Video 13: Oil Pastels - thevirtualinstructor.com · Video 13: Oil Pastels The majority of this...

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Video 13: Oil Pastels The majority of this course has focused on the use of hard and soft pastels. There are, of course, other options available to the landscape artist. This module takes a look at the use of oil pastels for landscape painting. Oil pastels have a different binder than soft or hard pastels. Oil pastels feature an oil-based binder. This means that they will behave differently on a surface than traditional soft pastels. While many application techniques will be the same, some differences in the two media will need to be considered. Oil pastels are considerably less powdery than soft pastels and as a result, more difficult to blend with a finger or a blending stump. Oil pastels are also more difficult to cover completely with subsequent applications of color. For this reason, a bit more attention may need to be paid to the order in which colors are applied. Copyright (c) 2013 Pastel Landscape Mastery

Transcript of Video 13: Oil Pastels - thevirtualinstructor.com · Video 13: Oil Pastels The majority of this...

Page 1: Video 13: Oil Pastels - thevirtualinstructor.com · Video 13: Oil Pastels The majority of this course has focused on the use of hard and soft pastels. There are, of course, other

Video 13: Oil PastelsThe majority of this course has focused on the use of hard and soft pastels. There are, of course, other options available to the landscape artist. This module takes a look at the use of oil pastels for landscape painting. Oil pastels have a different binder than soft or hard pastels. Oil pastels feature an oil-based binder. This means that they will behave differently on a surface than traditional soft pastels. While many application techniques will be the same, some differences in the two media will need to be considered. Oil pastels are considerably less powdery than soft pastels and as a result, more difficult to blend with a finger or a blending stump. Oil pastels are also more difficult to cover completely with subsequent applications of color. For this reason, a bit more attention may need to be paid to the order in which colors are applied.

Copyright (c) 2013 Pastel Landscape Mastery

Page 2: Video 13: Oil Pastels - thevirtualinstructor.com · Video 13: Oil Pastels The majority of this course has focused on the use of hard and soft pastels. There are, of course, other

Copyright (c) 2013 Pastel Landscape Mastery

A dull orange paper is used for this demonstration. This color is chosen for its relationship with dominant greens and subtle purples in the photo reference. The work begins with the areas of light in the background. Shapes of white are laid down initially.

Dark and light greens are applied next. Applications of these colors remain light. Too much pressure or heavy applications early in the process are discouraged.

A variety of greens are layered over the area of light in the background. As confidence grows in the accuracy o f c h o s e n c o l o r s , h e a v i e r applications can be made.

Attention is paid to “fields of color” rather than details. The goal in the early stages is to lay down observed colors and match them to the observed shapes as accurately as possible.

Page 3: Video 13: Oil Pastels - thevirtualinstructor.com · Video 13: Oil Pastels The majority of this course has focused on the use of hard and soft pastels. There are, of course, other

Copyright (c) 2013 Pastel Landscape Mastery

W i t h t h e a r e a o f e x t r e m e background initially defined, the edge of a dark brown pastel can be used to draw the trunks and branches of smaller trees in the distance.

Darker areas are established with a dark brown or umber and then layered over using a dark value of green. No black is used at this point in the process. Using black on its own can make objects appear unnatural.

The light that filters through is highlighted on some of the leaves of trees. This illusion is created by using a light and intense yellow-green.

Dark gray is used in the background to create light silhouettes of the trees that exist there. Some of the lighter values of green underneath will mix in, making this area lighter.

Page 4: Video 13: Oil Pastels - thevirtualinstructor.com · Video 13: Oil Pastels The majority of this course has focused on the use of hard and soft pastels. There are, of course, other

Copyright (c) 2013 Pastel Landscape Mastery

A bit of purple is introduced on the trunks of the trees in the distance. This purple will be used to unify the image by harmonizing the orange of the paper and the green of the plant life.

Working outward from the initial area of light, darker values are addressed first, with lighter greens layered over.

Light yellow-green and white are used to lighten values on the leaves. As white is layered, it mixes with the greens underneath to produce lighter greens instead of areas of pure white.

A short stroke of white marks the beginnings of the water at the base of the distant trees.

Page 5: Video 13: Oil Pastels - thevirtualinstructor.com · Video 13: Oil Pastels The majority of this course has focused on the use of hard and soft pastels. There are, of course, other

A light gray is used to make a few marks for tree trunks deep in the forest. Using a variety of colors for the trunks of the trees will lead to more natural-looking results.

With a dark brown, a few more lines are added for the trunks of the trees in the forest on the left side of the picture plane.

The area of forest on the right side of the p ic ture p lane can be addressed next by following the same progression of steps.

To create the illusion of the texture of the leaves, short marks are made with different values of green.

