Almost done.

"Below", pastel on board, is my most recent pastel painting. It's shown here above almost completed. The texture is rougher than many of mine usually are. I used a tinted Colourfix primer that I painted on top of a GatorFoam board. Therefore I got a more random texture from the brush application. (A number of pastelists paint their own textured surfaces, including Susan Ogilvie.) I especially like the way the color drags across the texture on the surface of the pool... really mimics the light moving across wall & floor.

This is the second painting in which I've used lots of bold red. Since I have been painting this series of women in pools for so long, I do get bored from time to time and have to shake it up, so to speak.

I also approached this a little differently after watching a Susan Ogilvie presentation earlier this month. She has a very methodical, strong approach to her pastel painting. She uses bold marks with subtle color variations to add interest. I don't think anyone would think of her work when looking at this painting, but her influence is there nonetheless. (It is a great idea to see other artists work... can really be inspiring... not to copy them, but to learn from their approach!)

What pastel supplies do I use?

What supplies do I use? I have been pastel painting for over a decade and have tried many products. Like everything, quality does matter. As an artist, we should use the best quality products we can afford. You can see some of my own pastels to the left.

For me, the best out there is Unison Soft Pastels (www.unisoncolour.co.uk/). They are hand made in England, distributed in the US by Jack Richeson & Co (www.richesonart.com)... and can be purchased at various art supply companies. But I prefer to buy from my favorite local (North Carolina) business, Cheap Joe's Art Stuff (www.cheapjoes.com).

Because the pastels are hand rolled, they are wider in the middle and thinner at ends. Extruded pastels, like Rembrandt, are all the same width and also have a coating on surface that should be rubbed off before using. Even if you cannot afford to move to Unison Pastels, consider buying a couple of darks and lights in this brand to supplement your extruded pastels. Your paintings will be better.

As far as surfaces I work on, I use professional pastel products that have a toothy surface. They hold the pastel and I don't need fix in the end. My two favorite products are Jack Richeson & Co. Premium Pastel surfaces and Colourfix Pastel boards (www.artspectrum.com). The JR&C boards have a LOT of tooth and can take lots of pastels... and their gator foam boards can be washed off if you have a dud painting. The Colourfix boards are great for plein air and have more colors to choose from.

For more on all of this, use the links, or better yet... get my DVD, "Painting Water with Pastels" (www.cheapjoes.com).