The brilliance of pastels can be captivating when first picked up. The oil pastel crayon is an excellent canvas for exploring depth and dimension, as colors interact dynamically to create space. Have you stood before a pastel painting and felt like you could enter the landscape? Technique and intuition are needed to achieve such an effect. Let’s explore how pastels can become windows into vibrant worlds.
Imagine the last sunset or painting where the colors seemed to jump out of the sky or if the eyes followed you around the room. We build depth in pastel painting through layering, color choice, and magic tricks. Our layering strategy is first. Unlike other mediums, pastel paints combine direct and indirect methods. We build up from lighter to bolder, darker tints. The base set by this process reflects light through the layers, giving our piece that luminous depth we love.
Our following method is color selection. Have you heard “cool colors recede, warm colors advance”? Like picking play characters, each sets the scene. Cool colors like blues and greens might recede portions of your artwork. Warm colors like reds and yellows highlight features. As a director prepares a scene, we intentionally place these hues to guide the viewer through the artwork.
Contrasts are important. High-contrast sections draw attention to focal spots. If you picture a dark, foreboding rock face against a bright, stormy sky, doesn’t it seem to jut out? We discreetly direct the viewer’s attention by creating higher contrasts where we wish to emphasize.
What about the gentler details? This is when careful mixing comes in. Pastels are ideal for subtle light and shadow transitions. We produce a more rounded, three-dimensional look by gradually merging color edges, making objects appear to be gently curving away from the spectator and disappearing into the distance. How a smudge can add so much richness is fascinating.