Three Quick Faces - original oil pastel portrait sketches

                                                       

 Just goofing around with oil pastel and multi media art board.  I did this quickly while watching TV -  great practice - plus I almost cannot sit in front of the TV without drawing.  This drawing is on black 8 x 10"art board paper.  Thanks for stopping by!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

ACEO - Tiny Lida - original oil pastel portrait

This little portrait is on an Art Spectrum Colourfix ATC card.  There is a white border around the  surface - all the Colourfix paper has this border - very helpful when you frame your piece.   Such a wonderful surface to work on - Colourfix is great for oil pastel because it has just enough grit and accepts many layers.  It's quite a challenge to get a picture on such a small surface when using unsharpened oil pastels, but this practice keeps me from being so tight and helps me focus on the essentials of the drawing.  It's 3.5 x 2.5 inches - thanks for stopping by!

Ponytail - original oil pastel portrait painting

Had a chance to do this one - would have liked more detail, but didn't have much time - it's on 5 x 7" Pastelbord.  Thanks for looking!

Reading Catalogs - original oil pastel portrait painting

Reading catalogs is one of my favorite pastimes, especially this time of year.  All those beautiful things to buy!  This painting is done with Sennelier oil pastels on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  Thanks for looking!

Clara's Pnk Sweater - original oil pastel portrait drawing

I love horizontal portrait paintings - in this one, the model was sitting with her arm along the back of the sofa with an oscillating fan blowing on her (hence the hair flying out behind her) - just got started working and it was so satisfying to scribble madly with the lipsticky Sennelier oil pastels on Pastelbord, seldom stopping to add a lot of detail.  Thanks for stopping by!

Shelley's Blue Ribbons - original oil pastel portrait painting

I think this model has such a sweet face - a pleasure to paint.  I drew
very quickly, then moved to another location in the room for a different view.   I generally do that in a long pose, so I have a few different sketches/drawings/paintings instead of just the one pose for three hours, plus with three hours on the same pose, I tend to overwork it.   This is another piece using Sennelier oil pastels on sand colored 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Woman in Purple - original oil portrait painting

Another one of those I wish I'd had more time on.  The model had such a classic, old-fashioned - maybe even a medieval sort of look - I think it would have been great to have her dress up in period clothing.  Oh well.  This painting is 10 x 10" on gessoed panel.  This afternoon, I was spending time drawing while listening to a dark mystery where the main character was trapped in a locked room - it was chilling - and at that moment, a friend knocked on the door of my studio - nearly scared me senseless!  Took a little time to get over it, too.
That'll teach me - music while I paint tomorrow!  Thanks for stopping by!

At the Soirée - original oil pastel figurative drawing

This drawing happened quickly - I had been thinking about this tilt of the head, so I just experimented.  There wasn't a model in sight, so I simply had to make do.  And I just let it be the way it is - pretty loose, my favorite thing, actually.  For the support, I used multi-media artboard that I purchased from Jerry's and I love it!  I think it'll take lots of abuse and the surface is wonderful - accepts everything I've tried.  I'm SO thankful to be living when there are many art products available - no grinding colors myself - ugh!  The artboard is 10 x 8" and I left a little border around it, so maybe it's about 9 x 7".  Thanks for stopping by!

Snuggle - original oil pastel figurative painting

This one's been around for awhile, but I just never thought to post it.  I used Sennelier oil pastels on Colourfix paper and the painting is about 8 x 8 1/2".  Thanks for stopping by!

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!

Polka Dot Bow - ACEO original oil pastel portrait painting

I could spend every minute doing ACEOs.  They're so much fun and it's easy to just let go and be expressive. This one makes me happy because of her expression.  It's painted on illustration board and for some reason, the oil pastel seems to dry - as dry as oil pastel ever gets - very quickly on this surface.  It's 3.5 x 2.5", of course (being sort of obsessive, I just had to go and say it!) - thanks so much for stopping by!

Lady in a Hat - original oil pastel Artist Trading Card

I love doing these tiny "just a taste" cards.  This one is done on Art Spectrum Colourfix - my favorite surface for these little 3.5 x 2.5" pieces.  I used unsharpened Sennelier oil pastels - makes it looser and no way can I get it too tight.  Thanks for looking!

