Gloria J Zucaro's "Try It, You'll Like It"

Here is Number 15 in my series.  This week I tried some new techniques for me.  I have been using a thinner non-sanded paper for my series of tree paintings.  Today I decided to use Wallis sanded paper.

I wanted to use a heavier paper and one with more tooth because I was going to block in with my pastels and then use a large paintbrush and water to create an under-painting.  I used my NuPastel bright orange for the sky area and then a dark teal soft pastel(Unison, I believe) for the tree and main landscape areas.  I also used a light aqua soft pastel for the water.  Then I went to the studio clean-up sink and wet my 2" house painting brush with cold water.  I danced it around the tree and in the land. Rinsed my brush, then I did a smoother straight-line stroke across the water area.   Rinsed and did slanted bottom-side and up to the outer corner, strokes over the sky.  I didn't put too much water and painted with the paper flat.  All the pastel remained quite bright.  I had forgotten to tape the paper down because it is in a tablet form.  That meant as it dried it became quite wavy/undulating at first.  But as it continued to dry it straightened out again...Live & learn! :)  I started adding soft pastels over the top of the now dry but lumpy surface.  It was a little difficult to get a flat broad stroke, but eventually after smoothing some of the scratch marks made by the edges of my Terry Ludwig rectangular pastels, it all pulled together.  As usual I thought by looking at my color wheel and choosing a palette of Blue-Green & Red-Orange that is what I would do.  But also as usual I ended up using all kinds of  pinks, burgundy, violet, blues, some greens!!!  I can't seem to restrain myself and stick to a very limited color palette.

Here is the color wheel I was using and some of the pastels.  The soft pastels are in my Plein air box and are the ones I took with me on Saturday for the Plein air demo and paint-out.  To see that post click here.

This is my post for Paint Party Friday.  Please visit the site hosted by Kristen & Eva and see what about 80 different artists have been doing in all different mediums this week.

Have a wonderful week, Gloria