2013 ALL MEDIA PHOTO CHALLENGE---January #27

Hi Sheila. I'm sorry for not commenting on your sketch of the elder woman earlier but there are so many new things here and I missed it. I think it is a very nice sketch and maybe it will inspire me to attempt it too!

Marsha - This is very good love the colors and you captured the reflections in the ripples, He looks as if he was really having fun.

Marsha this is a beautiful painting you can almost see the koi just from  the expression on his face

Marsha there you go inspiration struck and what better than our prescious grandchildren. You are doing and excellent job with those pastels and your drawing skills are shinning through! You have captured that little boy curiosity and strain of his body as he reaches for the Koi. Well done. There is a fixative spray called SpectraFix. You can get it at Dick Blicks. I don't usually use it as a final spray as the sanded papers hold the pastel well. If you choose to use it make sure it is spraying a fine mist and lay your picture flat and give it a light spray and let it dry before moving. You might want to test it on something before trying it on your work. I am not sure what it would do to Canson paper. I use it mainly it I need more tooth or if I have and area of black that I don't want to get on everything. It is not surposed to change colour but I do notice that light areas can be weakened slightly. After you spray it turn the spray upside down and give it one shake that will help stop it clogging. If you don't want to spray, and many artists don't, you can store the painting in an acid free clear storage bag and lay them flat. You can get those at Hobby Lobby in various sizes. That is how I store mine until I frame them. The ones I have are Corestor. Acid free, resealable, for storage and presentation of all media.

Sarah - SO good to see you in this forum (a familiar face for me)! I had the privilege of seeing your ptg. presented in stages on a diff. site, and think it would be so nice for others to also view that. Could you pls. post the stages? (not sure if a follow up would be in Chatter then) Your fin. ptg is breathtaking.

Sheila - Mayme's spirit is glowing here. You captured her and she is capturing us now!

Marsha - I enjoyed your pastel ptg.; great job. Love how the Koi fish is hinted through the water - perfect.

Alex - Pls. extend my get well wishes to your laptop! Miss seeing you here, but I know your art will be worth the wait!

Jen - Just caught your comment before posting this. Some great tips there! I had not heard of those bags ...will chk. them out.

Thanks for the positive feed back...

Jen:  I do have those bags, does the pastel rub off onto the cello?     I taped off the part that I was going to work on then did the gesso with pumice and tone, then the pastel.  all in one evening... I notice with this cranson paper when I put the gesso on it  buckled, the same as if you would do wc on it.     I know how to straighten it out when its wc but don't know quite how to straighten the paper out if there is pastel on it.  unless maybe after I use the spectraFix, then maybe I  could wet the back and press it...  what do you think....?

Marsha, if you are using Canson Me-Tientes, it doesn't accept water media and will buckle. I don't know how to straighten it.  I store pastel paintings in a file folder that I made using poster board.  I place a sheet of wax paper over each piece of pastel work.  I have some that have been stored like that for 20 - 30 years. 

FYI The reason the grain in the paper was so visible in my last posting of Olivia is because I was holding the camera too close to the painting.  When I increased the contrast, every bump was visible.  I took this photo further away and don't have the problem.  The photo is more purplish than the painting and I've been working with it can't get the colors right.  I'm not looking for comments.  Just wanted to pass that info on to you.

 

As long as the pastel fits in the bag snugly it doesn't seem to rub off. If the bag is bigger than the painting I just fold the access and tape it. Mine have been tossed around at times with no ill effects but as I say I use Wallis or U art sanded paper so can only comment on them. I have used the binders with sleeves for work and the pastel did come off in them I think because the works can slide around so if I use them now I put the work in a bag first and this gives added protection. I know many artists just put wax paper between layers and stack but they are probably neater than me. A dedicated shelf or drawer will work well for storage like that or as Sammy suggests. Pastel is actually pretty durable.

Sorry I don't know how to fix buckling. Sometimes the paper will buckle while wet if I use water or alcohol to do an underpainting but as I always tape the paper to a piece of plexi before I start work it settles back in place once it dries. I never add water or spray without taping down securely all around. You could try spraying again if it is already ruined and tape it down. I know some people say they spray Canson but they always tape securely first. Try experimenting on scraps and see what you can do.

Sam - I want to whisper when I look at this amazing painting.  So preciouse.   You have masterfully painted this beautiful child, and captured her peaceful inocence!!!  Well Done Sam!!!

Sheila, you are so kind.  Thank you for your kind words about Olivia.  That was a real challenge. Didn't think I could do a portrait in oil pastels.

Mom would tell me:  "If you don't try, you won't know you can."  You absolutely CAN, dear Sam, masterfully render a portrain in oil pastels!!!

Hi  Sam so glad you posted this second photo, I can see the difference in your portrait of Olivia by taking the photo further away. I wondered if when you take the photo further away do you zoom on the camera to have it fill the view or did you crop it in the computer? She looks like a little sleeping angel that you could just reach out and pick up to hug.