint what’s on the face, what’s inside the face, or what’s behind it?”

"What is a face really? Its own photo? Its makeup? Or is it a face as painted by such or such painter? That which is in front? Inside? Behind? And the rest? Doesn't everyone look at himself in his own particular way? Deformations simply do not exist.”  ― Picasso, Picasso Notebook

Though I'm far from complete understanding, I take those as a sort of bridge over to the paintings he came up with.        Thanks for commenting!


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## terri

snowbear said:


> Thanks for posting these.  I really need to spend more time on the art - half-way hoping that will be my final career (something to do if I ever really retire).
> 
> I _LOVE_ the beach scene and the portrait; excellent job on the hand painting, as well.  Water is not easy to paint, at least it isn't for me.
> 
> I still have some pastel pieces around from when I was taking classes; I may dig them out and play.


Please do!   I admire all of your ink drawings, as well as that  recent watercolor you posted.   Those are two mediums I'm not likely to take up.  Would love to see more work from you, I find it inspiring.  

I still don't like painting water, but continue to practice.   Thanks for the kind words; it means a lot to a bumbling newbie with this stuff!


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## terri

jcdeboever said:


> Nicely executed. I used to burn through Senneller oil pastels back in the day. I tried a lot of different brands and nothing was even close.


Thank you, JC!    I have a set of Senns, but use those for basically a top layer or final swooshes.   They're almost 3.50USD a stick now!    

What I've come to appreciate is how similar the discovery journey is between photography and painting like this.   Like being in the darkroom and working to find your favorite film/developer/paper, so it is with oil pastels.   Several brands out there - Senns are the undisputed king, but I'm aware of OP artists who don't particularly like them for those valued qualities of softness and smooth application.   A lot depends on the paper, too.   My current go-to OP are the Mungyo Gallery Soft Artist line.   Mungyo also makes some pretty poor student-grade OP's, though.   But the Gallery Soft are great for most papers, and a lot cheaper.   I also have several Neopastels, they're almost as soft as Senns, but smaller sticks.   

I pretty much stick with Arches Oil Paper and Clairefontaine Pastelmat, though the latter is really expensive and my work doesn't really deserve it.


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## terri

tirediron said:


> Lovely work, Terri.  I've always wished I had the ability to do stuff like this.


Thank you!    Just remind yourself that if Terri can do it, you can likely do it, too.      Just like with photography, a lot ends up in the "learning bin."      Also, as photographers, we already grasp things like composition concepts and color balance, so I figure that puts us ahead.


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## Dean_Gretsch

Great examples of other talent you have. While I am not a Picasso fan, your interpretation is very good and immediately recognizable.


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## jcdeboever

terri said:


> jcdeboever said:
> 
> 
> 
> Nicely executed. I used to burn through Senneller oil pastels back in the day. I tried a lot of different brands and nothing was even close.
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you, JC!    I have a set of Senns, but use those for basically a top layer or final swooshes.   They're almost 3.50USD a stick now!
> 
> What I've come to appreciate is how similar the discovery journey is between photography and painting like this.   Like being in the darkroom and working to find your favorite film/developer/paper, so it is with oil pastels.   Several brands out there - Senns are the undisputed king, but I'm aware of OP artists who don't particularly like them for those valued qualities of softness and smooth application.   A lot depends on the paper, too.   My current go-to OP are the Mungyo Gallery Soft Artist line.   Mungyo also makes some pretty poor student-grade OP's, though.   But the Gallery Soft are great for most papers, and a lot cheaper.   I also have several Neopastels, they're almost as soft as Senns, but smaller sticks.
> 
> I pretty much stick with Arches Oil Paper and Clairefontaine Pastelmat, though the latter is really expensive and my work doesn't really deserve it.
Click to expand...


