New Painting With Oil Stain Underpainting

Here is a 24" x 18" Ampersand Pastelbord with the oil stain underpainting technique done on it. This technique is one being talked about by Richard McKinley in his workshops and on the Pastel Journal Pastel Pointers Blog. I love his work and his underpaintings are wonderful even before he adds pastel to them.

This is about the second or third time I have tried this technique and I am not sure I have it right yet. But, even so, I let it dry this time -- where I did not let it get dry enough the first time I did an oil stain underpainting. So, I continued with the pastel painting of a creek scene on top of this underpainting.

The photo on the right is the initial drawing and laying in of the first layers of pastel. I want to keep the lower foreground area in shadow and see if I can keep from "counting" the rocks -- which I mean I don't want to be to literal with all the little rocks. We shall see if I can do that. If not, then I will deal with softening them at the end of the painting. Sometimes that works best for me anyway. I can decide what needs the softer edges and where I can even have a few scattered harder edges. I love this drawing in part. Sometime in the future I hope to be able to incorporate this type of gesture work with only a portion of the piece done in a more finished look.

On the left, I have begun adding the second and third layers of pastel. I am deciding the focal point area will be in the upper third of the painting and will range from the little cascade beside the tree and roots leading up to where the creek disappears around a bend and the light coming around that bend also.

And, above on the right is the last photo for this post -- I have added much more in the way of rocks in the foreground and middle ground. At this point I am also adding the foliage and trying out different colors and temperatures to create the aerial perspective in that foliage area.

Each photo above was taken on a different day -- which means I have had this painting on the easel for four days of work now. I did not get to work on the painting today, but did yesterday and I'll show that photo on the next post. If you have any comments, please post them. I am always interested in what you might have to say. Ask questions if you wish! Happy Painting!