Old Work: pastel still life
Still life with chair, Vivien Blackburn. pastel
I came across this old drawing when rooting through the plan chest, looking for something else and decided to show it. It's on red Ingres paper in a mix of pastels - mostly Unison. I love their velvety softness. It's fairly large - a full sheet of Ingres.
This was done at a pastel weekend workshop - I think it was in the first year of my degree, during the holidays. The colours of the set up were wonderful and so I chose the red paper so it could flicker through the other colours.
Still life isn't usually my 'thing' though once started I can get hooked. The battered velvet chair with the dent in the seat was fun to do and I played with the perspective, exagerating it slightly.
I need to get my pastels out asap as there is a pastel society exhibition in March I must put work into.
I may put this on Etsy as it's just sitting there in the drawer doing nothing. What do you think?
Comments
What other treasures are you hiding in your plan drawer?!
Now, Vivien, I (and 8 other printmakers in a local group) accepted a challenge to cut a self portrait in lino, to be printed in black on A4 paper.
Your mission, should you accept it, is to do the same! (Unless, of course, this email self-destructs!)
Seriously, lately there has been some terrific printmaking displayed by both professionals and newcomers. I'll toss this to the wider field on my blog, but feel free to spread the word.
Yes, I loved the way the colours sang - but can't take any credit for the set up as it was a workshop - I just knew that red paper would be perfect though :>)
Anita you'll have fun with the red paper I'm sure - set up something with lush complimentaries - think Shirley Trevena !
I think you need to work on a larger scale to get the lushness from pastels - they lose something if you work smaller - or maybe someone can prove me wrong! actually thinking about it, David Blackburn (no relation) does the most Beautiful small abstracts as well as larger one, in pastel.
Oh Dinah - what a cruel challenge!!!! a self portrait - my nightmare! and no colour either .... Ok - I'll have a go < shakes in shoes at thought >
Casey I think you'd love Unisons - they are soft and velvety and luscious but don't crumble like some soft pastels
Rachete - your blog is really interesting, I enjoyed visiting and will return :>)