I recall spending $300 + a month on them


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## otherprof

terri said:


> Okay, I'm starting this thread so I don't interfere with @snowbear and his ink work thread, even though he invites me to hijack it periodically.
> 
> I started messing around with oil pastels as another medium for hand coloring B&W photographs.   I never really warmed up to them for that, though.   Unlike actual photo oils, which are made to be transparent enough to allow the photograph to show through, oil pastels are quite opaque - like crayons, which they resemble.  When I first had a play, the idea of actually _covering the photo_ and having to do any _drawing myself_ to make sense of the image was terrifying.   Drawing is not my forte, and I've had scant  training.
> 
> A couple of them *kind of* worked, but meh.
> Here's one of the first things I tried.   I had a photo I took on a very bright day with a Holga - limited camera controls, so it's totally blown out.   But the negative did at least show this very cool, ancient electric plant built on Lake Superior:
> 
> View attachment 175089
> 
> Horrible negative, with nothing good to come from it.   I scanned it anyway, and printed it out to try again with the oil pastels, just made it more a nighttime scene:
> 
> View attachment 175092
> 
> So, not a total loss of the negative, but not very good, either.    Since then, I've just tried to get away from using bad photos to paint over, and figuring out how a non-painter/sketcher like me could still have fun with a medium like this.
> 
> In my own little art journey, I've been studying some of Picasso's work and doing some reading. I never liked much of his stuff (and I'm still not a huge fan of analytical cubism - the earlier form of this style), but I do like quite a lot of his other work, especially portraits.  It seems very liberating to not have to think about being anatomically correct.
> 
> With this in mind, I decided to use another one of my photos for a reference - which, btw, is actually a B&W photo that I took of my husband and later hand painted with  photo oils. (Why yes, I _did_ have to mention that. The skin tones and hair came out great!)
> 
> Here's the photo:
> View attachment 175094
> 
> 
> And here is the oil pastel painting I made from it, Picasso-style:
> 
> 
> View attachment 175095
> 
> I wasn't going to try to draw any of that background or do anything, really, too much like the photo.   So it was just a lot of fun - and btw, he loves it!    So I view this one as a success.
> 
> I've scanned or photographed most of my stuff.  Oil pastels can be slick and messy, so not much scanning anymore.    Most of what I do is from some kind of photo reference, though not all.


More, please!!


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## terri

jcdeboever said:


> I recall spending $300 + a month on them


That is...a lot.    

The Grande sizes are fun, too, but I've only bought white in that size.


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## terri

otherprof said:


> More, please!!


Thank you!  

Another thing I have played with is copying the masters.   It really forces you to think things through and try to plot out a painting.  

It's also quite humbling, when you appreciate how talented these artists are/were.   

One of the first ones I tried was Georgia O'Keeffe's _Red Poppy_:






I used cheap red construction paper for this.   I thought that was quite clever at the time, but the OP's didn't blend as well and my outlines, in black wax pencil, got kinda squirrelly.   I learned what NOT to do more than what to do with this one.   


I used a much better paper, suitable for OP's, for the next one I tried.   A Canson art paper called Mi Teintes, with a gray base. 

van Gogh's _A Starry Night:
_





Honestly, I don't know what I was smoking to want to tackle this one.     I've just always loved it.   I think I spent 2 hours alone just playing with the three largest swirls.   I crowded out the moon, too.   I liked the paper but it's a little lightweight, and I let a lot of the gray peep through rather than try to fill it all perfectly.    I'm happy I did it, but it wore me out.  


From around the same time period, this one is something that just popped into my head, no reference.   I had the idea of a streetlamp, a solo figure and some kind of mystery.   And I gave myself an excuse to paint another van Gogh-type tree, and glow-marks around the light.   Other than that, I just sketched it out and painted it:





My proportions are strange in the background.  Seems obvious now I just didn't know how to finish it.      But hey, I had a recognizable human figure, and it was from my own brain, so I was happy with it.  

Having little flashes of ideas is great -  but executing them in a convincing way is still a challenge for me.    Not unlike photography!


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## jcdeboever

terri said:


> jcdeboever said:
> 
> 
> 
> I recall spending $300 + a month on them
> 
> 
> 
> That is...a lot.
> 
> The Grande sizes are fun, too, but I've only bought white in that size.
Click to expand...


I was melting them in wax.


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## terri

jcdeboever said:


> terri said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> jcdeboever said:
> 
> 
> 
> I recall spending $300 + a month on them
> 
> 
> 
> That is...a lot.
> 
> The Grande sizes are fun, too, but I've only bought white in that size.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I was melting them in wax.
Click to expand...

Brave man!


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## snowbear

I see what you mean about the blending, but I like the poppy.  Starry Night is darn good, IMO.


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## terri

snowbear said:


> I see what you mean about the blending, but I like the poppy.  Starry Night is darn good, IMO.


Thank you, Charlie.  

You know how it is when you look at some of your older photos, and all you can see are your technical (or other) errors?    That's what this thread is doing for me.     But since I'm able to see them, at least that means I've developed a better feel for this.  

