taking my time

"taking my time" 12" x16" pastel on Pastel premier Italian clay grit paper

The ocean is always a favorite place for me. It slows me down, lets me relax and I take time for contemplation. I took several photos on my recent trip to Hilton Head Island . I love to walk the beach in the morning when the air is cooler, softer. I wish I could live in an ocean environment year round, so I have to soak it up while visiting. I've been busy this week and haven't had any consistent time in my studio. Usually I will spend 1-3 hours on a painting and finish it off. With this one I was forced to take my time.....hence the title.

I took photos along the way so you could see my progression.  I used a blue/violet Nu pastel on Pastel premier Italian clay 320 grit paper (my favorite!) and laid in the darkest values. With a brush and some alcohol,  I brushed in the pastel. I wanted that underpainting to stay and not mix with the other pastels. Then I laid in the first layer of pastel and doing most of the work in the sky. Darkest first, lightest next. Then some middle values.

Here is a detail of the tree line along the waters edge. I started blocking in the colors being careful to let the underpainting show through.

 I continued laying in the colors on the distant beach and put in the shadows under the grasses. Working my way from top to bottom of the painting.

Here I focused on painting in the grasses..... remember, less is more, just a suggestion of the grasses. So easy here to get carried away and put too many marks in and over work the painting.

Here I finished working on some more refinement in the whole painting and putting in the "spices" as Karen Margulis calls them!. I'm happy I took my time with this painting conveying my mood to you. 

Hope you enjoy!