Wednesday, September 28, 2011

My Enemy Oil Pastels

Some of you may remember me saying at one time or another that I really do not like pastels. If so you may wonder why I'd even bother with them since I really don't care for them at all. I'm not sure myself except that at the beginning of the summer I spent some time with my sister Marlene and she was having such fun working with water soluble oil pastels that for a moment or two I had myself convinced that I should try working with them again before I made a final judgement.

The very next time I went to art and crafts store I picked up a box and brought them home where they got put in a storage box on one of my art supplies shelves. This seems to be part of my process. I buy things and then find a place to store them. I even go so far as to buy little storage boxes so everything matches and looks neat and organized. Some day I'll take pictures of my studio and post them.

Since I've been going through an exceedingly long "dry spell" creatively speaking, I found myself desperately seeking an idea or two for something to work on. I tried cutting out paper hearts to stitch together to make ornaments for my Christmas tree but wasn't in the mood to sew. I tried to roll out paper mache clay and cut it with a gingerbread man cookie cutter also to make ornaments for said tree but it didn't work the way I planned; too sticky. I just couldn't think of anything I felt like doing. I was so desperate to find something to do I started going through the supply boxes and found the oil pastels. I also found a Bamboo sketch pad that I hadn't tried yet. Now I had materials to work with so what was I going to do with them? Well, this is the first sketch.



This was the first sketch I made and I wasn't too terrible upset with it although I felt I could do better.


Then I did this one. I had to have a teddy in it for some reason. I'm not sure why. I wasn't too displeased with this but wasn't crazy about it either and I still wasn't loving the pastels. They're just too messy. They get on my hands and I leave smudges and I don't always like where they end up. Not all smudges are bad, you know?

Then I did this one.



Yes, I agree, it's just blah. Nothing to write home about but I'm not going to hide it as it's part of my experience with this enemy of mine. Then yesterday morning I did this next one.



Okay then, this is more like it! As always, my photography leaves a lot to be desired but it's close enough to what the real thing looks like to give you a general idea where this is going. In case you haven't figured it out, here's the sketch from this morning.



Now, this is more like it! Actually this is what I looked like this morning. The eyebrows ain't mine, I really don't have any that you'd notice, and the lips are much fuller, but still.....aren't there mornings when you wake up looking a little bit like this?

Okay, now you've seen what I've been doing the past three days. Do I like pastels any more than I did? I'm not sure. Do I hate them? Not really but I sure don't love them either. I am going to give them a chance and perhaps until I figure what I really want to do I'll keep playing with them. Since I've been using them to sketch on paper not intended for wet work I haven't been able to see how I'd like the water soluble aspect. Maybe that should be my next step.

I know that I said I was leaving the Practical Magic post up for the week ending in a drawing for the pencil sketch but since it's been awhile since I've received any comments on it I changed my mind about that. I'm still going to wait until noon on Saturday, October 1st to announce the winner.

How many of you buy art supplies and never use them? Or buy supplies that you're not sure you will like? Am I overly compulsive and suggestible and easily led into buying things I really don't want or need? Don't bother answering that last question cause I think I already know.

As always thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your day.

13 comments:

Heather said...

oh i love these oil pastel sketches ! my daughter loves using them! and I LOVE buying art supplies too _ i could spend all day and all of my $ in art stores!

Maggie said...

These are pretty good, Maddy. After I spoke to you on the phone, you had me convinced that you'd made a big mess. How you exaggerate!
I know what you mean about buying art supplies that you never use. Been there, done that... still doing that!

The Bear's Blog said...

Hi Miss Maddyrose,

Boy, you are one talented lady. The pastels are wonderful. The second to last scared me a little, but it's that time of the year you know.

Mom, buy art supplies? (Excuse me, I am getting up off the floor - I fell down cause I was laughing so hard I lost my balance.)

I'm recovered - okay, Mom, art, drawing, pastels, canvas, brushes - good choice - except for one - MOM. She can't paint, draw, sew, she's a klutz, first class, with 0 amount of talent.

Me - on the other hand - pure perfection. (o:

Heaps of Hugs
Prudence

Hugs to Bellamine & Wendy.

Kristin Dudish said...

It is so much fun to see your 2D work in addition to your 3D beauties! It doesn't look like they're your enemy at all... I wish my enemies treated me this well ;) hee hee

Make sure to grab yourself some heavier paper - I think the best part about water soluble oil pastels is adding water and painting with them!

I'll look forward to hearing if you like them better that way :)

xo
Kristin

p.s. Say 'hi' to Marlene for me - I've missed her (and Daisy updates too)!

yoborobo said...

I'm not a big fan of pastels, but you seem to be a natural at using them! I know some people use them to 'blush' their poly clay dolls, so maybe I'll try and find the ones I've had for 200 years and use them for that. ;) And I just buy too many art supplies. I doubt I will ever be able to use all of them! xox Pam

Dianie said...

Maddy,
I REALLY love every one of your drawings.You are very talented in everything you do :)
When I was little, my mom introduced me to oil pastels.. I didn't care for using them and only gave them one chance.
Now as an adult, if I ran across some at a yard sale, I would surely swoop them up and give them another try.

Oh yes, i do buy art supplies that I sometimes don't use. I just pack them away and figure I will need them someday.

Kays Kids said...

Hi Maddyrose,
My Granny has a box with art stuff in it from when she used to paint. She keeps telling me she will get back to it one day. One day, is taking a very long time to come.
Hugs Wilbur.

Jan said...

You may not like them but I'd say they like you. As I read your post, glancing at the portraits you presented until I got to the last two. I had to click on and look at them up close. these have real character, these have stories behind them. hey, have you considered writing as your next art direction? Might be a bit easier on your hands/wrists? Just a thought.

do I purchase art supplies even if I don't know if I'll use them? Yes, of course I do. But I'm not too bad about that, mostly I buy items from garage sales, used things, so I'm not spending much money. But they are waiting for the day when I need them. Living out in the boonies, I can't run in to the store every time I think I need a different color paint, a new set of pens, a yard of green fabric, a bottle of glue. So I gather and hoard.

Katy Cameron said...

Purchase things I don't know I'll use? Me? No, never... *ahem*

Looks like you've been having fun, if getting a little messy. I have some oil pastels that I use for shading the bears, and even the mess of that annoys me!

OmaLindasOldeBaggsandStuftShirts said...

Ya know what....I like the pastels and as someone else said....they like you too. I think they are lovely, each and every one.
As to the buying of arting things....well why do you think it has taken me months to redo the studio....the walls won't accomodate the art stuff and I just can't bear to part with it...so there's always the garage.
Oma Linda

Christel said...

Hi Maddy, I think the sketches turned out great! I too, dispise the oils..too messy, too sticky, too..just darn hard to work with for me..Chalk blends so nice and smoothly, but is also somewhat messy, and hard to contain..don't worry, practice makes perfect..and perhaps you will fall in love with them! xoxo Christel

Leola - Southshoreartist said...

For a person on the fence about liking pastels, you are pretty darn good! What I really like is how you do their eyes. :)... I find pastels really really difficult and admire anyone who can handle them.

I buy lots of art supplies...use them once or twice and give up! I seem to always go back to my paints.

Anonymous said...

Well for heavens sake, is their anything you can't do? For something you don't like, you sure do beautiful work with them. I wish so badly I were an artist but this gift just did not pass into my gene pool. I guess my line just has to suffer with all of this charm we posses. ;-) Sorry I am so behind, ny sweet friend. I just can't seen to keep current these days.