Your ink work, watercolors, and now soft pastels...you play with a lot more media than I do.

Have you ever heard of Nupastels?   Prismacolor makes them - and I only know Prismacolor for their wax pencils.   Another oil pastel artist (whose stuff is amazing!) does all his underpaintings/sketches using Nupastels.  They are a *hard* version of soft pastels, i.e., chalk.   This artist gave me some step by step instructions, and they really do make a nice base coat.   You have to coat them with a workable fixative spray to seal it before reaching for the oil pastels.  

Given your mention of soft pastels, I'm curious if you've ever used them.


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## waday

That portrait is awesome!


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## SquarePeg

These are all great Terri!  Princess uses the oil pastel "crayons" for her artwork.  She had a few items from art class this year in the annual student showing.  It looks like fun.  I'm still looking to take a painting class if I ever find the time and place.


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## snowbear

terri said:


> snowbear said:
> 
> 
> 
> I see what you mean about the blending, but I like the poppy.  Starry Night is darn good, IMO.
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you, Charlie.
> 
> You know how it is when you look at some of your older photos, and all you can see are your technical (or other) errors?    That's what this thread is doing for me.     But since I'm able to see them, at least that means I've developed a better feel for this.
> 
> Your ink work, watercolors, and now soft pastels...you play with a lot more media than I do.
> 
> Have you ever heard of Nupastels?   Prismacolor makes them - and I only know Prismacolor for their wax pencils.   Another oil pastel artist (whose stuff is amazing!) does all his underpaintings/sketches using Nupastels.  They are a *hard* version of soft pastels, i.e., chalk.   This artist gave me some step by step instructions, and they really do make a nice base coat.   You have to coat them with a workable fixative spray to seal it before reaching for the oil pastels.
> 
> Given your mention of soft pastels, I'm curious if you've ever used them.
Click to expand...

I haven't heard of them, but I'll look at them.  I have some of the Prismacolor standard colored pencils and a set of the watercolor pencils that i haven't opened, yet - I'm waiting to finish off the Derwents I have.

I started with oils, as a kid, though remember having some pastels at one point, and I've have done some work with Conte; a lot of charcoal in the art classes.  When I decided to take it up again after a number of years, I decided against oil and gravitated towards acrylic and watercolor.  The pen and ink is really just an extension of the interest in fountain pens.  At Maryland I took a traditional Chinese calligraphy course for my cultural diversity requirement.

I have craft-store branded hard pastels - chalk-like square sticks.  I'll probably get some oil/soft pastels later.


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## snowbear

SquarePeg said:


> These are all great Terri!  Princess uses the oil pastel "crayons" for her artwork.  She had a few items from art class this year in the annual student showing.  It looks like fun.  I'm still looking to take a painting class if I ever find the time and place.



I'd like to see some of her work.


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## stapo49

Your "starry night" and "street corner" are fantastic. I love  Van Gogh and the impressionists.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk


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## terri

SquarePeg said:


> These are all great Terri!  Princess uses the oil pastel "crayons" for her artwork.  She had a few items from art class this year in the annual student showing.  It looks like fun.  I'm still looking to take a painting class if I ever find the time and place.


That's so cool to hear!    I like them because you can simply pick one up and get going.  

I bet you'd really enjoy a painting class.  It's a time commitment, that's for sure.


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## terri

snowbear said:


> terri said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> snowbear said:
> 
> 
> 
> I see what you mean about the blending, but I like the poppy.  Starry Night is darn good, IMO.
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you, Charlie.
> 
> You know how it is when you look at some of your older photos, and all you can see are your technical (or other) errors?    That's what this thread is doing for me.     But since I'm able to see them, at least that means I've developed a better feel for this.
> 
> Your ink work, watercolors, and now soft pastels...you play with a lot more media than I do.
> 
> Have you ever heard of Nupastels?   Prismacolor makes them - and I only know Prismacolor for their wax pencils.   Another oil pastel artist (whose stuff is amazing!) does all his underpaintings/sketches using Nupastels.  They are a *hard* version of soft pastels, i.e., chalk.   This artist gave me some step by step instructions, and they really do make a nice base coat.   You have to coat them with a workable fixative spray to seal it before reaching for the oil pastels.
> 
> Given your mention of soft pastels, I'm curious if you've ever used them.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I haven't heard of them, but I'll look at them.  I have some of the Prismacolor standard colored pencils and a set of the watercolor pencils that i haven't opened, yet - I'm waiting to finish off the Derwents I have.
> 
> I started with oils, as a kid, though remember having some pastels at one point, and I've have done some work with Conte; a lot of charcoal in the art classes.  When I decided to take it up again after a number of years, I decided against oil and gravitated towards acrylic and watercolor.  The pen and ink is really just an extension of the interest in fountain pens.  At Maryland I took a traditional Chinese calligraphy course for my cultural diversity requirement.
> 
> I have craft-store branded hard pastels - chalk-like square sticks.  I'll probably get some oil/soft pastels later.
Click to expand...

