What are pastels? Are they the same as chalk?
Pastels are not the same as chalk. Chalk is made from a white filler that makes it "chalky" mixed with a very small amount of pigment. Pastels are made by combining pure ground artists pigment with a very little bit of binder, often glycerin, to make a paste that is formed into sticks and air-dried. Pastels are literally painting with pure, saturated color.
Why do you paint with pastels?
I love to paint with pastels because they are the purest form of pigment that an artist can use - and I LOVE intense color. Over the years, I have painted in just about every medium - oils, watercolors, gouache, acrylic, encaustic, etc. - but once I discovered pastels, I knew I'd found "my" medium - and I never looked back!
What surface do you paint on?
I paint on sanded paper, sort of like what you buy in the hardware store, but a lot finer (and a lot more expensive). My favorite is UArt grade 400 or 500 sanded paper in off white, which I buy online. The sanded paper holds multiple layers of color really well, lets me apply color vigorously, will support a wet underpainting, and is durable enough for me wipe off color and repaint, which is part of my process.
Aren't pastel paintings fragile?
A pastel stick is quite fragile and breaks very easily, but once on sanded paper, the color is incredibly durable and will retain its brilliance nearly forever. Of course, if you rubbed the surface, it would smudge a bit, so careful handling is a good idea until the painting is framed under glass.
Do you use fixative?
I occasionally use an acid-neutral fixative in the midst of a painting to give me additional "tooth" in a specific area where I want to add more color. But I do not use fixative to preserve a final painting, as it can change colors and it is not necessary. Pastel pigment affixes well to the sanded paper and does not fall or flake off.
How long does it take you to make a pastel painting?
I like to say it has taken me 58 years to learn to paint a plein air pastel!
Do you teach?
I have taught various plein air and studio classes in the past, and am honored to increasingly being asked to teach. Contact me if you are interested in having me teach a class for you.
What kind of set-up do you use for plein air painting?
After years of trial and error, I finally have a plein air set up that really works for me. I use a Heilman pochade box that is specially made for pastels that attaches to a photographer's collapsible tripod. I use an easel gadget that inserts into the box and holds a board with my sanded paper taped to it. I use a Guerilla Painter Shadebuddy umbrella, an essential piece of equipment unless you only paint in the shade. Finally, I have a cart on stair-climbing wheels to store carry all my painting materials.
Please let me know if you have more questions!
