Ready for Odile - original figurative oil pastel

 Maybe I will eventually do this one in oil paint or acrylic.  The Black Swan is a fascinating character and what a beautiful ballet "Swan Lake" is!  This piece is on 14 x 11" Pastelbord.  Thanks for stopping by!

On My Easel - Tea For One - original oil pastel in progress

All I have that I could post are lots of unfinished pieces, so I just closed my eyes and picked one, and the winner is. . . . .  Sooo much to do on this, but it's going to be finished tomorrow, I hope, so I can get busy with my other stuff that's in limbo.  This is on 14 x 11" Pastelbord.  Thanks for stopping by!

On My Easel - original oil pastel figurative in progress

I worked today on this drawing of the model on Strathmore 403 oil pastel paper - listed as pastel paper - but is originally for oil pastel and it is absolutely wonderful for this medium.  I love this model and the poses she takes.  It's 12 x 9" and the paper is a little more gray blue and darker, but if you read my blog, you know about my photographic limitations.  Thanks for visiting my blog.

The Exit - original oil pastel figurative

I saw this woman coming out of a train station last winter and did a quick sketch that I must have added to my stack of drawings.  I came across it yesterday during my clean-a-thon.  In going through and throwing away old sketches and things that will never work, I've found a treasure trove of sketches than I absolutely can use.  Amazing how something that is so intense in the moment can just be forgotten.  That's why studio organization is such a good thing (I tell myself).  This piece is on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel - Another Torch Singer - original oil pastel figurative painting in progress

This painting is pretty well sketched in - now I want to bring it to a more "finished" state.  Figurative work attracts me so much because, I think, of the emotional content.  Of course, the technical aspects are first, but that special moment, that fleeting expression, always draws me in and I'm always watching for it.  This painting is on 12 x 9" Pastelbord.  Hoping to finish it tomorrow, but maybe not 'til later in the week - will post when it's done.  Thanks so much for looking!

Piano Practice - original oil pastel figurative painting

This is painted on 8 x 10" Pastelbord, using Sennelier oil pastels.  Thanks for looking!

Searching for the Right Word - original oil pastel figurative

I was trying to make a composition with variety in the background - but don't know if I succeeded.  And tried not to make the model too abstract, nor too realistic.  I sound like Jackie Mason.  But you get what I mean about the painting, right?  It's on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  I love that stuff - could kiss it.  Thanks for stopping by!

Taking a Break - original oil pastel figurative

Nothing like a little snooze between chapters - on 7 x 5" Pastelbord, using Sennelier oil pastels.  Thanks for stopping by!

Waiting Again - original oil pastel figurative

I hope he shows.  This oil pastel is on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  Thanks for looking - have a great weekend!

Lady with a Fan - original oil pastel figurative

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

Lainie's Tea - original oil pastel figurative painting

A little experiment with totally blunt (unsharpened) oil pastels on 7 x 5" Pastelbord - just to keep me loose.  Much fun to do and although I see a lot of things I could improve upon, I'm just leaving it and moving on.  Tomorrow I am definitely and absolutely going to have my country dance painting finished, but it might be too wet to photograph.  Well, we'll see.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

WIP - Lexie's Reflection - original oil pastel figurative painting

I have some changes to make to this painting.  It's on 12 x 9" Art Spectrum Colourfix paper in aubergine.  Not sure about the mirror frame - may just do away with it since it's so close to the edge of the painting.  I seldom paint reflections, but couldn't resist giving it a try.  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel - Jive Happy - original oil pastel figurative In Progress original oil pastel figurative painting

This drawing is on tan 12 x 16" Pastelbord.  I'm trying to keep the "drawingness" of this piece - pretty happy with the couple on the right - now to work on the other dancers.  Thanks for looking!

Livy Reading - original oil pastel figurative painting

There's nothing like a good book - right now, I'm reading (or listening through audible.com, I should say) The Sleepwalkers by Christopher Clark, about the events that led
to WWI.  Have read many books on this subject and am also reading the Maisie Dobbs mystery series which is set in the years immediately after the war.  Good to mix mystery and history - my two favorite subjects.  I'm wondering if other artists out there listen to books while painting.  Anyway, I'm not sure what Livy's reading, but she does seem engrossed in her book.  I painted Livy on 10 x 8" Ampersand Pastelbord, using mostly Sennelier oil pastels.  Thanks for stopping by!

On My Easel - Texas Heat - original oil pastel figurative painting in progress

It is SO hot here - and BTW where is El Nino?!  It's triple digits day after day, although tomorrow it might be in the high 90s.  I was actually sitting here, thinking 'wow it's going to be cooler' - that's what happens to the mind under these searing circumstances.  But maybe, just maybe, it will finally cool down a little bit, anyway.  This oil pastel is done on 14 x 11" Pastelbord.  Not through with it, but really fun to work with creamy Senneliers on the slightly gritty surface.  Art heaven.  Thanks for looking!

Close Dancing - original oil pastel figurative painting

Every bit as much fun as close dancing was drawing this 7 x 5" on Pastelbord.  Thanks for looking!

Seated Model with Wineglass - original oil pastel figurative painting

Done on Judson's Guerilla Painter carton paper, this painting is 7 x 5" - I used mostly Senneliers with a few Caran d'Ache and Holbein.  It's so satisfying to work on this paper - it has many of the attributes of the carton paper of the Impressionists' day, but is touted as being more archival.  I love its warm color, as well.  Thanks so much for stopping by my blog - check out my latest posting on my oil pastel blog by clicking here.

The Model in a Dark Robe - original oil pastel figurative painting

This sketchy piece has made me so happy because I feel I got her skin tones correct.  Lately, I've been working on skin tones and trying to pay a lot of attention to getting just the right hue, value, etc., and - yippee - I have a good feeling about this one!  Am hoping to turn this into an oil painting, but whenever I attempt such things, something is lost - will keep trying, though.  Am I alone in having the problem of losing the feeling of the original when trying to move it to another medium?  On Strathmore 403 oil pastel paper, about 11 x 8".  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Red Mug - original oil pastel portrait painting

This little 7 x 5" painting on Pastelbord began with a drawing of a young woman sitting in a café.  She was having a quiet moment before getting back in the fray.  I left this pretty loose and it's not really "finished", but that's my kind of thing.  Thanks so much for visiting!

Model on a Sofa - original oil pastel figurative painting

This oil pastel was done from a drawing that I did of a model last summer.  Using Mi-Teintes paper's patterned side, 9 x 12", I applied plenty of gooey Sennelier oil pastels to it.  Lately, I've been picking up fabrics that interest me and using them in my work.  I'm accumulating a pretty good stash.  This piece will probably be mounted to museum board when it's a little drier.  Thanks for stopping by!