Time to Play!


"Afternoon in the Park"
9 x 12 Chalk pastel on flat canvas
Click here to view large/purchase
 
I'm looking for new homes for some daily paintings, so I can make room for new ones!  Stop in and view my ebay listings. 

I've been reading a lot of blog posts on marketing, and there seems to be a constant tension for artists between staying within a defined style and experimenting. 

I agree that it's important to find your own voice as an artist, and that your collectors will appreciate  your recognizable style.  That said, the thing I enjoy most about painting is trying new things, so it's hard for me to personally stick with one style, technique, or subject matter for too long.

The painting above was created in a day, and was an experiment with chalk pastels and water on flat canvas.  If I'm going to mix chalk and water, I usually block in my drawings with pastel first and then begin working in the water to blend the lights and darks.  I wanted to try something different this time, and made my drawing by dipping the pastel sticks in the water and then applying them to the canvas.  This method progressed into a complete underpainting, which was loose and shimmery with great darks. 

After letting the water dry, I went back over with dry pastel, adding the lights and middle values.  One challenge with this technique is to make sure the canvas is covered, as the white texture tends to peek through.  I'm going to try to remember to tone the canvas with watercolor next time to see if that makes for a smoother look.

Here are some more works from photos I took at Irvine Park:
Along the Water
Click here to view purchase details


 


"Irvine Tree"
Click here to view print choices
 



To see more California Scenery, visit my California Scenes gallery!
 

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