Graham Cox - "Land and Seascape Painting in Pastel Demonstration"
Tuesday 11 February 2020, 2.00pm to 4.00pm
Tuesday 11 February 2020, 2.00pm to 4.00pm
Martyn Worman wrote about this demonstration on 13th Feb 2020:
Graham gave a fascinating and very professional demonstration producing two finished pictures in less than 2 hours. He began by explaining that quality materials are important – he would be using Canson grey paper, Caran D’ache pastel pencils, Rembrandt soft pastels (selecting just 14 colours out of a box of 96), acid free tissue paper (useful as a palm rest for intricate work) and a good set of blender tools. Rub out tools (firm and soft) were also available if required. However, the tooth of a good quality paper can hold up to 7 or 8 layers of pastel allowing the picture to be built up gradually so rubbing out should not be necessary
The outline image for both pictures had been pre-printed in black onto the paper using an inkjet printer. Graham said that you could also draw the image either with a pastel pencil or a black biro (pressing very lightly), or trace it. Pastel will not stick to the lines of an image drawn with a standard pencil so this is not suitable.
Graham started with the sky and worked down the picture, applying the required colours and expertly blending them with the palm of his hand or his fingers, noting the need for cleanliness at all times. He blended the sky upwards to get the correct gradation from lighter (at the horizon) to darker (closer to the viewer). He used black Conte crayon for the dark centres of trees and hedgerows etc, adding lighter pastel colours as required on top. White pastel was used to emphasise bright highlights, where the sun was catching a cloud edge for example, and on foreground objects to add depth to the picture. Graham used a suitably sized blending tool where any sharper edges were required. The result was a moody image with accurate colouring, but also some sharp detail in the foreground. One of the magic moments was when Graham showed how the horizon could be created by using masking tape, with pastel on top, and then lightly pulling the pastel down onto the picture and blending. The resulting perfectly level horizon had a stunning impact. Everyone thought that the masking tape would remove the pastel on the picture underneath but it does not!
Graham does not use fixer because it reduces the intensity of the picture, and can produce a splutter effect. Instead, he uses good quality paper and firmly presses the pastel into the tooth with the palm of his hand. When the picture is finished, further pressure can be evenly applied through a sheet of acid free tissue paper to permanently fix the image.
This expert demonstration enthralled a very quiet audience of 35 members and guests with many tips and innovative techniques for the use of pastels and making it all look very easy – which, of course, it is not! On this note, Graham can provide workshops for up to 8 people at his own studio in Trowbridge, or at other locations for up to 20 people. He provides all materials including paper (with pre-printed image outline), pastels, pencils and tools. All students thus work on the same picture(s) with the same materials helping to ensure a good and consistent result!
Graham gave a fascinating and very professional demonstration producing two finished pictures in less than 2 hours. He began by explaining that quality materials are important – he would be using Canson grey paper, Caran D’ache pastel pencils, Rembrandt soft pastels (selecting just 14 colours out of a box of 96), acid free tissue paper (useful as a palm rest for intricate work) and a good set of blender tools. Rub out tools (firm and soft) were also available if required. However, the tooth of a good quality paper can hold up to 7 or 8 layers of pastel allowing the picture to be built up gradually so rubbing out should not be necessary
The outline image for both pictures had been pre-printed in black onto the paper using an inkjet printer. Graham said that you could also draw the image either with a pastel pencil or a black biro (pressing very lightly), or trace it. Pastel will not stick to the lines of an image drawn with a standard pencil so this is not suitable.
Graham started with the sky and worked down the picture, applying the required colours and expertly blending them with the palm of his hand or his fingers, noting the need for cleanliness at all times. He blended the sky upwards to get the correct gradation from lighter (at the horizon) to darker (closer to the viewer). He used black Conte crayon for the dark centres of trees and hedgerows etc, adding lighter pastel colours as required on top. White pastel was used to emphasise bright highlights, where the sun was catching a cloud edge for example, and on foreground objects to add depth to the picture. Graham used a suitably sized blending tool where any sharper edges were required. The result was a moody image with accurate colouring, but also some sharp detail in the foreground. One of the magic moments was when Graham showed how the horizon could be created by using masking tape, with pastel on top, and then lightly pulling the pastel down onto the picture and blending. The resulting perfectly level horizon had a stunning impact. Everyone thought that the masking tape would remove the pastel on the picture underneath but it does not!
Graham does not use fixer because it reduces the intensity of the picture, and can produce a splutter effect. Instead, he uses good quality paper and firmly presses the pastel into the tooth with the palm of his hand. When the picture is finished, further pressure can be evenly applied through a sheet of acid free tissue paper to permanently fix the image.
This expert demonstration enthralled a very quiet audience of 35 members and guests with many tips and innovative techniques for the use of pastels and making it all look very easy – which, of course, it is not! On this note, Graham can provide workshops for up to 8 people at his own studio in Trowbridge, or at other locations for up to 20 people. He provides all materials including paper (with pre-printed image outline), pastels, pencils and tools. All students thus work on the same picture(s) with the same materials helping to ensure a good and consistent result!