Copyright (c) 2013 Pastel Landscape Mastery

Page 6: Video 13: Oil Pastels - thevirtualinstructor.com · Video 13: Oil Pastels The majority of this course has focused on the use of hard and soft pastels. There are, of course, other

The lower portions of the forest will be darker in value. A combination of dark brown and blue is used to accomplish these darker values.

The upper portion of the canopy of trees is lighter in value. A light yellow-green is used to lighten the top parts of the trees.

A few leaves that are closer to the viewer are receiving stronger areas of light. Yellow-green is used for these areas as well. Instead of defining broader shapes with this color, short strokes are made to mimic the actual leaves.

Yellow is used to make a few areas on these leaves stand out and make the light appear more intense.

Copyright (c) 2013 Pastel Landscape Mastery

Page 7: Video 13: Oil Pastels - thevirtualinstructor.com · Video 13: Oil Pastels The majority of this course has focused on the use of hard and soft pastels. There are, of course, other

Brown is used first, followed by dark blue for the shadows. Light green, gray, white, and yellow are layered on top. This sequence of colors will be repeated on the majority of rocks in the scene.

To add a bit of variety on these leaves, a few marks are added using a white. The white should mix with the green underneath to create light green leaves.

A dark brown is used to create the illusion of tree trunks. Again, a broken line is used so that groupings of leaves appear closer to the viewer.

Attention is now turned to the middle ground. A combination of white, light green, gray and brown is used for the water and is applied using horizontal strokes. Rocks are developed as work progresses down the picture plane.

Copyright (c) 2013 Pastel Landscape Mastery

Page 8: Video 13: Oil Pastels - thevirtualinstructor.com · Video 13: Oil Pastels The majority of this course has focused on the use of hard and soft pastels. There are, of course, other

The darker areas in the water are addressed with a dark brown. The water will consist of a combination of dark brown, light green, light gray, and white. No blue will be used.

Marks are made to mimic the directional flow of the water around the rocks.

Directional lines are used in every area where the water flows over or around rocks. By layering lighter marks over the established darker areas, a more natural illusion of moving water is achieved.

The initial shapes of rock formations are continued into the foreground area using a dark brown.

Copyright (c) 2013 Pastel Landscape Mastery

Page 9: Video 13: Oil Pastels - thevirtualinstructor.com · Video 13: Oil Pastels The majority of this course has focused on the use of hard and soft pastels. There are, of course, other

These marks are continued down around the established rocks. Some level of transparency is preserved so that the darker browns underneath are not totally covered.

Blue is layered on these rocks in the areas of core shadow, followed by the same progression of colors used on the distant rocks. Light gray, light green, white, and yellow are layered to give the rocks texture and form.

Since the rocks are closer to the viewer, there is greater contrast in values. To create this contrast, a small bit of black is added in the shadowed areas.

As the rocks are developed, the water can be filled in. Again, horizontal marks are made to contrast the marks made for the moving water.

Copyright (c) 2013 Pastel Landscape Mastery

Page 10: Video 13: Oil Pastels - thevirtualinstructor.com · Video 13: Oil Pastels The majority of this course has focused on the use of hard and soft pastels. There are, of course, other

Directional marks should not be overlooked on the rocks. The direction of the marks can be used to further the illusion of form in these areas as well.

Black is added in the darkest areas underneath the trees in the middle ground and foreground.

Light green is layered on top of the light gray using horizontal marks to add depth to the color of the water.

Light gray is added to lighten t h e w a t e r w i t h o u t compromising the variety of color created by the previous application of green.

Copyright (c) 2013 Pastel Landscape Mastery

Page 11: Video 13: Oil Pastels - thevirtualinstructor.com · Video 13: Oil Pastels The majority of this course has focused on the use of hard and soft pastels. There are, of course, other

White is used to highlight the water in both the calm and cascading areas.

The same collection of colors are used for the water in the foreground, again with consideration for the directional movement of the water.

Light gray is used to lay in a base color for the rocks in the foreground.

Copyright (c) 2013 Pastel Landscape Mastery

This color is carried over onto the rocks on the right side of the picture plane as well.

Page 12: Video 13: Oil Pastels - thevirtualinstructor.com · Video 13: Oil Pastels The majority of this course has focused on the use of hard and soft pastels. There are, of course, other

Green, white, and yellow are layered on the foreground rocks. Marks are purposely made to create the illusion of visible texture. Black is added for this reason as well.

The purple that was used on the trees in the beginning stages of the drawing is used in the midtone areas on the rocks.

This last step unifies the artwork by implementing a color triad of secondary colors.

The finished image.

Copyright (c) 2013 Pastel Landscape Mastery