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Green Pebble Magazine
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Beccles NR34 8HE
Articles> Chalk Pastel Portraits
A
fascination with faces
I have read that occasionally, following
a severe stroke, a person can awake
with altered eyesight. They are able to see everything they encounter, other
than the human face. Where once their friends and family’s countenances
returned their gaze, there is now a blank patch in their vision. In other
words, a whole part of our mind appears to be dedicated to understanding
the human face and its intricacies. This might explain why faces can be
so infinitely fascinating. How strange it is that one person can be distinguished
from another by the subtlest difference in appearance, but at the same time
you can recognise an old friend after twenty years apart?
Maybe these enigmas go some way to explaining the enduring appeal of portraiture
up to the present day. Surely there is no better avenue for exploring the
curious relationship between seeing and thinking about a human face, than
through reinterpreting it as art?
Chalk pastel versus oil paint
Chalk pastels are an ideal medium for those wishing to develop their knowledge
and skills as a portrait artist. It is possible to create an artwork which
has the same vibrancy as an oil painting in well under half the time, whilst
learning similar principals. Personally, I prefer to work with pastels for
portraits because the shorter working time brings an immediacy to the work
that can be lost with other mediums. The only shortfall often associated
with pastels is their lack of longevity, which is something of a myth. Pastels
from the 16th century still hang in museums today, with no restoration needed.
If acid free paper and quality materials are used, the work can last longer
than many oils.
In fact, pastels are often described as a painting medium in their own right,
despite their stick-like form which resembles a crayon more than a brush.
This is due to the richness of the colours and the potential for techniques
like blending, scumbling, creating washes and glazing. The vibrancy of pastel
paintings is unique - each mark being made up of tiny ‘diamond-like’
particles, which reflect off every side with an iridescent quality.
Starting
a pastel portrait
A portrait begins with an informal sitting with the subject, where I like
to develop a rapport and learn something of the person's interests. This
helps me to try and bring something of their character to the image, and
identify any consistent features in their appearance which will make them
easily identifiable. The sitting will also involve making some preparatory
sketches, or taking a series of photographs to develop the work at home.
Taking a portrait through to the final stages
Once the under-drawing is complete I will lightly glaze different areas
of the image with their dominant colours. Glazes are achieved by laying
a pastel down on its side and dragging it lightly across the paper.
I will then move on to using a softer pastel, such as Sennelier. Softer
pastels are better for later layers because the colours are richer and the
coverage more opaque....
This is only a small part of the article.
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