Ok, your description of the hard, square pastels sounds like the Nupastels, likely more affordable.   I agree it's hard to get more of the same thing when you already have a brand. 
I do like trying different OP brands, tho.  There's a wide variety of quality out there.


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## terri

stapo49 said:


> Your "starry night" and "street corner" are fantastic. I love  Van Gogh and the impressionists.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk


Me too!   Thanks for the kind words!


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## terri

waday said:


> That portrait is awesome!


Thank you, Wade!   It was fun to work through.


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## terri

One of my favorite artistic styles is Tonalism, which is uniquely American.  It is mainly identifiable by the darker, moodier palettes used by artists like James Whistler (_Whistler's Mother - _the unofficial, more famous name of a painting called _Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1_ - is a Tonalist painting).   I have a real appreciation for Tonalism because it is really hard to do - often dark, limited palettes of grays, purples, browns and blues.   

Here are a few of the ones I used as learning exercises.   These are all from Charles Warren Eaton, who sometimes used brighter colors, which I like.  

_Hint - _his are all much better.       You should check him out!

This is my attempt at his painting _Sunset Pines_, done with my Mungyo oil pastels on Arches Oil paper:







Another one, done on the same paper, called _Silence of the Night:
_





And a personal favorite that I just had to try because it was so freaky, and very liberating to paint it, _Sunset Trees:
_





I did the above on cheap green construction paper.    The original oil painting has thick textural lines of paint running through it, all those vertical lines - I just gravitate to it.  

He was among the best in Tonalism, IMO, though other artists, like Whistler, George Inness, and John Twachtman were more popular in the movement.    Their landscapes are beautiful and moody.


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## SquarePeg

You’ve got some talent there lady!


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## terri

Thanks, Sharon!   Of course the real talent lies with the original artist - but I am learning to copy well.    

Copying masters is a fun way to learn a medium.   Oil pastels seem so straightforward, but the little suckers don't behave the way I thought they would.   Draw a line, and watch then feather out into the paper.   Not clean or sharp.   You're leading the stick one way, and the tip wears down enough to slightly alter the line unevenly.   It was maddening in the beginning to get used to handling them.

If your daughter wants to keep playing with them, make sure she has a decent student grade.   Super cheap OP's aren't even worth the few bucks you lay out for them.   I think that's why a lot of artists don't like OP's.   Unlike working with regular painting oils, a cheaper brand isn't going to work well and you'll start to think they are just not worth the trouble.   All OP's are made from pigment, oil and wax.   Better brands have less wax, cheap brands have lots of it, which makes them flake off, crumble, or feel too hard to blend into the paper with other colors.   When you pick up a stick of a better brand, it's just a night/day difference.


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## snowbear

Another great set of OPs, Terri.

In artist supplies, like most everything , you tend to get what you pay for.  Cheaper paints may not have adequate transparency and color control may not be as consistent.  Cheap brushes don't stand up and will lose their shape and lose hairs.


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## terri

snowbear said:


> Another great set of OPs, Terri.
> 
> In artist supplies, like most everything , you tend to get what you pay for.  Cheaper paints may not have adequate transparency and color control may not be as consistent.  Cheap brushes don't stand up and will lose their shape and lose hairs.


Thanks, Charlie!   

About brushes, you make an interesting point.  I don't think I'd know a good quality brush if it bit me on the nose.   I don't think I've ever bought one that _didn't_ lose hairs.   I don't use brushes a lot but the prices seem expensive.   It's also confusing to a novice like me that the sizes seem to vary from company to company - like, there's not a standard #2 or 6, for example.       Another reason I respect what people like you can do with watercolors as well as oils - it's not just the mediums that intimidate me, but these variances with tools of the trade are confusing.   All I use with OP's are paper stumps/tortillons, and various clay shapers.   Pretty low-tech.  Me likey.


