They Say It's Good for the Heart - original oil pastel figurative drawing

Nothing like a little glass of wine for heart health - don't know if that's true, but lots of folks swear by it - plus they love the cure.  This drawing is done with Senneliers on 9 x 12" Art Spectrum Colourfix paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

Summer Reader - original oil pastel figurative sketch

Here's a little sketch I did of a girl engrossed in her book - not the required reading during school terms.  The joy of summer - I remember it well!  This is oil pastel on 9 x 12" Strathmore 403 paper.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

On My Easel -Sketch for Tango Practice - original oil pastel drawing

Here is a sketch for another tango painting - oil pastel on Pastelbord.  After fooling around with this one, I think I will do the painting in oil, full length, with the models using their arms in positions opposite this one.  Just afraid of losing the emotion, though.  It's 9 x 12" - a size I love to work with - thanks so much for dropping by!

A Woman from Mumbai - original oil pastel portrait drawing WIP

I've been lucky, lately, to have several cooperative people coming through my life, who are willing to pose for me.  I do hate to push my luck, though, so I don't spend too much time with each drawing and they're not as finished as they probably should be - like this one, for instance.   I did get her face down enough to suit me, though, and I can finish the rest tomorrow - I'll repost the picture when I get it totally done.  When I say "finished", I mean finished for me, which still is a little raw.  This work is on 12 x 9" Colourfix pastel paper - and please check out my oil pastel blog, where I have some little oil pastels posted.  To get in touch with me, just click the Contact Me to the right.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Reading the Menu - original oil pastel figurative painting

This oil pastel painting is 5 x 7" on Pastelbord.  I went a little crazy with the orange.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Sketch of the Model with a Fan - original oil pastel figurative drawing

Here's a quick sketch of the model on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  I love these little Pastelbords for sketching with my oil pastels.  Thanks for stopping by - have a great week!

Lila With a Cap - original oil pastel portrait painting

I love Lila's attitude when she poses.  She's been one of my favorite models for years.  This was a fairly quick pose - no noodling time at all, so some things are left undone.  It's oil pastel on taupe Strathmore  403 paper, which was mentioned in Kenneth Leslie's book as a barrier paper, meaning that no oil would get through the paper.  There seems to be this fear that somehow the oil in oil pastels will destroy the support, but a different oil is used in oil pastels from that in oil paint.  In my experience, there's never been a problem with the oil seeping through, but I also don't use as much pressure on a lighter paper as I would on say, Sennelier's oil pastel paper, Colourfix, Mi-Teintes BOARD (not paper) or Pastelbord.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Emily - original oil pastel portrait sketch

I haven't posted in ages, because of internet problems - finally, though, it seems everything's cleared up (but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed!). 
This oil pastel is on deep black Art Spectrum Colourfix paper (12 x 9" - but the image is about 9 1/2 x 8" and because I was obsessed with her curly hair, I put it a little farther down on the page than usual to make sure I could draw all those curls.   
For some reason, I'm doing lots of oil pastels these days and trying different supports for them.   Love these experiments - you just never know when one of them is going to be successful and it does happen now and then.
It's a little bit cooler here in Texas, but just as dry and we're thinking a lot about the folks around Bastrop and all they're going through with the fires there.  We had some fires in the last week here in Kimble County, but because of all the hard work done by our dedicated firefighters, we seem to be doing okay at the moment.  Thanks guys!
Thanks so much for stopping by - great seeing you here!  PS - to see more of my oil pastels, please visit my oil pastel blog.

A Sketch Begins - original oil pastel figurative drawing

The model got tired and got up, so, of course, I had to stop.   Every single time that I've tried to finish something after the model left, the drawing lost its life and emotion.  Even if the model returned, I wouldn't work on this drawing any longer because I had the "feeling" while I was working on this quick sketch and I just don't think it's coming back.  Sometimes "unfinished" works better, anyway. 
I used 9 x 12"Sennelier Carte d'Art which has a rough finish that helps me stay loose. Check out my blog for oil pastel to see my work there.  Thanks so much for visiting Hackberry Street Studio - I'm always glad to see you here!

