Saturday 9 July 2016

Boating lake in oil pastels

Victoria Park West Lake
I've indulged myself and bought a big box of 72 oil pastels. My old ones were all dried up so I threw them out. I wanted to work with a larger range of colours and I've never had so much choice.

Earlier today I braved the blustery wind and strolled into Victoria Park which is right next to where we live and set up my garden chair underneath a tree near the West Lake where they have boats for hire.

I was attempting to try and convey moving water with the boats bobbing around on the surface. I have tried to do this before in a different medium and was reasonably pleased with the results. I think the best approach is not to be too critical of the results and just accept whatever you come up with. I also wanted to include some of the ducks that were busy swimming around but you have to be careful to not make them too big otherwise they can end up looking like the Loch Ness monster.

One of the hazards of working outside, apart from the weather, are the passers-by who might like to offer advice, talk about themselves, or if they are children just make a lot of noise and stare at you. I was fortunate today that I must have been virtually invisible because only two people made any comment and they were polite and undemanding.

This box of pastels are made by Sennelier and they are easy to hold and lovely and oily. I didn't realise until I read the information that they only exist because Pablo Picasso asked Henri Sennelier in 1949 if he could 'create a new medium that had qualities of oil paint and soft pastel in an easy to apply stick form.' So that's a high five to Picasso!

This is part of my view from my chair under the tree





5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love working in oil pastels but during the summer it is just too hot to use them :( My favourites are the Sennelier which I found last year. They literally melted when I used them in March on one plein air outing. I still have my original Guitar ones (the kids pastels) the brand I used in college. I think they have been discontinued now unfortunately. I love them as I could built up a lot of layers with them (probably because they were so hard) and scrapping them back for more texture. Love the painting, lovely control and free movement for the water.

Heather James said...

I can't imagine the temperature being so hot here that it could melt oil pastel. I'm hoping to make good use of these pastels because it's easier to work quickly with them and I'd like to be more productive.

Unknown said...

I always love reading your posts. Calmness and tranquility in your style just make the reading so enjoyable.

UplayOnline said...

lovely control and free movement for the water.





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Alexander Milton said...

Your art work is awesome as u say u have different color verity and that color you use in your art work that is amazing keep doing this work