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## snowbear

I haven't paid that close of attention between makers - I shop in person and look at the brush: "That one's about 1/4" and flat, so I'll get it."


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## terri

snowbear said:


> I haven't paid that close of attention between makers - I shop in person and look at the brush: "That one's about 1/4" and flat, so I'll get it."


Spoken like someone who knows his way around watercolors and painting!


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## snowbear

Unfortunately, I haven't mastered any of them.  I just need to spend more time on the art, less on the other stuff.
Maybe in the next career.


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## terri

snowbear said:


> Unfortunately, I haven't mastered any of them.  I just need to spend more time on the art, less on the other stuff.
> Maybe in the next career.


I haven't mastered any task except going to bed.


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## terri

Here's another instance where I attempted to make something better from a fail.    I came across this Polaroid image transfer that I'd done years ago.   Thought I'd trashed it, really.   I consider it a failure because it's so blocked up in the corner right, center, and the sky is mottled looking - clearly I applied too much pressure with the brayer, and the water might have been too warm (though the former is more likely, since I kept a thermometer at hand for this process).   Meh.





Still, enough detail came through to make me want to keep it, I suppose.   Anyway, I thought it would be a fun reference for an oil pastel painting.   I clearly didn't waste any time trying to make anything look real.        It was a fun exercise.


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## vintagesnaps

Cool stuff! 

Cray-pas?? That's what came to mind which I remember in school, I took all the art I could as electives. But maybe those are a 'student' version!


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## terri

vintagesnaps said:


> Cool stuff!
> 
> Cray-pas?? That's what came to mind which I remember in school, I took all the art I could as electives. But maybe those are a 'student' version!


Thanks, Sharon.   Good memory!   I love my Cray-Pas.     They're made by Sakura.   You can get the step-above student grade Cray-Pas Expressionist, and the true artist grade Cray-Pas Specialist.   I have sets of both and, for my money, I prefer the Expressionists.   Sure, they're harder, a tad crumbly - but they're terrific for a base layer.   Or just fooling around with an idea in a sketchbook, whatever.   There's a real student grade, a kid brand, Juniors ? or something, so Expressionists aren't the lowest of the student grades.  

Good thing about using student grade OPs for base layers is that any step up in quality, regardless of brand, is generally going to have more oil and glide right over them.   Great way to build layers without using your more expensive ones.


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## CherylL

Talented painter!  Do you do any painting in photoshop?


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## terri

Thank you, Cheryl - I'm still learning! 

No Photoshop here.   I think I spent too many of my working years in front of a computer to want to spend more time there for art.      Even my photography is hands on  (analog), and my special love is alternative photographic techniques.   Apparently, I'm not happy unless I get my hands dirty.


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## vintagesnaps

Yeah, the computer is too much like work, and not the fun part of working with kids. A certain amount of documentation is necessary and finally we were able to scan in notes etc. but did they have to go overboard with it? yes, they did... 

I like hands on better too, all those years of edible finger painting, etc. And chocolate, anything chocolate makes for a fine mess! 

I like the original silo, with it being overgrown the transfer looks appropriately vintage and creepy and grungy. Maybe it was a happy accident to turn out differently than what you intended (which if you hadn't mentioned I wouldn't have known). I like it, I bet you could submit it to an alt process competion (although I've gotten things accepted, it's something of a crap shoot!). I think it's better than you think, there's some reason you saved it.


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## SquarePeg

Don’t want to hijack your thread but someone asked to see Sophia’s artwork.  Here are 2


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## SquarePeg

excuse the blurry iphone photos


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## terri

vintagesnaps said:


> Yeah, the computer is too much like work, and not the fun part of working with kids. A certain amount of documentation is necessary and finally we were able to scan in notes etc. but did they have to go overboard with it? yes, they did...
> 
> I like hands on better too, all those years of edible finger painting, etc. And chocolate, anything chocolate makes for a fine mess!
> 
> I like the original silo, with it being overgrown the transfer looks appropriately vintage and creepy and grungy. Maybe it was a happy accident to turn out differently than what you intended (which if you hadn't mentioned I wouldn't have known). I like it, I bet you could submit it to an alt process competion (although I've gotten things accepted, it's something of a crap shoot!). I think it's better than you think, there's some reason you saved it.


