This was done on a heavy watercolor paper, first roughing in the background colors, then going over this with brush and water.  This is a process used by many pastelists to put in the background without filling the texture of the paper, thus allowing several layers of pastel as needed.  Once pastel has filled the texture, the color just slides off as you try to add more.  You have a couple of options when that happens, such as spraying with fixitive  which allows a little more pastel to be applied, or you can taka a stiff brush and remove portions of the painting to be changes.

I had picked up an off-brand of watercolor paper to work on and discovered during the process that the paper was a little too textured.  I’ll be keeping the pad for future watercolors, but using  this particular paper for pastels was especially difficult.

I have the process steps below.  The painting is 7-1/2 X  11-1/2 using primarily Unison pastels. Enjoy!

Here is the painting before completing the blending with water.  The sloping horizon line is due to a sloppy photo edit.

Background is now blended.

Here is the beginning of adding the marsh grasses, next is reflections in the water and completing the sky and cloud colors.

 

4 Responses to “Marshland in Pastel”

  1. thom says:

    The deep cut of the march grasses against the waterway is realllly neat!

  2. Leila Schnyder says:

    Well, it may have been difficult but it turned out great! Bright slashes of color tempered by the earth conncecting it with the water is so effective.
    Leila

  3. Leila Schnyder says:

    Love my spelling, don’t you?

  4. Karen says:

    WOW! This is beautiful! I love it!

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