Grade 10 Art - Day 6

Drawing with Pastels

Pastels are created by taking pure pigments that are ground to a fine powder, then mixed with a medium such as gum tragacanth.  The presence of this binding agent controls the variance between soft and hard pastels.  Soft pastels are chalk like whereas hard pastels, with more binding agent are less brittle and more "oily" when applied to your paper.  Harder pastels are more stable.

Traditionally used for figure drawing, the vibrancy of pastel colours lend themselves well to landscapes and still life.

In The Bather, a beautiful pastel by Edgar Degas, the artist demonstrates his mastery of composition, transition of values, and achieves rhythm through his strokes.

Here is a set of sample stages that you as the student artist make undertake to complete a pastel drawing:

1) Choose appropriate paper, both colour and texture for your drawing.  Does it suit your subject or scene?  2) Draw an initial sketch. You may want to use a colour of pastel that is similar to the colour of board or paper you have selected.  At this stage, begin to create depth in your composition.  Consider 2D shape as it relates to the 3D form of your subject.  Choose other colours to capture highlights and low-lights as your composition grows in complexity.
3) Gradually build up Colour: Reinforce your initial work with light, shades, half-tones and vibrancy! Look to infuse subtle tints and reflections of light.
4) Blend Colours: Carefully consider where to blend pigments.  Do not use this step to fade out single colours, but rather to blend two or more adjacent areas of colour.
5) Final Touches!  Study your subject and your replication.  Look for minor variances in light, detail, tints, and form.  Try to capture the light as it reflects from your subject.  Make the piece your own!!

This lecture inspired by "Drawing with Crayons, Pastels, Sanguine, and Chalks" by the Parramon Ediciones Editorial Team and "Drawing with Pastels" by Ron Lister.