Just off the Easel: Just Before Sunset

Just finished two paintings to enter in the Visual Art Exchange's N.E.W. Show.

Here's the first one...

Just Before Sunset

Oil Pastel on Canvas

11" x 14"

I loved painting East on 64 from Jordan from the photographs I took near Lake Jordan last month.   This barn is in the right of the previous painting, and I wanted to feature it alone from a different angle.  I loved the colors in the roof, the shadows, and the warm colors in the grasses.

To start, I applied Golden's Light Molding Paste with a palatte knife to a stretched canvas to create some interesting texture.  Next, I brushed on a coat of Colourfix Pastel Primer in terracotta to give the surface some tooth to hold the pastel.  After sketching out the layout in white chalk, I laid down the colors with Neopastel II water soluble pastels.  Then, I used water applied with a brush to create a watercolor wash to finish the underpainting.

detail of underpainting after water applied to Neopastel II

Finally, I laid down the oil pastels and blended with my trusty  colour shapers.  I attempted to leave as much texture and marks as possible, because I'm trying to avoid my tendency to over-blend my paintings.  The colors always get muddy when I get a little crazy with the colour shapers... ;)


Fingers crossed that it gets into the show, but either way I had fun working on the textured canvas.  I'm thinking about how I'll frame this piece.  Since I went very light on the oil pastel (not thick) I'm considering varnishing it with Sennelier's oil pastel fixative, though I haven't tried it yet.  I may just wait to see if it gets into the show, since how I frame it will depend on where I display the painting.


Another post soon with the other piece I am entering in the show... Stay tuned!