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

Billie Crain said…
i think this one's a winner, Vivien! put a price tag on it and get it out there! i'm not a fan of still lifes either but this is wonderful.
6:34 pm
vivien said…
aah thank you Billie :>)
6:47 pm
vivien said…
aah thank you Billie :>)
6:47 pm
Robyn Sinclair said…
I think it's fabulous! Just look at that how that turquoise sings on the red ground. Gorgeous, Vivien.

What other treasures are you hiding in your plan drawer?!
10:02 pm
Anita said…
I like this too - considering I do still lifes, I'm not really sure that I am in to them either. Odd! Love that red paper - I just bought some and have no idea with it now that I have it!
11:52 pm
laura said…
Yes, it's gorgeous--the colors are lush and harmonious and so appealing! I tried pastels too, awhile back, but could never use them to their best advantage: this is a perfect of example of their best advantage!
1:37 am
dinahmow said…
Nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say.
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.
2:12 am
vivien said…
thank you all :>)

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 >
11:05 am
dinahmow said…
Thankyou, Vivien.(And, yes, it is a daunting task, but I'm sure you're equal to it.)
1:43 am
Ujwala Prabhu said…
i just love it! it's beautiful!
6:51 am
caseytoussaint said…
This is lovely. I've never used Unison pastels, but I've read a lot of good things about them!
5:11 pm
vivien said…
Hi Ujwala :>) your work is going really well!

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 :>)
9:00 pm
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Eye, Urban/Rural exhibition

Image
Vivien Blackburn's work in the Urban/Rural show We've just hung a group show at the The Eye Project, Urban/Rural show.  If you want to come and see it it's on for a month - well worth seeing, 11 lovely artists and some fabulous work. Those large canvasses are 40 inches square. There are rural landscapes, flowerscapes, intriguing textile work including a large knitted building, abstracts .... something for everyone. It's in the gallery below the cafe in the Adult Education Centre at the top of Wellington street, Leicester, opposite Fenwicks.  Meet the Arttists day is Saturday 1st April 10-2.  Come and have a chat with us?
Read more

Hedges silhouetted agains the snow, winter light: watercolour and Derwent tinted charcoal pencils in Stillmand and Birn Beta Hardback sketchbook

Image
 Detail  I have always liked the calligraphic tangle of the hedges when they are sihouetted against the sky.   Recent snowfall meant even more opportunities with amazing light and the landscape simplified and hidden by the snow, throwing hedges into relief. Above is a detail of a double page sketch in the lovely Stillman and Birn Beta A4 hardback sketchbook.  This paper is so forgiving and the watercolour works beautifully with it.  It allowed me to work through wet washes with charcoal pencil - something that tears many papers, leaving holes.  Some of the hedge is paint, some tinted charcoal. First snow, more on the way, winter light: silhouetted hedges in watercolour and Derwent tinted charcoal in a Stillman and Birn A4 beta hardback sketchbook The earlier warm golden glow of the low sun is covered by clouds, threatening more snow to come.   The spiky calligraphic marks of the hedge and the underlying form of the bank, w...
Read more

looking at non traditional composition and quiet vs busy areas in paintings

Image
Paul Klee I thought I'd look at non-traditional composition - where the rule of thirds isn't the key but the painting relies on different compositional methods. in response to an excellent series of posts on the various ways of looking at composition by Katherine (link at end). These alternative considerations or breaking of rules - but making it work - appeal to me more than too heavy a reliance on the rule of thirds. The painting above, by Paul Klee is a 'field' painting' - the composition is overall, the eye travels around enjoying the glowing colour that he creates by juxtaposing complementary colours, subtle greyed greens enhancing the oranges/reds/pinks. Most of the image is composed of the various greens, greeny browns and khakis, with accents of the warm colours. When working this way it's important that the balance is unequal and that the accent colours are placed carefully to keep the eye moving in the way the artist wants. A couple of the brighter...
Read more