Oil on gesso panel in five stages |
|
George Clooney in oil pastel on green matboard
I started this oil pastel as a demonstration for the Artist Workshop of Western Sonoma County (AWS). The material has particular challenges, and I thought a portrait would be a good subject to convey some of the methods and techniques I have learned. The fun thing for me about this piece is the crazy colors that blend optically from a distance into flesh tone, something that the late Chuck Close was the absolute master of. Here's a quick tip for painters wanting to try oil pastels: You can use thinner (I prefer Gamsol) to get various effects that would be much harder with soft (dry) pastels.