Thanks for the comments on the silo transfer.    I did tons of them when Polaroid was still easy to come by, so I apparently set a high bar for myself.   That one, all I see are the flaws.       Been ages since I sent anything in competitively.   I've lost much of the films that I loved the best, so output has shrunk from me. 

Edible finger painting!   Chocolate!      I'd never leave the studio!


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## terri

SquarePeg said:


> excuse the blurry iphone photos


No harm at all, I wanted to see and I think @snowbear did, too.    These are great!   She does lovely work, great details.  Details can be tricky with OP's, and she's nailed it.    I love the sky in the top one.  

Be sure to tell her that her work was applauded!       Hopefully she'll keep playing.


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## snowbear

SquarePeg said:


> Don’t want to hijack your thread but someone asked to see Sophia’s artwork.  Here are 2
> 
> View attachment 175587 View attachment 175588


I love the beta.  She has done very well, indeed.  Thank you (and her) for sharing.


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## SquarePeg

Thanks she as both thrilled that you liked them (on the inside) and annoyed at me for sharing them (on the outside).  She corrected me and told me the fish is oil pastels but the Motif #1 is actually colored pencils.  She says they look like oil pastels when on black paper.  

She was very impressed by Terry’s Van Gogh and the abstract portrait.


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## vintagesnaps

I really like the first one, didn't realize that was done in color pencils (although I could tell it was different). I personally like pencils more than good ol' Craypas because I like to sketch and get thinner more precise lines and a different look than you get with pencils. (Although even crayons are fun to play with!)

Has she taken much art? She seems to have a good sense of proportion in her artwork. (Which I found I learned a lot about in art classes many moons ago.)

Terri you would've loved being an EI Specialist, lots of gooey fun!! I was always wearing something home on me. 

I'd like to try pencils on black paper, don't remember ever doing that and I like that idea. Realized I actually do have some black paper handy but I'm rusty, might have to practice a little. Or a lot.


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## zulu42

I'm impressed by all the paintings posted, and the photographs, too.

My favorite is the beach scene. I find it exceedingly charming and wonder what is the size of the canvas?


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## terri

SquarePeg said:


> Thanks she as both thrilled that you liked them (on the inside) and annoyed at me for sharing them (on the outside).  She corrected me and told me the fish is oil pastels but the Motif #1 is actually colored pencils.  She says they look like oil pastels when on black paper.
> 
> She was very impressed by Terry’s Van Gogh and the abstract portrait.


Interesting - I'm guessing with lots of layers, the colored pencils build up a sheen, which would certainly look similar to OP's.   Sorry she had to feel embarrassed (I can almost hear the gasps of horror!) but glad you posted her work.   She has nothing to be shy about!


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## terri

zulu42 said:


> I'm impressed by all the paintings posted, and the photographs, too.
> 
> My favorite is the beach scene. I find it exceedingly charming and wonder what is the size of the canvas?


Thank you so much!    It's done on paper, actually - 9x12" Arches oil paper.   I haven't done anything using oil pastels on canvas - such a textured surface, it can eat up a lot of the OP stick.  

It's great paper for oil pastels, since it has gesso or some kind of ground mixed in with the paper pulp when it's made.   A few work-in-progress photos of this piece:

The underlying sketch, showing most of the base layer of oil pastel over it:




Then the way it looked after I blended/washed the OP with Turpenoid (it was burnt sienna, I believe).   I do recall a mild freak-out at this point - that came out a lot brighter than I thought it would - I was pretty sure I'd ruined it.  






Then painting over with layers of various oil pastels, until done:










I often forget to stop and take pics while I go.   It helps me to look back later and see how I built something up.


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## terri

Here is another take on copying the masters.   I did this one last year sometime.  This is my rendition of Picasso's _Jacqueline with Flowers, _here's a link to the real thing, 1954.    I love his portraits!

My attempt is painted on 12x16" Arches oil paper.  





I took a lot of "work in progress" pics with my phone.  They help me recall how I built something out later on.   I about wore out my eraser sketching this thing in graphite.   With oil pastels, graphite isn't the best choice to sketch with, and I stick with chalk pencils now.   Supposedly it's ok as long as you spray over the graphite with a workable fixative.  

I took this picture after I sprayed the sketch, and started in making the background neutral gray with oil pastel:






Then did the background and the head.   I knew there wasn't much point in continuing if I screwed the head up!  










