The Experiment

Some of you may know that I have been on a quest to find a way to create a pastel painting that does not need to be framed under glass. My latest experiment has yielded results that I am actually happy with! I think this could work!

Boulder (Acadia) mixed media on canvas (soft & oil pastel, pastel pencil). Unframed! 10 x 8.

After a totally failed attempt spraying an acrylic medium mixture onto the pastel painted canvas using a pressurized air can, I had an idea. I started combining oil pastel with soft pastel on canvas. Total play.

Experiment #1 on canvas

• Underpainting: Soft pastel, rub in, paint down with alcohol.

• Second layer: oil pastel • Abandon

Experiment #2 on canvas

• Underpainting: Oil pastel. Leave left side as is. Paint down right side with turpentine.

• Second layer: soft pastel

• Spray with workable fixative • Abandon

Experiment #3 on canvas (completed)

• Prime canvas with Colourfix Pastel Primer (to add grit)

• Underpainting: soft pastel with alcohol

• Second layer: more soft pastel

• Spectra pastel fixative - light coat

• Introduce oil pastel and work back & forth with both: blending, rubbing, scumbling,

pressing, The oil pastel has a way of gripping the soft.

• Add pastel pencil for some edges

• Finish with several light coats of Sennelier Oil Pastel Fixatif

• Fixative caused some darkening so added a few highlights with oil pastel and pressed into painting.