I was rummaging through a drawer this morning and discovered an old pastel pad. I last used it about two years ago, this is one of the drawings from it.



Any advice, C & C, etc very welcome. I am thinking of doing a few townscapes, and surprisingly for a large city, there is a working windmill just up the road from where I live, I would like to draw that in pastels

I have a packet of pastels, and also conti crayons, and of course the pastel pad - Daler - Ingres Pastel paper, assorted colours. size: 9in X 6in

Do you only smudge and work the pastels with your fingers or can you use a paintbrush as well?

That is quite a good portrait FT, good smooth skin tone, for blending you can use paper torchons, silicon colour shapers they come in various sizes, lightly blend with a tissue taking care not to remove too much pastel. You can use a brush but you are more likely to lose more pastel from your surface, I use a brush to remove mistakes :lol:

Hope this is of use to you
regards Dorothy

It is a good drawing, for a better look use your pastels as paint and make sure that you have shadows so that the portrait looks stronger in style.

Thank you very much Dorothy, some very good tips there

I can't imagine you making a mistake ;)

Beatrice, thank you also for your advice on using shadows. :)

I think this is really Good Friar, the skin tone is great. Good advice given, I think the best way is to try every way and then you will find what suits you. I use my fingers and paper stumpers, which are cheap to buy. Love to see some more when you get going again. (claphands) (thumbs)

I make mistakes all the time :D another way to blend is using water or just a damp not wet brush thssupp

Looks very promising and good advice from members

Well worth more experimenting thssupp

Neil

Thanks Neil for the encouragement, and thanks to Bakereke for the tips, and also to Dorothy, for additional tips.

I didn't realise there were so many ways to achieve effects in pastels. I have got all the bits and bobs to put your advise into practise. I shall make a start tonight.

(claphands) (thumbs) (claphands) This is fabulous friar, she looks a little forlorn! As already stated, excellent skin tone. I don't use pastels so cannot offer any advice, but I am looking forward to seeing more of your pastel work! (loveh) Sylvia

Thank you Dabbs,

She does, doesn't she. I bet it has something to do with love.

Good advice already given.

A very nice pastel portrait. You have blended the skin tones wonderfully. (thumbs)

Allsorts

I like the colours in this. The hair is particularly well done.

Pity you've smudged a bit on the face front, but I understand you're newish to pastels, so I can overlook that.

More's the pity I've never used pastels so I can't help at all. But this is a good start and well worth persevering in this medium.

Thankyou Allsorts and Timber. Your comments are much appreciated. You are right, I am inexperienced in pastels. I like lots of artists have dabbled a bit over the years. I intend to use them again, they are a bit messy, but thee results are usually acceptable and satisfying.

It's a pity about her nose isn't it. I will try to fix it. The problem occurred when tried to re difine her nose line - just before I posted.

Nice picture. Good blending. I feel I can comment now I have posted a pastel. I use cotton buds to blend, or if I get carried away, my fingures! I love using pastels and must try a landscape too. With the pic. I posted I covered the page with pastel and then put water over it and let it dry and then used the pastels on top. I have another small one I did today with Ingres paper which I will post, it is alright to use, I think any paper will do, better if it is smooth I think.

You need a paper with a bit of tooth for pastels, that's why some people use very fine sandpaper. It can wear your fingers out when blending though!