"Barn Owl"
5" x 7"
pastel on gatorboard/pumice with Azo Gold tint
Barn Owls and any owls for that matter, represent the NIGHT. I think of their stealth and their night vision and ability to swoop very quickly onto their prey. They rule the after dark scene in the animal world.
I am more accustomed to Horned Owls and Hoot Owls. They used to keep me up at night in Kansas. Oddly enough - our first night at our new place here in Colorado, a GREAT swooped around the deck from the back of the house and landed on our archway over the drive. It stayed there for quite awhile, as if to welcome us and reminded me that owls are never too far away. (I have a photo of it, just need to find it.)
When I would mow the acreage in KS, I would often stop by a familiar fence post or two where I knew the owls often sat while seeking out the next small critter. There was usually some owl pellets on the ground.
I thought I would paint this Barn Owl with a more traditional pastel palette - bright vivid colors from all spectrums of the color wheel. After doing normal/ordinary colors of animals, it's nice to step outside the boundaries of being correct.
You can see more artist's work in little thumbnails and then click on their picture and will usually be taken to their site where they are showing THEIR 30 in 30 pieces.
You will notice that I mention my materials after the title and size of my piece each day with the word 'pumice'. I am doing pastel work on gatorboard (a very smooth, but very sturdy/thick surface). To get the pastel to set down on this surface, it needs a rough plane - a 'tooth' - to be able to not DUST off of the surface. Pumice is a sanded liquid medium that comes in a jar - it is being mixed with acrylic color, most of the time, AZO GOLD. I love what this surface does for pastel painting!
4 comments:
Oh Wow- each one is even cooler than the last (tho hardly possible)! I LOVE these colors!
Thank you Laurie - I so look forward to painting each day. I appreciate your comments!
Ditto from me, Pattie! I absolutely love this one, too!
Thanks for the note on the pumice & acrylic mix. I've always wondered what to do with some pastels that were gifted to me. Every time I get the urge to use them, I am reminded that I forgot to buy the appropriate paper. Appreciate it.
Yes, but putting together these materials can end up costing way more than the paper - Canson makes the best pastel 'paper' I think.
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