Sketching Plants and Remembering Pastel Techniques

Today was sketch day during Gene's PT.  It was cold this morning but warmed up to about 55º by 11:15 am or so when I was sketching.  I did sit in the car for comfort.  The cacti is by the entrance to the shopping area.  I hadn't really noticed them before.  The intersection is pretty busy turning off the frontage road to the mall.  Today there was no traffic.  The plants are well tended and look  very nice.

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 180  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-180-jan-9-21.8614/

The sketch is in the Ohuhu Mixed media sketchbook sketched with an Ohuhu .03 pen and watercolors.

In the class with Enid Wood we were talking about developing texture with pastels.  I remembered the class I had with Tom Christopher in Arkansas.  I went with my art buddy Lou Baggett.  She, Toby, Gene and I shared a house for the workshop.  We had a great time and learned a lot.  David and Lisa came too for the visiting part.  (You can put Tom Christopher in the search box at the top of my home page and see about the workshop and his techniques.

I did this painting using his stumbling technique to build texture.  I like it and his use of color.  Good memories.  

Twilight Pines

16 x 20 inches

Pasteboard

While looking for a good link to Tom, I rediscovered the videos on the website of the New Mexico Pastel Society.  They have a large collection of videos by some of my favorite artists that have given demos there.  They include demos by Enid Wood, Tom Christopher, Natasha Isenhour, Karen Margulis, Desmond O'Hagan, Michael Chesley Johnson, Doug Dawson and more that I haven't seen in person.  You should check it out and I will do the same.  I might discover some new favorites.

https://www.pastelsnm.com/videos

I laughed today.  The "kids" and I still do Wordle, Wurdle and other word puzzles.  Today the 6 letter word in one of them was sketch.  You get 6 tries to get the word.  On my 5th try I had the S and the T in the right position and had the E in the wrong position.  I stared at it for the longest time and tried so many ideas in my head and on the iPad.  When I saw it,  I couldn't believe that word hadn't come to mind after seeing and talking about it every day for the Hunts and just sketching.  Crazy.  Maybe that is why I like puzzles.  

Good for Health Sketch Watercolor

We were watching "All Creatures Great and Small", the older version.  Sort of silly but a way to relax your mind.  I sketched on the footstool in the Canson Mix Media sketchbook, large, full page.  I drew with the Micron 03 and used watercolor for the colors.  I'm still a beginner with watercolor and it almost came out as I planned.  

For Scavenger Hunt 171 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-171-sep-23-oct-05.8279/

Number 9 good for health - fruit

Things are always changing and that is hard.  The IAPS, International Association of Pastel Societies, is holding its final convention in Albuquerque in June 2026 after 30 years. I went 4 times I think.  Twice with Sue Modrak and once with Regina Burchett and once on my own when Enid Wood was there.  Always fun and learned so much.  The vendors of pastels and equipment were amazing and got my start in pastels.  Hmmmm.  Check it out at https://iapspastel.org/

Here are a few pastel paintings that I like... so many more.  You can see some more  by putting pastels in the search box above or clicking on pastel paintings below.

Artistic License

When I sketch in a hurry, I tend to just put in the main parts and whatever attracted my attention.  Our Scavenger Hunt list had water and clouds for two items.  We went to pick up some dinner after physical therapy at Kyoto Japanese Restaurant.  It is near the therapy just across the highway so we had to wait about 20 minutes.  I sketched the water fountain which was dry and a hint of the clouds.  I added the color at home after we ate (I ate, Gene had too big of lunch he said) and watched TV for a while. 

 I left out many of the details.  I almost got the fountain off the paper in my rush to get it in and put in the flag just because I love Old Glory.  I pretty much finished the sketch in the twenty minutes with using artistic license and leaving out many of the fun things.  I used another half hour or so to add the color.

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 149  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-149-feb-15-feb-23.7749/

Number 2 clouds (hinted at) and Number 3 water - well, a fountain that should have water in front of the Mexican restaurant next to the Kyoto.

Here is the real view.

 

Joan Tavolott in our group sketches every day and puts in sooooo much detail.  I love, love her sketches.  It really makes them special.  Have a look.  https://watercolorsbyjoan2.blogspot.com/

She reminded me in her comments in the previous post to go vote for Peoples Choice Award at the Austin Pastel Society exhibition.  You can vote on line.  I voted.  There is some beautiful work.

https://www.austinpastelsociety.org/

The artists at the APS are so generous and fun.  It is a great group.  I can't take part in the shows anymore but try to keep in touch and attend the zoom meetings, etc.  Support our local artists!