Straw Hat - original oil pastel portrait sketch

This was a really strange straw hat that the model was wearing - sort of flat all over.  I would love to go back to the days of wearing hats.  They're such a great finish to an outfit and are SO romantic - like all the women in hats at the recent royal wedding. 
This sketch is on 12 x 9" Colourfix black paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

Lost in the Rhythm - original oil pastel figurative drawing

This is a quick study of the drummer in a band that I saw recently. Musicians can't possibly "hold the pose", which is what makes drawing people in motion so exciting to me and, since they are constantly moving, a lot of what I do in these cases is done from memory. This drawing is on 12 x 9" Pastelbord. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Drummer Boy - original oil pastel figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

No, not the sweet little fellow of one of my favorite Christmas carols, but the kind of punk guy in the back of the band.   This painting is 9 x 12" on Pastelbord.  Thanks for looking!

Summer Fiction - original oil pastel figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

Hot sun, a chaise by the pool and a good book.  Great way to get through the blazing summer we're already having here in the Texas Hill Country.  This 5x7" oil pastel is painted on Pastelbord.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tango Impromptu - original figurative sketch by Connie Chadwell

This is a peek at a couple who did a little spur of the moment tango - I guess it just struck their fancy and I must say, I was delighted it did!  Since I didn't have art supplies with me, except for my tiny sketchbook and pen, there was a lot of scribbling going on, mostly gestures to remind me of this great little free show.

Back in my studio,  I decided to replicate the gestural quality with Caran d'Ache Neoart water-soluble oil pastels.  The sketch is about 10 1/2 x 6 1/2" on Rapidograph paper (which is probably not made any longer, but it's paper to use with pens).

I did a number of these, maybe there'll be more to post in coming days.  Thanks so much for stopping by

Hackberry Street Studio! Sold

Blue Teddy - original oil pastel figurative by Connie Chadwell

This oil pastel is one that I started weeks ago and then put aside.  It has so much oil pastel on it that I'm amazed I can lift it.  Sometimes it's just fun to work into the oil pastel - such a fun and versatile medium!
The model didn't want to pose nude, which was fine - hence, the blue teddy.  "Blue Teddy" is 7 x 5" on that wonderful surface - Pastelbord.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Flute Practice - original oil pastel portrait painting by Connie Chadwell

This oil pastel is on Pastelbord and is 8 x 10".  I did this one today at the Thursday Painters, using combinations of my drawings.  Fun to do - hope you enjoy it.  Thanks for looking!

Red Ribbon - original oil pastel portrait painting by Connie Chadwell

I've been so busy painting for upcoming shows and getting started on spring planting, that I decided to post another of my small, quick studies that I love doing.  This one is 7 x 5" on Pastelbord.  Thanks so much for visiting Hackberry Street Studio!

Sketch of Penny - original oil pastel portrait sketch by Connie Chadwell

This portrait sketch was done quickly from a live model.  The pose would normally be a very tough one to hold, but she rested her head lightly against the wall - which to my eyes, resulted in a charming, wistful look. Today I posted on The Oil Pastel Review another oil pastel.  It's also a portrait, with the title "Sketch Chronology".  I hope you will check it out!

"Sketch of Penny" is painted on 11 x 14" Strathmore 403 oil pastel paper.
Thank you for visiting Hackberry Street Studio - hope to see you here again!  PS - Sorry, subscribers, I had to correct the size of the painting.  Hope you didn't get more than one notification.

Sketch of Helen - original oil pastel portrait sketch by Connie Chadwell

This portrait sketch was done on Colourfix paper with oil pastels and is 12 x 9".  I loved doing the line work along with the bits of color - much fun!  Thank you for visiting my blog! 

Black Lace - original oil pastel portrait sketch by Connie Chadwell

I did this sketch in a life drawing group, where I moved around and did several drawings during the evening from the same pose.  It's 11 x 14" on Strathmore 403 pastel paper for oil pastels.  I really do love that paper, although I think its texture has changed somewhat over the years.  The oil pastel just  melts onto the paper.  Wonderful!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog!