This large oil pastel is something different. I like to revisit my past obsessions and give them another try, and my oil pastel/crayon phase left me with plenty of supplies. I used a variety of Caran D’ache and Sennelier oil pastels as well as some ink on the background to start. This time, I used a big canvas board which leaves a textured, gridded effect. One problem I found is that it’s very hard to photograph as the lined pattern kept coming through.I had to soften and enhance the photo, so it’s more vivid here than in reality.

I really like oil pastel as it combines drawing and painting, plus it’s so forgivable. You can go over mistakes, take out or add color, blur, cut in lines, etc.It forces me to skip detail and rely more on impression.

I’m trying to figure out how to push past my cliched attempts at landscape, so that’s my next big challenge.

16″ x 20″, ink background and oil pastel on gessoed canvas board