Glass Fruit Pastel Again

I posted my sketch from yesterday on our family chat and David immediately asked if the bowl was round or my photo?  Hmmm.  The glass was off both in height and roundness but it was a sketch I expected to wipe off anyway.  But I took the challenge and worked on the roundness last night.  I took a photo and realized the glass was too tall, maybe it would help to make it shorter and work on the rim.

It was late so again this morning I worked on it.    I now have several hours in the sketch/painting.  I should stop now.  It is always a "guess" as when to be finished and stop on a painting.  An artist (me) can keep fiddling for ages.  Sometimes the painting is even framed and you just have to take it out and work on it again.

Here is the new version:

And the old version:

 

 

I do think the new version is better, but never perfect.  Maybe good enough to frame, now.  It is on 9 x 12 paper but would crop it to this 8 x 8 inch size.  Thinking.......

Red Pals - Geraniums Pastel

I sketched in my studio from my outside bedraggled geranium.  Our only growing flower at the moment.  I'm definitely not a gardener but somehow the geranium is still alive without much water or TLC.  

Red Pals
Pastel on Pastelbord
5 x 7 inches

I sketched for the Scavenger Hunt 125 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-125-aug-07-aug-15-aiarts-ai.7142/

Number 4 flower - sketched from the edge of the porch and color in my studio with a variety of soft pastels.  The board was wiped off.  It had an unsatisfactory landscape on it.  I like the geranium and intend to frame this one.

The flower doesn't look too bad considering I hadn't watered it for a few days in this heat.  The dirt had pulled away from the pot.  Poor, poor, pitiful thing.....

Of course that reminded me of a song, Linda Rondstadt - Poor, Poor Pitiful Me.  I always liked her.  Song is 3:32 minutes long. There are many versions on YouTube, I liked seeing the lyrics.

https://youtu.be/boMrTKZuvaQ?si=rgunKPJfHJvVmboh

Then of course you have to hear Blue Bayou

https://youtu.be/Kp9G0zkorio?si=bG7S9kAeJXMXtbGG

She is from Douglas, Arizona, where her family are all musicians and play Mariachi music together.  So fantastic.  Here is one with her niece Y Andale

https://youtu.be/jh7W1P8tDOg?si=xGNKXECFqAUZ5-1l

Enough sidetracking for today.....

Back with a Hand Sketch

It is always hard to get back in a routine when you stop doing art or exercising or ???  David and Lisa were here.  We framed a few of the sketches and a painting for them to take home.  There is never enough time to get everything done.  Time now to get back to painting and sketching ... or at least sketching.  David spent quite a while working on our kitchen table.  The base was very wobbly.

I sketched here at my computer table in the small Canson travel sketchbook with a Sharpie fine line pen that is about out of ink and nib.  For Scavenger Hunt from Life 124  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-124-july-30-aug-7.7120/

Number 1 hand
Number 2 scratchy - back scratcher

The back scratcher was a gift from my friend, Sue.  It is about 8 inches long and extends to 26.5 inches.  It is small for carrying in an art bag and using as a mahlstick.  Cheap and clever.

 

Texas Roots
Pastel on Pastelbord, 9 x 12 inches
Framed in black wooden frame

 

Neighborly

Pastel on Sanded Paper, 8 x 10 inches
Framed in blue wooden Frame

We framed these two pastel sketches and they went off to Kentucky. 

 

Border Line
Pastel on Art Spectrum Sanded Paper
12 x 24 inches framed in gold plein air frame

This painting was painted in 2016 on the border of Mexico and New Mexico near Las Palomas.  It was interesting to see in the sunlight.  It is an old dance hall or a public meeting place?  Our hotel was right across the road.  This painting went with David.  I will miss it on my shelf in my studio.  It has been there all these years, unframed.

 

Mail-Latch-Sketch

I sketched in the small Canson drawing sketchbook.  It was handy from yesterday.  I used the Acurit pen.  I quite like the pen.

Number 7 mail - some junk mail torn in half.
Number 8 latch - on the TV stand/fireplace

For Scavenger Hunt 122  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-122-jul-14-jul-22.7060/

I keep thinking about painting with pastels and just haven't been doing it.  Maybe cleaning/putting away stuff in my studio would help.  We shall see.  

I was also thinking about pastels and fun painting with friends.  Reminded me of this painting, which I painted with my friend Sue.  She is supposed to come visit in September so maybe we will get another winner.  This may be my favorite painting ever.

