I first bought some cheap soft pastels back in 2018 and did a couple of sketches. I bought a nice set of Rembrandt pastels a few months later — didn't use them. I bought some pastel pads, none if which seemed right. September 2020, I bought a couple more sets of bargain pastels and tried a couple of pieces — no good, still couldn't bring myself to use them. Jess bought me pastel pencils for Christmas — I was too scared to use them. I even bought a pad of Pastelmat which is supposed to be THE paper to use for pastel paintings in January. I was too scared to use that as well!
FINALLY, after a few unsuccessful attempts at working with watercolour (brush issues), I cast aside my fear and thought I'd mess around with pastels. Some time later, and this was the result. I've finally broken through my pastel fear-barrier.
I've got to say, I love soft pastels and I'm excited about doing more pieces in this medium.
Some LGBTQ+ members of the community can’t openly love who they want to love, so the bars represent that barrier. The fabric, with all its complex folds and creases represents sensuality, desire and love. Love, in all its forms is a complex thing of beauty.-------------
The companion piece to my previous post ‘Ecstasy.’ Agony and Ecstasy were always meant to be a diptych. The issue for me is that there is a two-year gap between the completion of the two - there is a noticeable difference in the the way both were drawn.
Faber Castell pastel pencils, Black and White Generals charcoal pencils on 9” x 12” Strathmore Toned Grey sketchbook paper.
Pastel pencil study of the intertwined hands of the Ambrogio Borghi sculpture, Chioma di Berenice. Faber Castell pastel pencils, Black and White Generals charcoal pencils on 9” x 12” Strathmore Toned Grey sketchbook paper.
