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What is a pastel painting? My full color portraits are done in pastel. Although pastel makes you think of soft, delicate shades of color, the name “pastel” actually comes from the word “paste”. This “paste” is pure pigment and binder formed into sticks that resemble chalk. They’re applied by hand on various paper surfaces and in some cases can be used wet with a brush.
If it’s a painting, can I touch it? The surface of a pastel or graphite painting should never be touched! The powdery pigments can be smudged even when sprayed with fixative. Both paintings should be handled with care. Once framed behind glass, and hung in a safe place that avoids direct sunlight or humidity, your painting will last generations!
If I can’t touch it, how is it packaged and how do I frame it? When your painting is finished, it’s lightly sprayed with fixative (if needed), then taped to foam board. A protective clear sheet is placed over it and then sandwiched with another foam board on top. This is bound by tape and shrink wrapped with a care sheet for your painting. You can view your portrait and take it to a professional framer while still secured on foam board, or you can frame it yourself. There’s always a border around the painting that’s used for handling and matting.
Why aren’t the black & white portraits much cheaper since color isn’t involved? Doing a portrait in black and white is just as hard and takes just as long! You have to build your values, lights and darks; for example, instead of using a stroke of pastel to create a whisker, you have to create the whisker using only light and shadow. It’s very difficult, but the results are beautiful! Graphite is just like the lead in your No.2 pencil. There are degrees of hardness that produce various shades of darkness. The same goes for charcoal. They can go from HB which is hard and light, to 9B that is soft and dark. I use both charcoal and graphite in my black & white paintings.
How did you learn to paint? Well, I’ve been creating since I was able to pick up a crayon, and been drawn to bugs and wildlife just as long. I was a “tomboy” and I still go out to look for bugs and critters! My second love is photography and I hope to incorporate my photos into the website soon. I started drawing animals from magazines in 4th or 5th grade. I took art class every year in high school and 2 drawing classes at a local community college to get me motivated. When I did my 1st pet portrait in “98” for a friend, I instantly knew it was my calling! The gratification that has come from making fellow pet lovers so happy and the touching response from those who’ve lost their loved ones has been my ultimate inspiration. There is so much love conveyed when a client orders a portrait that I really do feel honored when I’m chosen. I’m primarily self taught and still learning!
How long does it take to finish a portrait? I’m often asked when people see my portfolio, how long does it take to do that? Well, there are many factors involved; I have another job, a husband, 2 dogs and a pig running around the house, a website to maintain, business to maintain, and the muse isn’t always on my side. By that I mean, I couldn’t give an hourly number because some paintings turn out to be harder than I anticipate! Trust me when I say, I don’t make a flat rate on every order! So, my answer is, many hours and weekends.
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