Leah in Green - original oil pastel portrait

Green is such a beautiful color and I'm always looking for ways to include it in portraits, so it was wonderful that Leah strolled in wearing a green top.  Generally I like to mix greens, but I had a dark green that worked well and I lightened it here and there with lighter values - not with greens, but warmer colors like peachy shades.  I used mostly Holbein oil pastels on 7 x 5" Ampersand Pastelbord.   I'm posting this while listening to the soundtrack from "Honeymoon in Vegas" - so great and a funny movie, too!  Until recently, multi-tasking was considered a good thing, but lately I've been hearing that it's not such a great thing for one's brain.  Gotta protect those cells, so stopping now to hear the rest of Vegas, then on to Johnny Rodriguez.  Thanks for stopping by!

Blue Sofa - original oil pastel figurative painting

  This little 5 x 7" piece is Holbein oil pastel on Pastelbord.  Thanks for stopping by! 

Sweet Jive - original oil pastel figurative

I love the looseness I can get with oil pastel and fairly gritty surfaces (in this case Ampersand Pastelbord).  Lines, scribbles and emotion always make me feel like I've done something with my day!  I used Holbein oil pastel on this 7 x 5" piece.  Thanks for looking!

Lou as Cleopatra - original oil pastel portrait

It's great when models dress up in historical garb and sometimes they even take on the personality of their character.  Lou is this kind of model - she was very regal while she sat for us.  Well, Cleopatra, after all.  I used mostly Sennelier oil pastels, with a few Caran d'Ache on Colourfix 12 x 9" smooth pastel paper in Fresh Grey.  Thanks for stopping by!

On My Easel - Pondering - oil pastel portrait painting

I asked this young woman to hold the pose while I took a picture to work on back at my studio.  As much as I really like going to drawing groups, I wish I could get so many of the people I see to come and pose for me.  That way I would be able to control the pose, the lighting, etc.  Oh well, one just does the best one can.  And I actually was happy with her pose, fleeting though it was.  Not really finished with this one, yet, but getting close.  It's on 12 x 9" gritty paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sandi - oil pastel portrait

Sandi sat snuggled in her sweater while she posed and I really loved drawing her.  I used acrylic paper with a blue acrylic paint for the background.  Then I used mostly Senneliers and a few Caran d'Ache oil pastels to capture her sweet expression.  It's 12 x 12".  Thanks for stopping by!

Figure Study - original oil pastel nude sketch

Here's a 6 x 8" oil pastel study on Strathmore toned paper, using the sides of Sennelier oil pastels - I left out a ton of details, because I just wanted to capture the essence of the pose.   Thanks for looking!

The Drummer - oil pastel figurative drawing of a man playing drums

Loving this new (to me, at least) Strathmore toned blue mixed media paper.  It comes in a pad, it's heavy, and has a wonderful surface.  Great stuff! I really loved doing this drummer - I played drums in my youth and have a soft spot for them to this day.  After all, they're the backbone of the band and in the right hands are just beautiful!  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel Dancer Portrait - oil pastel portrait in progress

At first, I thought the model looked like a woman who wanted to be asked to dance - the tango, maybe.  Then I let myself be led by the drawing process to where I am now.  Not really sure where that is, but maybe she'll be a bit more assertive in the end - anyway, lots of work to do.   I'm working on 16 x 12" Colourfix paper in umber.   Thanks so much for looking!

The Fortune Teller - original oil pastel portrait painting

Here is the mostly finished piece from an earlier post, click here to see the beginning.  Will do a bit more on this drawing/painting (never exactly sure what to call my things).  I love profiles!  Thanks for looking!

Quick Drawing of a Seated Woman - oil pastel portrait drawing

I got lucky with this one - not too many folks will sit still for a few minutes so I can attempt to capture them on my paper.  Got lucky here! Spent the most time on her face and was sketchy with everything else   Good practice.  12 x 9".  Thanks for stopping by!

The Believer - original oil pastel portrait

This piece is on gritty pastel paper, using Sennelier oil pastels and is 10 x 8".  May use this pose further - don't know yet.  Thanks so much for looking!

Keeley's Self Confidence - oil pastel portrait sketch

I first laid down lots of yellow ochre acrylic paint, then drew and scribbled with oil pastel till I "found" Keeley.  This one is on about 10 x 9" acrylic paper.  Thanks for looking!

Her Suspicious Look - original oil pastel portrait drawing

The same shirt on this model as "Profile" from two posts ago, but with entirely different results.  I didn't know if her look was boredom or suspicion, so I went with suspicion.  This piece is oil pastel over acrylic paint on Strathmore acrylic paper, 12 x 12".  Thanks for visiting Hackberry Street Studio!

Model Watching the Clock - original oil pastel over acrylic

The model has a great face and is well able to hold a pose, but toward the end of the session, she obviously was counting the minutes and the clock on the wall was just irresistible.  I have this urge to add to the drawing, but because I can remember scads of drawings and paintings I've ruined by trying to work on them after I'm back in my studio, she stays the way she is and I'll move on to another drawing.  Acrylic paint over acrylic paper with the drawing done with Sennelier oil pastels, this piece is 12 x 9".  Thanks for looking!

Nude on Lavender-Grey - oil pastel drawing of a nude

I had planned to do this nude sort of coming out of a lavender-grey mist, but my love of line got the best of me.  To paraphrase Alex Powers, one is either a line person or a shape person and I confess I'm of the line persuasion.  Anyway, as with just about all nudes, this one was fun and satisfying to draw.  I love figurative work, especially nudes - the human body is such a wonder and always beautiful to me, no matter the size or shape.  This one is 10 x 8" - thanks for stopping by!

Bobbie Looking Up - oil pastel portrait

Another oil pastel portrait - love this model - on MultiMedia pastel panel,  10 x 8".  Thanks so much for looking!

Mary - original oil pastel portrait painting

On this portrait of Mary, (who looks a little sad, but I think it's just boredom) I used acrylic paint on Strathmore acrylic paper, then drew over it with oil pastel.  I try to have some of these acrylic painted sheets on hand, just in case.  If you haven't tried the paper, it's really great - 246 lb. and with a canvas-like texture, it works for lots of painting and drawing materials.  This piece is 12 x 9" - thanks for stopping by!

A Model in Profile - oil pastel drawing

Just one of those faces that was so interesting to me that I just had to draw her.  You know how it is - some things you just must do for no particular reason.  This piece is done on 9 1/2 x 6 1/2" Sennelier oil pastel pad, using Sennelier oil pastels, except for the CrayPas Specialist grey that I used in the background.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Woman with a Cell Phone - oil pastel figurative

This one is really from memory - a young woman I saw checking her phone.  Maybe it will end up as an oil painting, but somehow when I do that, I just don't have the same passion for the second version.
I drew it on Sennelier oil pastel paper, 9 1/2 x 6 1/2".  Love that stuff!  Thanks for looking,