Busying Around Ready to Paint a Big Massive Hare!

That’s it! I’ve decided to really go outside my painting size comfort zone.

Now “big” to me is A3 as I am usually an 8×10 inch kind of girl. Also I can’t go bigger than A3 as my scanner won’t take it and I want to be able to scan my artwork and make cards and possible prints in the future.

The reason - this absolutely gorgeous Indian Hare.

My latest muse - a glorious Indian Hare

My latest muse - a glorious Indian Hare

I purchased her image from a royalty free site along with 4 others yesterday - blowing £30 but so worth it don’t you think?

These are th eother hare images I bought - so excited to use these in future works...

These are the other hare images I bought - so excited to use these in future works…

I printed her this morning - she slurped up a tonne of ink but I don’t care! I want to see large details…

Hare printing this morning

Hare printing this morning

Lately I have been painting a few hares for a client and so I am in hare “groove”.

A recent hare commission in watercolour 11x14 inches

A recent hare commission in watercolour 11×14 inches

The thing is - now I have her printed and ready to go and feel I want to do her in pastel and not watercolour I have realised that I am short of yellow pastels….Oh dear - well - any excuse to go and buy a nice new set of the fabulous Unison soft pastels to complement my stash so far:)

I love drawing in graphite, carbon and painting portraits in soft pastels. This is my drawing gear.

I love drawing in graphite, carbon and painting portraits in soft pastels. This is my drawing gear.

Unison are the best pastels if you ask me - the way they handle, the shape of them and their colour richness is amazing.

I will be painting this hare on Art Spectrum Colourfix Pastel Paper in sand - a divine and fine yet gritty surface that accepts soft pastel like a dream.

Now I just have to get myself all set up as I had put all my pastels away after having a painting day with 3 lovely ladies this week.

My large reference photo - on wall and ready to roll!

My large reference photo - on wall and ready to roll!

Watch this space:)

On the Beach - Pastel step-by-step

Wanting to cut loose and paint a slightly abstract pastel I bought this fab uncluttered and stark beach scene.

Stark, high-key yet poetic - this is the image for me!

Stark, high-key yet poetic - this is the image for me!

Do you like it? It’s all soft sand and blowy sky with that rock and some seaweed as accents. A place where you can step out of the world for a while and merge with the sea and sky with sand under your feet.

I am using my Unison pastels and Canson cream pastel paper.

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Please click on each image to bring it up nice and big.

Building colour strength and forms

Building colour strength and forms

I have more work to go and to be honest am just feeling my way with this as pastel is not my medium usually…watch this space…but this is where I am with it now. I am hopeful and full of expectation - thinking about it in my head as to how I will proceed to give it more richness and depth with the odd kick of light and reflection where it needs it:)

This is where I will stop painting for now...

This is where I will stop painting for now…

Off to a flying start with onion pastels

I promised myself to christen my new pastel workstation by - well - doing a pastel!

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So here it is - done whilst still in my dressing gown early this morning.I love using UNISON soft pastels - they are the business although I also love Sennelier and Schminke soft pastels too - they are pure compressed pigment with no binder so the colours last forever and don’t fade! The paper is Canson pastel paper although I love Art Spectrum Colourfix paper too.

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I know they aren’t fab but I enjoyed just having a go in pastel. Soon I will reach for my old friend watercolour and hopefully do them justice.

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