From Blank Surface to Blossoming Meadow

“Early in my art journey I avoided painting wildflowers,” says Karen Margulis. “I was afraid they would make my landscapes too sweet or too pretty. But the muse kept calling me until finally I embraced my truth and chose to showcase the wild tangles of grasses and wildflowers that captured my imagination.”

PASTEL TUTORIAL

THUMBNAIL SKETCH

I begin by making a quick thumbnail sketch on an index card, simplifying the subject into a few big shapes and assigning a value to each shape. I limit the total number of values in the study to three or four.

STEP 1

Referring to my thumbnail, I block in the first layer of the painting. I use three values of a single color — red violet — to add interest to the greens to come. I use the side of the pastel to block in each value shape and make a record of the colors I use on a separate piece of paper. I don’t look at my reference until I’ve completed this step.

STEP 2

I liquify the pastel underpainting with rubbing alcohol and a bristle brush to create an interesting wet wash. [See the result at right.]

COLOR PALETTE

I like to work with a limited palette of pastels. In the studio, I often pick out the sticks I plan to use in advance rather than work directly from my my large box. For plein air outings, I keep a small set of pastels ready to go. As I work, I keep track of the colors I use on my swatch sheet (at right).

STEP 3 

Now that the underpainting is dry, I go back in to reinforce the dark shapes, referring to my reference. I use a few light layers of dark-value pastels to create interesting optical blends of color, and add warm colors to the grass and foliage. I think of these dark and warm areas as dirt — if it’s green and growing, it needs dirt, right? I can easily layer greens on top of these areas later. 

STEP 4

The sky sets the mood of the painting so I like to put it in early. I also add middle-light values to the flower shapes. For the blooms in the shadows, I use cool colors. 

STEP 5

Staring with big simple shapes, I build up the grasses and flowers, gradually increasing the amount of detail. I work from the background to the foreground to create believable depth. 

STEP 6

I add more clarity to the areas of interest, using heavier “shouting” marks and thinner linear marks to add detail. I think about creating a visual pathway through the painting by using contrast.

In Karen Margulis’s “Expressive Pastel Painting” video workshop you’ll learn how to loosen up and be more free with your landscape references.