Unanswered Active Topics Forums Search

You are not authorized to post a reply.
Author Messages Oldest First Newest First jjjbird Posts:89 01/17/2008 5:30 PM Alert  Here is my attempt at a Big Cat with my new pastels. I like the photo because of the contrast of the snowy mountains in the background, yet the cat is in a nice green mountain side. Jay Jim Posts:2268 01/17/2008 8:15 PM Alert  You are coming along very well Jay. The head seems a little small for the body though. Your colors and tonal qualities are improving. Jim www.paintingsbyjim.com All the best, Jim www.paintingsbyjim.com jjjbird Posts:89 01/17/2008 8:54 PM Alert  Thanks Jim, I didn't even notice that until you mentioned it. Thanks for the compliment on the tones, that's what I've really been working on. I still could have used a little more highlights on it like Mike has indicated in the past. Thanks again. Jay mikec@pols Posts:791 01/19/2008 4:57 PM Alert  Nice work, Jay! You've handled the depth of the background very well. The detail in the foreground is also very well done! The cat looks a little flat, but I can see improvement in the variation of values in him. Just a little more attention to shadows and detail in the fur (animal fur is hard to do!) and he will look great. I think you also need to look at his face and see if you think the perspective is skewed... Very good work! Mike "You either grow or regress...nothing stays the same...." (unknown) "A man may fall several times in life, but he is not a failure until he says that he was pushed..." www.portraitsoflifestudio.com jjjbird Posts:89 01/19/2008 5:45 PM Alert  Hi Mike, thanks again for your comment. The bridge of the nose area looks a little off. I did notice that, but I was affraid to try and fix it. I did this cat before I seen the one you was working on. I need to still darken some of the areas to make it "pop" a little more. You are correct about the animal fur, especially with pastel. Do they make any type of sharpener for pastels? It's kind of difficult to do the animal hair with round, blunt edges. Thanks again. Jay mikec@pols Posts:791 01/20/2008 7:55 AM Alert  Hi, Jay, I use a piece of sandpaper (80-150 grit, not too coarse) or a piece of wire mesh (screen) formed over a can to sharpen my sticks, but I've found that pastel pencils work the best for fine details( Carb-othello are my favorite, like butter!). They don't last long and are pricey, but well worth the cost if you're going to do alot of deatil. And, if you weigh the loss of sticks from sharpening, it comes out about even! Remember that when you sharpen a stick that you are not trying to bring the stick to a point like a pencil. You just want it flat on one end so that you can use the corners or edges...otherwise you will lose a tremendous amount of stick if you try and sharpen it to a point. I'm sure that you knew this, I just think that some people think that they need a point on the end of the stick to get smaller lines from it and that wastes alot of stick! i'm glad that you recognized the nose on the cat. If you use an art gum eraser you can pull/pick pastel off of the paper instead of rubbing. This way you can get enough off without disturbing the surface of the paper. Then just go back in and lfix what you need to. Fear can make or break a piece. I understand not wanting to mess it up, but if you know that it looks wrong, it's worth trying. You have a lot of talent and your work is very good. Don't be afraid to make mistakes or correct them, that is how one learns. We all make mistakes, some of us just don't have the nerve to put them up for critique! Keep iup the good work, Jay! I enjoy viewing your art... Mike "You either grow or regress...nothing stays the same...." (unknown) "A man may fall several times in life, but he is not a failure until he says that he was pushed..." www.portraitsoflifestudio.com jjjbird Posts:89 01/20/2008 10:42 AM Alert  Thanks again Mike, I'm going to check out those pencils today. I have a cheaper set, but I can't use them very much because they won't stick to pastel I laid out on the paper. I will fix that cat one day, but the work I'm doing now, since joining the forum, seems so much better that I can't wait to get back to it. I think you will see a big difference in the values and shaddowing in  the next pieces I send out.  Gotta get back to the dust! Jay gene Posts:1236 01/20/2008 1:44 PM Alert  Jay, what stood out for me was the shape of the bone on the animal's right leg. I don't know much about anatomy, but that upper bone looks way off to me. Am I wrong? Correct me if I am wrong. By the way, I think you will like the Carbo Othello pencils. I sharpen mine with a knife, just cutting off the wood around the actual pastel. I don't feel that I lose too terribly much that way. If I want a really pointed end, I just barely stick the piece into a little hand-held sharpener, and then, barely touching the piece to the blade, just circle it around until I get a point on the end. Good luck..............Gene jjjbird Posts:89 01/20/2008 5:06 PM Alert  Hi Gene. I looked at the photo and it looks pretty close. He looks like he has his leg off the ground, just getting ready to take another step. I was hard to tell because of all the grass in weeds he was walking in. I probably could has used more shaddowing to make it come out better in that area. I'm glad you are taking an interest in helping me Gene. What I learn from here I take it to the basement and working into the piece I'm working on. Thanks again. Jay
You are not authorized to post a reply.	Join the Discussion --Artists Network forums FAQs --Forum News --Welcome Wagon --Tech Talk --Creativity Corner --Events & Competitions --Business Matters --Artists' Lounge --Desperately Seeking Art Gallery/Topic by Medium --All-Media Paint-Off --Acrylic --Digital Art --Drawing --Illustrations, Cartoons, Comics & Manga --Mixed Media & Collage --Oil --Oil Pastel --Pastel --Watercolor & Gouache --Colored Pencil Registered User Opportunities --Art Clinic --Ask the Experts
Forums > Gallery/Topic by Medium > Pastel > Big Cat

ActiveForums 3.6