Which type of painting do you prefer? Pastels or Oil?
I paint in both of these mediums ... and sometimes in acrylic. I have experimented with watercolor, but it has a different process than the other three... it is from light to dark, where the other three are dark to light ... for the most part! |
| Oak in Oil 24" x 18" |
Here is the soft pastel version:
 |
| "Water Oak" Pastel 16" x 12" |
What is Pastel?
Remember when I talk about "pastel" I am not talking about the colors... I am talking about a "soft pastel" stick of pigment. It is sometimes called "chalk" but it does not have chalk in it. These pastel paintings must be framed behind glass.
There are some galleries that will not carry pastels or watercolors ... because they are behind glass. I do think the attitude is changing in some places, though.
I normally frame my pastel paintings with Museum Glass which has a 98 or 99% UV rating to protect the pastel from fading. Even so, most pastel work will not fade unless you really have left it with very bright sunshine on it for a long time. The main reason I use the Museum Glass is for the non-reflective quality of it. When you walk in a room, you don't even realize there is glass on the painting. It does help! And, I very rarely use mats anymore... all they do is catch pastel dust on them and after a time look rather dingy near the bottom of the framing.
One thing for you to know ... I price my pastel paintings and my oil paintings the same for the same sizes... I believe it does not matter which I paint in... I love them both!
Question for you ...
Do you have a preference? If so, what and why? I would love to hear from artists and from collectors.
5 comments:
I love the process of seeing the value map first..the tendencies that I follow in pastels are to be a bit bolder in color choices.The oils require more of a discernment by mixing slowing down the impetuous use of a bolder color.
The two achievements are great, but my preference is for pastels. I think the foliage seems more worked in pastels, colors are more vivid, the shadows are more beautiful ... The painting is full of life.
This is just my opinion painter beginner ... and totally addicted to pastels ... lol!
And you Marsha? Do you have a preference?
Dammit girl! Now you've gone and painted my favorite again! How am I supposed to decide which one??? The pastel is a bit more ethereal, the oil a bit bolder. Both are stunning...five Wicki stars :) see ya in a few weeks...
Thanks Alex, Veronique and Vicki! Vicki, looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks also!
Alex, I also enjoy seeing another artist's value map ... to see what they were after! And, I also think I choose color better also!
Veronique, I think between these two, I do prefer the pastel ... maybe because I did it first. Maybe next time I need to do the oil first and see if it makes a difference!
Marsha, I am trying to figure out if we've met. Love your work.
Post a Comment