Rock Creek Winter Steps

I'm painting over the ghost of a previous painting. White NuPastel and Charcoal stick. 

An oil wash for the water and left it to dry overnight.

Pink and Blue pastel for Step 3

Pink and Blue pastel again but in a lighter value.

Initial block in with pastel

Rock Creek Winter, pastel, 13 x 18 inches

Rock Creek Friday

By the way, I have finally bonded with my new studio! Click here to read more...

My reference photo and corresponding lines for placement on the ghost of an old painting.

I have obliterated the ghost of the previous painting using an oil wash.

The next morning I began applying pastel and charcoal.

Rock Creek Friday, pastel, 13.5 x 12 inches
©2018 Barbara Benedetti Newton

Meadow Stream

Yesterday I posted the oil-wash for this pastel painting. Here it is complete: pastel over oil wash on Ersta 500 paper. "Meadow Stream," pastel, image 9x10.75 inches. ©2018 Barbara Benedetti Newton

Night time advice

Night time advice: never go to bed with an empty easel (unless you are taking a break from painting).

With the switch back to Standard Time today and early evening darkness I was ready to go to bed at 7 pm but I knew if I left my easel empty it would be easy to NOT paint tomorrow morning. So, though I'd rather be in bed reading my book, I printed my reference photo in color and grayscale and began.

Oil wash on Ersta 500 sanded paper. By morning this wash will be dry and ready for pastel. I'll be glad I made myself do this.

Gold Creek Step by Step

Charcoal value sketch on Ersta 500 sanded pastel paper.

Started this one working flat and wishing I had done an oil wash under-painting.

Gold Creek, pastel, 11.5 x 13 inches ©2018 Barbara Benedetti Newton

Oil Wash Foundation Saves Time

This is a reference photo. It is mainly green. My last painting, "Lakeside" was green and I'd like a different palette so I printed the green reference photo as a grayscale and worked from that.

I set it aside to dry and went on to teach my last Mentor session of 2018. If you are interested in spending 3-4 hours with me once a month in a mentor situation in 2019, let me know - I'm starting a list for January, February and March. Also let me know which week day you prefer. Now, back to this painting...

I quickly did an oil wash on Art Spectrum Colourfix off-white paper. 

I chose my pastel colors first based on value, then on hue. Darkest value first.

November, pastel 11 x 18 inches $1100.

When the students left, I started applying pastel to the oil wash foundation (darkest value first as shown in the photo above). I had about 2 hours before we were to leave for dinner so I worked quickly and then walked away. This morning I made very minor adjustments and framed it. This painting came together quickly because of the oil wash foundation.