Portrait Sketch of a Young Woman - original oil pastel portrait sketch

I just bought a pad of 9 x 12" Mi-Teintes pastel paper.  I love the textured side and did this sketch on one of the sheets of off-white - there are several colors in the pad - with Sennelier oil pastels.  Thanks for stopping by.

Waiting at the Bar - original oil pastel figurative painting

Here's another bar scene, although it's a little lighter than the bar was in real life - I think because I was using this beautiful grey Holbein oil pastel stick and just couldn't get enough of it.  She sat and waited until her fellow showed up - must've been awkward, but she was loaded with poise.  While I usually use Sennelier, this painting was done with Holbein oil pastels.  They are so gorgeous, and with their square shape, very useful in turning on their sides for big strokes, or using the corners of the sticks for details.  I'm a confirmed Sennelier user, with their lipsticky gooeyness, but it's great to try other brands on occasion.  The painting is on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  Thanks for looking!

WIP - Day's End - original oil pastel figurative painting in progress

This painting is sort of in limbo at the moment.  Will finish it in the next couple of days, I guess.  Things to do include toning down the acid green, carrying the pattern over the back and much better  (I hope) defining of the figure.  May include a pair of stilettos on the floor.  That can exhaust anybody - wearing them, I mean.  On 16 x 12" Pastelbord.  Thanks so much 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

Pink Tutu - oiginal oil pastel figurative painting

I had the pleasure of sitting and watching some young ballerinas - a real drawing opportunity.  This one kept fiddling with her new tutu - I think she just loved touching it and feeling like a real ballerina.  The painting is done on 7 x 5" carton from Judson's Art Outfitters - can also be purchased from Amazon.  I love the cardboard color, since I'm a fan of drawing on cardboard - even though that's a no-no in the conservation department.  The carton is archival and good for oil, acrylic and soft pastel, as well.  Thanks for stopping by!

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!

Sketch of Shari - original oil pastel portrait sketch

The model was tired, I was getting a bit weary myself, and I think the feeling is reflected in this quick drawing.  I used dark green Mi-Teintes board, which seems to give a looser feel to oil pastel drawings.  It's about 10 1/2 x 12"  - thanks so much for stopping by!

Nude on Blues - original oil pastel nude drawing

Here is a nude - I love back views - on gessoed carton paper.  It's really a pleasure to work on this paper which I get from Judson's - actually a site for plein air painters - but I buy from them and am always telling myself that any day now, I'll go out and paint the great outdoors.  This paper can be purchased from Amazon, as well.  Oil pastel just sings on it.  This drawing is 12 x 9" - thanks for stopping by!

Seated Pose - original oil pastel drawing of a nude

I did this oil pastel drawing on 12 x 9" carton paper coated with clear gesso. The clear gesso on the carton provides such a perfect surface for the oil pastel - kind of gritty.  I could finish this a bit more, but after the model leaves, it just doesn't work very well.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

A Modest Nude - original oil pastel painting of a nude

I came across an old life drawing and did a 7 x 5" painting on Pastelbord from it.  I'm always saying that I'm going to get rid of all those old drawings, but they do come in handy.  I'm not a hoarder by any means, but I do have a stack of them.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Jive Kids - orginal ink and oil pastel drawing

Just scribbling in front of the TV, added some color and here is an 11 x 14" drawing on Strathmore's Mixed Media paper.  I haven't been posting for awhile, because I'm working on lots of things, but not one of them is fit to be seen, yet.  Thanks for stopping by! Sold

On My Easel - Looking Back - original oil pastel portrait in progress

This is an interesting pose to paint and definitely requires a model - no memory painting here.  It's a long way from being finished, but I look forward to working on it and seeing how it ends up.  Using Strathmore Mixed Media paper - my first experience with this heavy paper and I like it. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Nude Study - original oil pastel painting of a nude

Here's a quick drawing of a nude - never totally finished - that I did back in October.  It's on Sennelier oil pastel paper about 11 x 9". This paper is white, 160 lb. and pebbly - I love it.  Thanks so much for looking!

Sketch of a Little Moment - original oil pastel figurative sketch

The resort where I spent Thanksgiving provided a wealth of subjects for drawing and here are two that I observed in a private moment.  Although they were wrapped up in each other, they were really in the middle of everything, so I felt it was okay to draw them. They held this "pose" long enough for me to get the bones of the sketch done, then filled in from memory, striving to keep the sketchiness that I intended without overworking.  I had just bought a new set of Caran d'Ache Neopastels, which are perfect for use on Judson's Guerilla Painter carton board.  Neopastels are a less oily form of oil pastel and not my usual go to brand, which is Sennelier, but Neopastels are great, too, and many oil pastelists prefer them.  This drawing is on 12 x 9" carton paper, but it's cropped here to about 11 x 7" - not really physically cropped, but just for blog posting.  Thanks so much for stopping by! SOLD

On My Easel- Portrait of Cynthia - original oil pastel portrait painting

Here's what I was working on today - not really through with it, though.  It's on 7 x 5" Pastelbord - will finish it sometime this week.  Thanks for looking!

Torch Singer III - original oil pastel figurative drawing

One of my favorite subjects - the torch singer.  I'm not even sure why it appeals to me - the loneliness, the lament, the smoky (formerly) night club - but an interesting scenario, to me, anyway.  This is on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  Thanks for looking!

The Girl in the Red Coat - original oil pastel portrait painting

Finally back from vacation - hope everyone had a great New Year's - and ate their blackeyed peas!  At least, that's what we eat in the South on the first day of the year and I wouldn't dare do otherwise.  Who knows what could happen!  This painting is really a memory painting of a young woman leaving a café where I was in late December and she seemed in a reflective mood.  Maybe she was thinking of her resolutions for the new year.  Or maybe nothing that dramatic, but I did love the scene and couldn't wait to record it when I got back to my studio.  It's on dark green Pastelbord, 5 x 7".  Thanks for stopping by - Happy New Year!

A Little Glitz - original oil pastel portait painting

It was the hair.  And the earrings.  She was ready for the Christmas party.  I used dark green 5 x 7" Pastelbord and then my usual palette of mostly cool colors in Caran d'Ache oil pastels.  I apologize for the fuzziness of the photo - the painting is sharper in person. 
Roger and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas - and thank you for stopping by!

The Cocktail Waitress - original oil pastel figurative painting

I know.  Maybe not the usual subject, but I did observe this young woman working very hard - dealing with many different types of customers, taking multiple drink orders, working quickly and efficiently and all with perfect aplomb.  I don't think I could do it, especially in that tiny uniform!  Just another of my bar observations.  It's 7 x 5" on Pastelbord. Thanks for stopping by! Sold

Nude on a Red Tuffet - original oil pastel painting of a nude

Trying to get this done before my internet connection completely stops - 7 x 5" on Pastelbord.    Whew - done!  Thanks for visiting! Sold