demonstration Emeralds
Step 1: I love drama in an abstract
painting, and to get a glow, contrast is
required. I almost always begin a paint-
ing on UART 320 paper that I’ve tinted
and mounted on a board. I prefer the
richness of a truly black background
that I’ve colored myself using Nupastels
in deep Prussian blue, dark sepia
and alizarin (1a). Note the difference
between the tinted paper, under the
paintbrush, and the pre-tinted paper.
I lightly apply pastel (1b) and then
wash it down with isopropyl alcohol.
If I haven’t achieved the desired depth
of value, I add a second application,
being careful not to apply the pastel
too heavily, because it can easily fill
the tooth of the paper.
Step 2: While waiting for the panel to
dry, I focus on basic design principles.
I draw a thumbnail with thirds marked
off and a clear area for my focal point.
I look for strong angles to make the lay-
out dramatic and carefully watch the
entry and exit points at the edge
of the painting. It’s important to keep
the viewer engaged in the focal point—
in this case, the upper-left quadrant
of the painting—without being drawn
to the outside edges.
Step 3: For maximum impact, I select
a complementary palette featuring
extreme darks and lights in red and
green, as well as grays, to set off the
final brights. The block-in stage is a
delicate dance of darks and grays that
become more colorful near that ever-
important focal area.
Step 4 (detail): Using a light hand,
I keep the values dark near the outer
edges but make them warmer and
brighter near the focal point.
Final: I recarve shapes and lines,
saving the lights for last, much like
adding frosting on a cake, for
Emeralds (20x16). PJ
Emeralds earned an Honorable
Mention in the 21st Annual Pastel 100
Competition (see page 86).
1a
2
4
1b
3
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