After that, I got the skin tones in, then used both OP and pencil to get the facial details in there.   It was more fun moving on to the rest of the painting.


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## snowbear

Love the interpretation.  I'm so glad you decided to post these.


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## terri

Thank you so much, Charlie!   This one stands out for me as the most white-knuckle one I've ever done.     All that freaking black!


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## terri

Here's a recent one.   This is a pictorial representation of why I don't get out and shoot as much, lugging the stuff I like to use.   Me and my pain demon.   I painted it as ugly as I could.   Kind of a puke-pink, sickly color.

Back pain:


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## tirediron

Well... I think you got your message across!


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## SquarePeg

Ugh back pain!  I’m assuming you’ve seen a chiropractor?  

Great depiction!


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## terri

tirediron said:


> Well... I think you got your message across!


   Thanks!


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## terri

SquarePeg said:


> Ugh back pain!  I’m assuming you’ve seen a chiropractor?
> 
> Great depiction!


Oh yes.  Still do.   Among many other things, except drugs, which is non-negotiable.


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## Derrel

good work. The message comes across quite clearly, totally unambiguously.


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## terri

Thanks so much for the comments, Derrel.


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## snowbear

I can relate.Nice drawing; it could be an interesting tattoo.


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## terri

snowbear said:


> I can relate.Nice drawing; it could be an interesting tattoo.


Oh my.  That'd be a scary looking tat!  

Seems a lot of people relate to this one.   Lots of familiarity with this sob I call the pain demon.

Thanks, Charlie!


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## CherylL

Nice work on the painting!  The demon looks like a Cubist style.  Hope you get relief soon.


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## terri

Thank you, Cheryl!   Good observation, too.


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## terri

Dropping a note in here because I forgot to earlier: I'm posting my oil pastel stuff now in an open-to-all Pastels and Watercolors thread.   Thanks for starting it for us, Snowbear!


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## snowbear

terri said:


> Dropping a note in here because I forgot to earlier: I'm posting my oil pastel stuff now in an open-to-all Pastels and Watercolors thread.   Thanks for starting it for us, Snowbear!


No problem, Terri.  I was at a drawing session this afternoon, and did two figure drawings, one charcoal.graphite, one straight pencil.


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## terri

snowbear said:


> terri said:
> 
> 
> 
> Dropping a note in here because I forgot to earlier: I'm posting my oil pastel stuff now in an open-to-all Pastels and Watercolors thread.   Thanks for starting it for us, Snowbear!
> 
> 
> 
> No problem, Terri.  I was at a drawing session this afternoon, and did two figure drawings, one charcoal.graphite, one straight pencil.
Click to expand...

Well, where are they?!    
Is it time to re-name our new thread?   The Pastel/Watercolor/Charcoal/Graphite thread?


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## snowbear

terri said:


> snowbear said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> terri said:
> 
> 
> 
> Dropping a note in here because I forgot to earlier: I'm posting my oil pastel stuff now in an open-to-all Pastels and Watercolors thread.   Thanks for starting it for us, Snowbear!
> 
> 
> 
> No problem, Terri.  I was at a drawing session this afternoon, and did two figure drawings, one charcoal.graphite, one straight pencil.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Well, where are they?!
> Is it time to re-name our new thread?   The Pastel/Watercolor/Charcoal/Graphite thread?
Click to expand...

I'll get them up in a bit, but they are a bit NSFW.  I can tell you, I am really out of practice when it comes to drawing people.


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## daviddarwin091

What kind of oil pastel paper do you use? I work with oil pastel paper. They feature a high gsm and a toothed texture. If I wanted less tooth, I'd go with sanded paper. Watercolor paper, on the other hand, is my go-to option for a seamless color mix.


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## terri

daviddarwin091 said:


> What kind of oil pastel paper do you use? I work with oil pastel paper. They feature a high gsm and a toothed texture. If I wanted less tooth, I'd go with sanded paper. Watercolor paper, on the other hand, is my go-to option for a seamless color mix.


Hi, and welcome to TPF!

My go-to paper is Arches oil paper.   It has moderate tooth.   I have used sanded papers and tend to avoid them because they eat up the sticks quickly and I don't gain much ease of use from them. 

Watercolor papers differ widely by brand, as do oil pastels themselves.  I generally find them a bit too smooth.


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