Oil Pastel in a Rock Formation Series

 On the way to our cottage, many rock formations have been blasted into in order for the road to wind itself north via Highway 11.  These formations in places look formidable; in other places they remain as they have for thousands of years. I had photographed a few and wanted to use my oil pastels to create images of the rock formations.  It is not so easy to park on the busy highway to get out to do a pastel work en plein air.

8" x 10" with mat; 4.5" x 6.5" image

So in the studio,  at my art desk by the sliding glass doors, I have set up what I need to get the job done.

 I transferred a drawing from my thumbnail by using a grid pattern. 

I opened by box of Sennelier oil pastels and chose the sticks I would use for the piece.  I put those colours into a styrofoam plate so they are always available and I am not rooting about.  I may choose other colours as I work but I keep the main ones near me on the plate.


First I added the red to the image and then used solvent and a brush to blend as an under coating.  Over the dried red I added blue where things would be darker. The pattern of the shadowed areas of the rock formation moved across the page like soldiers.


I used the Sennelier oil pastels alla prima style to create these strong contrasts that were present that sunny day.  Note the change in the upper dark area to a more medium value.  When that area was dark it look away from the contrasts in the rock formation's shadow.  That blue hue was then introduced throughout the work.  
The whites have a lot of colour blended into them but appear slightly washed out here.  And, if that were not enough look at the painting photographed without a flash in a light box with warm light.


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