I hope today’s video will be an encouragement to you….I hope today’s video will be an encouragement to you….I know a lot of us struggle with just trying crazy new things without fear. But the best way to learn and grow is to step out – and maybe watching do wacky things will stoke your courage!
I don’t have much to teach in these four drawings, since I don’t know pastel very well – but I was so curious about all the different papers. So over the last 6 months I’ve been collecting pads of different ones….and it was now time to test!
Severak of this week’s pieces are for sale; I’m framing the big chick face for me!
PS I’ve got a birthday coming up this weekend. So I’m giving myself one of these drawings – the big yellow chick is at the framer’s!
Video
Watch the video below or click here to see it on YouTube.
The papers:
First up is the least expensive of these four, UArt Premium Sanded Pastel Paper Pads . I really did like it, but be aware the minimum price on any of these is pretty high – $3.10 for this one on the day I checked, for a 9×12″ piece. It comes in either black (charcoal actually) or a neutral, and you can get it in sampler packs like this one so you can try out a variety of grits.
Next up is the Clairefontaine Pastelmat Card Pads which I liked a lot – very nice surface and a pleasing touch to it. Pads can be bought in a mix of colors which is nice. I still have no idea why it’s called “card” but whatever, eh?
The Sennelier La Carte Pastel Card Pads were a disappointment, but – I do have to accept plenty of the blame myself. I’m a noob! So maybe I’m missing something. I’ll be trying it again, but for now will set it aside as I try to develop whatever my style is in pastel.
I think the most pleasing of these was the Ampersand Pastelbord – but being over $10 for one, that is a lot of why! It’s a hard surface too, so needn’t be handled as gently or taped down to work with it. This is the one I’m getting framed for myself!
ICYMI
In case you missed the chickies all week, here’s the list!
- Draw an Easter chick with an egg (Monday’s tutorial)
- Group of chicks and eggs, short hilarious video
- Ukrainian President, OPPOSITE of a chicken (!?), short video
- Coloring a Bantam Chick, short video
- Oil vs Wax pencils, Tiny Tutorial
- Round sandpaper, short video
Supplies
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Sandy!
These chick portraits are amazing!
May I purchase one?
Cheers!
Shannon
Stunning drawings Sandy, they are all so real.
I love see you draw with pastels but I have decided it won’t
be a medium I will use. I can’t get my hands clean while using just graphite pencils
because I use my fingers as a tool, using pastels I’m afraid that everything except the paper is been coloured LOL.
Thank you so much for a awesome chick week, totally loved it!
And I wish you a Very Happy Birthday the 27th ❤️
Happiest birthday wishes to you, Sandy! God’s blessings on your special day and every day!
These are amazing Sandy
I too have been trying to learn pastel specially pencils and found the Clairefontaine Matt to be my favorite . The white and ivory pencils work magic almost like how you use a white gel pen in your copic classes. Thanks for the inspiration!
The chicks on the black backgrounds just jump out at you– amazing! I would have never thought you could get such detail out of that medium. I love your results, but I am NOT going down that rabbit hole with you! 🙂