 

Pump House
12 x 18 inches on UArt Sanded Paper
in plein air frame, sold

 

 

Water Canyon

Pastel 12 x 18

Another old favorite

Stacked
Pastel 8 x 16 inches

Panel with Colourfix Medium

A favorite still life apple painting. 

These paintings are prior to 2009 or 2010.  I was painting so much then.  So much for me.  I had 45 paintings in 2010 and 43 in 2009 that were framed.  That is almost a painting a week.  I painted more that were not framed.   I've painted about 4 this year that I would consider framing.  I better get with it!

Hunt 114 Ink Sketches

I sketched yesterday and today out on the porch.  Lovely weather after the rainy cloudy days.  It will be warm requiring a/c in the afternoon.

I sketched in the BookFactory sketchbook with a Micron 03.  The red is a Micron 005.

For Scavenger Hunt 114  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-114-may-11-may-19.6848/

Number 6 potato peeler - I couldn't decide which one so you have a trio

Number 7 stack of something - some potholders.  Old fashioned ones like kids make on a frame, quilted and a couple of the new plastic sort of things.  They are colorful which was on the list, too, but a sketch can only be for one item.  They are red and blue of course.

Number 8 eye - Gene's eye with a patch on the other one.  He wears the eye patch to cover his weak eye to not put so much stress on the good eye trying to focus for both.  I put the "frame" around it to separate from the other sketch and it looks like he is looking in a rear view mirror in a car. Didn't think of that.

** *** ** *** ** *** **

We are having a tail gate party of sorts for baseball today.  It is the last home game and the last Big 12 game at Disch-Falk Field.  Texas is joining the SEC.  We decided it would be so crowded and hot so Joanna is coming and Larry is coming with the grand-dogs.  He is dog sitting for Jennie and Brandon.  Larry's team, the Bobcats, play at 1 pm and the Longhorns play at 2:30 pm.  We will sit in the a/c and watch on TV!

The Thursday and Friday games were very exciting.  The Longhorns won over the Kansas Jayhawks in walk-off fashion - both games.  Very close games with a pitchers duel keeping the scores low.  Not the usual plethora of home runs.  The Horns need to win today to be seeded #2 in the tournament which starts Tuesday.  Oklahoma is #1 in the conference.  Number 1 and 2 seeds get Tuesday off and start on Wednesday.  A big advantage to save pitching and stress.  Hook 'em Horns!!

A longhorn pastel for no reason except I like it.

Breakfast
Pastel 12 x 12 inches on Pastelbord

Promised Pastel Painting of Aspen Memories

I promised I would show you the process from this pastel painting.  I worked on it about 3 days and that is not good for me.  My thought yesterday morning was to wipe it off and have another go over the ghost image.  Instead, I brushed off some of the area where the pastel was too thick and some parts that I had overworked and were too "busy".  My next piece will be better and with practice my learned methods are returning. 

When I don't paint for a while, I forget my routine and halfway through I think that I forgot something and sure enough.......

I started on a Pastelbord that had a bucket of strawberries on it.  They were painted from a photo on creativespark and I don't like using other peoples photos.

Because red is sort of a good base for green trees I didn't worry about the shadow image when I wiped it off.

I put on some additional colors and wet it down for the under painting.

I meant to take more photos in progress but you know me.  This was about midway through.  I had the green too bright and the mountains too dark.

It is always good to look at the painting in black and white, upside down, with a mirror or face it to the wall and look a day or so later.

Aspen Memories
Pastel on Pastelbord
14 x 11 inches

I used a couple of different photos for reference and memories of Angel Fire, Colorado and Montana.  I'm pretty sure this is done.  It will have to set for a while as always, but I really don't like do overs.  I'm pretty much once and done.

 

Bedraggled Pastel Painting

I played in the dust ... longer than I planned and painted this, Bedraggled.  This poor hanging geranium made it through the long hot summer and lost half its stems and turned pretty brown.  It is finally coming back and we get 3 nights of mid 30s so I had to bring it in the house.  My mom used to keep geraniums in the house so guess that is where I got my idea to even have geraniums around.  I like them as they are sturdy and don't need much care.  They don't have a nice aroma so that isn't the reason.

In Bolivia the gardeners fastened them to the walls and fences and they grew 10 or 12 feet tall like a vine.  It was so beautiful to see a wall of flowers.  All colors from white to bright red.  We had all kinds of flowers.  The gardeners would trade and share with other houses where they worked.  The altitude in La Paz where we lived was about 10,000 feet.  It went to 12 or 13,000 in the city and 14,000 at the airport.  Trees didn't really grow above the timber line but Eucalyptus was the most popular tree and there were others.  People had poinsettia trees, pine trees and many others.  At that altitude near the equator, the nights were cool and the days warm.  I loved it.  (somewhat like our weather last week, now it is cold, brrr.)

