Sally Said Three Months

In June I took my first pastel workshop. It was heaven...then the skies opened and all hell broke loose...I had not painted since. Life can behave that way sometimes - it just dictates your days. The workshop I took was with Sally Strand. Not only can she really paint well (in oils, pastel, watercolor, you name it) but she can also teach very well. That is a rare find. She told us the turning point in her abilities came after spending three months at her kitchen table painting whatever was in the fridge.

That is three whole months, every day, same time of day...without fail. How hard can that be??

 

Above is what I painted earlier today. It is 9x12 pastel on watercolor paper. I used my watercolor sketchbook (Strathmore Visual Journal, Watercolor 140 lb) for it. In order for the pastel to have a better chance of adhering to the paper, I coated it first with a clear grit "paint" from Art Spectrum called Supertooth Colourfix that I tinted with Yellow Oxide acrylic paint diluted with water. Then I used both pastel pencils (Derwent) and my new pastels from the French company, Girault. For those of you trying pastels, I must add that a few finishing touches were added with my soft pastels by Terry Ludwig.

The composition could use a bit more oomph, but it is is what is for today. in case my drafting skills are throwing you off - you are looking at a pepper, an onion and a lime. I gave myself forty seconds to just grab something and put it in front of me. I can't be dilly dallying on the perfect pic if I am going to get into this three month stint.

 

Until next time,

Carolina

Comments

[Melissa P]

Ah, yes. The dangers of dilly-dallying. I hate to admit how many times I have fallen into that pit. You, however, are off to a good start because you have actually done the work. Good job overcoming the inertia and making a beginning.

[Elizabeth Mackey]

In college once, I took a scientific drawing class, and I think it was one of the best classes I ever took. We drew a lot of fruit an other natural things over and over again. At one point I really wanted to do this for a living hahah. There was this one class where he made us put something in a paper bag, like a branch rock etc. We had to put our non drawing hand in the bag and not look at the item. At the same time we had to draw what we were touching. Using strong and fine pencil lines. It really made you think more about the shape. Anyway, this painting you have pictured reminded me of that class!