Dreamer - original oil pastel/watercolor pencil portrait

I had drawn this watercolor pencil piece and let it hang around for a few days, not paying much attention.  Then I got the idea to use a little oil pastel, wondering how it would work over the watercolor pencil on the Yupo surface.  I am happy to report that it worked great - I love the finish and may try this again.  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel - Sketch for The Cellist - original oil pastel portrait

Cellos are such beautiful instruments - both in appearance and sound.  So many people think they're just for accompaniment, but they are gorgeous for solos.  This sketch will definitely become an oil painting - not because I don't value oil pastel, because if you read my blog, you know how much I adore oil pastel, but oil is requested for this one.  I have many cello drawings and some will make appearances here.  This piece is drawn with Sennelier oil pastels on Art Spectrum Colourfix paper, 12 x 9".  Thanks for looking!

Sketch of Satine - original oil pastel portrait sketch

A few Caran d'Ache oil pastels were all I had with me when this sketch opportunity came up, so I just did the best I could on this quick little drawing.  It's about 9 x 9" on Strathmore 403 pastel paper.  Thanks for looking!

Tiny Lia - original oil pastel portrait painting (ATC)

I am on an ACEO/ATC kick at the moment and have been using Caran d'Ache Neopastels instead of my usual Senneliers.  They are not as soft as the Senneliers and are easier to work with in such a small area without sharpening them.  See my post on my oil pastel blog.  I used a 3 1/2 x 2 1/2" piece of illustration board for this one - owing to my photography skills, it's a little warmer than in real life - will try tomorrow to get a photo in better light.  Thanks for looking!

Devie - original oil pastel portrait painting

Here's another portrait on the orangey Mi-Teintes paper, 9 x 12".  This young woman was such a pleasure to paint.  As I'm sure I've said before, the textured side of this paper is wonderful for helping me keep the piece from getting too tight.   Although I really layer the oil pastel on her face, the rest is fairly loose.  Thanks for stopping by!

Jerri - original oil pastel portrait drawing

The past few days, I've been doing sort of stream of consciousness drawings and this is one of them.  It's probably not really a stream of consciousness drawing, but it is one that's not been analyzed to death.  Just drawn and done. On Strathmore 403 paper, it's about 8 x 9 1/2".  While I have a number of oil paintings in the works, I'm going to do more oil pastels and start using turps with some of my backgrounds, a practice from years ago that I've decided to revive.  My resolve may only last through one painting, but it's worth a try. My fingers get really tired from rubbing the backgrounds, especially on sanded surfaces, so I need a little help.  This could only work on board or oil paper, of course.
Jerri is such a good model and I have more drawings of her that may actually turn into paintings.  I'm always saying that and nothing comes of it.  And I don't think a drawing is made legitimate by becoming a painting - it's just that sometimes, things look good in oil paint.  I am especially interested in doing paintings that are also drawings for a good portion of the piece.  Too many times, I've covered up lines that I loved and then missed them.  Am going to try not to do that again.  Anyway, that's what I'm up to here at Hackberry Street Studio.  Glad you stopped by - thanks for listening!  Sold

Brenda - original oil pastel portrait drawing

I wish I'd had more time for this drawing, but  anyway, I loved working on this gray-blue Strathmore 403 oil pastel paper. I know - it looks tan, but that is just my pathetic photography.  My palette was very limited. It's about 9 x 9".  Thanks so much for stopping by!

On My Easel - Tango Portrait - original oil pastel portraits in progress

I started work on this one today and will let it dry for a few days, then come back and see where this little couple takes me.  When I look at it, I see all the things I should fix and some things that I can't fix without completely redoing it.  Arghhh - I tear my hair!  Well, not actually, but I feel like it.  This is done on 9 x 12" Pastelbord.  One of the nice things about Ampersand Pastelbord is that oil pastel gets pretty dry on it, so when I really load the support with oil pastel, it works to dry the pastel a little, so that I can work on it again.  I really appreciate your stopping by my blog - thanks so much!