Bedraggled (Yesterday)
Pastel on UArt 400 grit sanded paper
8 x 8 inches

This is on new paper, surprise!  I did an under painting with pastel and alcohol. It was a little runny and light so after it dried I added some more pastel and spritzed it with water.    I wanted the flowers to be more fuchsia in color and don't have the right pastels.  The pinks I have look peachy when you put them next to the dark fuchsia.  I also had the flowers in their "real" dark pot and change it to this sort of silver one.   

The UArt is sandpaper and no matter how much tape you put to hold it down it curls.  This makes it hard to drag a wide pastel lightly over to blend or soften edges.  I much prefer working on Pastelbord or Colourfix by Art Spectrum sanded paper.  Everyone has their preferences and style.  This UArt paper is very popular.

Sometimes we learn and sometimes we putz around.  I feel bedraggled with this pastel.  When an idea doesn't come together as planned I get frustrated.  A sketch or plein air can feel so fresh.  I attribute this to finishing in a short time.  So after piddling with it for a couple of days, I'm almost happy with it.  At least I painted and had fun, right?  Of course I had fun.

And of course I couldn't leave it alone.  Here is the final, I hope:

Bedraggled
Pastel on UArt 400 grit sanded paper
8 x 8 inches

I removed a couple of flowers and leaves and added some more dark shadows in the center of interest.

I got up early, I thought, but missed the actual sunrise.

Toward the easterly pond.

Plein Air Pastel for Hunt 88

Inktober has me sketching daily in ink, but sometimes I just have to have some rich color and and play in the dust.  The weather has been so good that I decided to get out on the porch on Sunday.  I took my portable easel and an assortment of pastels.  I have some pastels in the easel palette and took out some in boxes and the tray from my inside easel.  

Outback 2
Pastel on UArt Sanded paper, 12 x 9 inches

I used this painting for "landscape" on Scavenger Hunt 88.

 

I wiped off the previous sketch of some kitchen tools.

 https://jocastilloartblog.blogspot.com/2023/04/kitchen-tools-in-dust.html

So this paper has been wiped and used at least twice.   A good way to recycle surfaces.

First I took taped the paper to the foam core I use for backing.  UArt paper curls and needs lots of tape!  I wiped it with a brush and paper towel.

I wet the paper with alcohol and a brush and let it drip down.    Red was a good color for the painting with so much green as it is the complement (opposite on the color wheel).  I was hoping to let some of the under painting show in the painting.

I like under painting as you don't have to stare at the white canvas.  It also keeps the white from showing through and less pastel is needed for coverage.  I usually do an under painting for pastel paintings even on a new surface.  I like to do a watercolor under painting, too.

Besides using this painting for the Scavenger Hunt it was for Enid's class.  She was discussing thick and thin paint.  It is a good technique to paint the shadows with thin or transparent pastel.  With pastel you can use many colors and scumble (go over lightly with the wide side of a pastel).  If you use the same value you can have a colorful shadow area. 

Thicker/softer pastels will cover what is under it and great for highlights and bringing the viewer closer to the front of the painting.

In my painting above you will see color in the shadows where I scumbled and parts on the lower part of the painting where I left the drips and under painting show through more. I used strong highlights on the big tree.

I find scumbling on UArt paper very difficult as the paper is wavy and curls on the edges.  This is a personal  thing.  The light on the water was difficult with the uneven surface.

Pastelists find the surface they like.  I like different surfaces for different items.  Pastelbord is great for scumbling and under painting with water.  Colorfix sanded paper stays flat, so I like that as well.  Under painting works on Colorfix with water or alcohol.  MiTeintes paper can even work.  It is very inexpensive paper.  They have a new paper that is cheaper than the old and is very slick, not to my liking for pastels.  Their "old" paper can be wiped off and wet with alcohol.  It didn't curl anymore than UArt, probably less.  It is not "sanded" so does not take many layers.  I like the softness of it sometimes.  MiTeintes also has a smoother side and a side with grid.  I like the smoother side.  It also comes in many colors.  It is not very lightfast so should be used accordingly with UV glass or museum glass and the painting not placed in a sunny area.

I did an under painting on MiTeintes years ago where I spoke to the durability of pastels.

https://jocastilloartblog.blogspot.com/2007/06/under-painting-and-durability-of.html

If you don't have time to follow the link, here is the painting which had an alcohol under painting on MiTeintes paper.

I hope to get outside again.  It is cloudy and a bit windy today so ........

 

More Art in Bastrop

Our foundry, Pyrology, in Bastrop is opening a gallery downtown.  They have had one out in the industrial park but don't have many visitors.  This will be a good addition to downtown.  The foundry was formerly Deep in the Heart Art Foundry.

https://communityimpact.com/austin/bastrop/business/2023/09/06/new-art-gallery-to-open-in-downtown-bastrop/

https://pyrology.com/

 

I've been lazy for my artwork.  We went to the 602 Brew Pub on Main last night, but not into my work so will not post it.  I did have this old painting come up on my desktop this morning.  I painted it in Angel Fire many moons ago with my art buddy Sue Modrak.  I really like the paintings I did that summer.  Wonderful memories......

  Turns out it was 2014....yikes.

You can see more here:

https://jocastilloartblog.blogspot.com/2014/08/painting-marathon-with-sue-day-3-5-and.html

Water and Ink - Hunting 78

Thursday was the paint and dine night at 602 Brew Pub on Main.  I always enjoy seeing other artists and painting out in the real world.  I sketched/painted on a watercolor pad, Arches 140 pound paper. 

I used an image from the Water Media August challenge on CreativeSpark.  I would like it better if I had changed the window to a blue from New Mexico, right?  I used watercolor markers and regular watercolor.

https://creativespark.art/threads/august-watermedia-challenge.5836/

This morning it was 75º F on the porch with 90% humidity.  Cool in our world.  I sketched in the BookFactory sketchbook with a Micron 03 for the Scavenger Hunt from Life 78.

https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-78-july-29-aug-6.5817

 

Number 5 red - the hummingbird feeder with the challenge of doing it with continuous line
Number 6 blue - my coffee mug with the continuous line technique
Numnber 7 used for cleaning - a rubber glove and a brush

It was a productive day as Gene advised and we framed the Pub Dog and took the original painting to Raymond at the Pub.  I also printed and framed a print of the Pub Dog for Kevin the guy in the painting.  He is an artist as well.  Fun to know and paint with.  You can now see the painting in person at the Pub.

https://www.602brewing.com/

Pub Dog
Pastel on Pastelbord, 9 x 12 inches

The Urban Sketchers are coming to town the end of September.  You should come sketch Bastrop with them.  Yay.....

Back to the Dust - Yay!

 I always like pastels.  Playing in the dust is my thing!

Gene and I went to the paint night at 602 Brew Pub on Main.  A few more painters showed up tonight.  It is fun to see the other painters and what they are doing.

I took a box of 64 colors, Mungyo soft pastels and a small box of mixed softer pastels, Terry Ludwig and Sennelier for the dark colors.  Could have used another dark purple, added that to the eyes when we got home.  Didn't want to carry a big  heavy container of pastels.  I just set my easel on the table so I wouldn't take up floor space.  Worked pretty well.  I didn't need many colors for the photo of Chewie that I chose.

I didn't know what to paint (landscape? flowers? still life? )so I took the wiped off piece of Pastelbord 8 x 10 inches.  After we got there I found a photo of Chewie on my phone.  Pretty cute guy.

A few photos from the evening.  Food was great, too.

Chewbaccca (Chewie)
Pastelbord, 8 x 10 inches
Assorted pastels

 

Living Room Hunt

An item on the Scavenger Hunt was "something from the living room".  I was chatting via telegram with Joe in Florida so sketched part of the living room that I can see from my computer desk.  

 

This is about half a page in the big Canson sketchbook with the Micron 02.  

Number 2, something from the living room

Joe and I were talking food and memories growing up.  He grew up in New York so had Italian and Deli food in his world.  We had steaks and chicken and Mexican food in our small town.  I can't remember ever having Chinese or Italian until we moved to Albuquerque after 1966.  We had a drive-in in Socorro about 26 miles away in the "big town".  No fast food until Albuquerque.

So now I'm hungry and going to work on a frame for the Pub Dog.  I'm giving it to Raymond at the 602 Brew Pub where I got the idea.

Pub Dog
Pastel on Pastelbord, 9 x 12 inches
Framed in Gallery Frame

Hope to go to the pub tonight and paint with the other artists.  You can come paint, too.  If you don't have anything to paint, Jana has a few things and you can pay a small fee and paint along.  You will get a discount on your food and a free beer if you sign up.  Sounds like fun to me.  Starting after 4-430 p.m.