Pastel painting is enjoyable!

Landscape, pastel.
Status: Sold

I'm gradually discovering the magic of pastel painting. I've had a large box of oil pastels from years. Occasionally, I had tried using it, but not for long. Then one day I bought a book of pastel papers by Fabriano. And the wheel started spinning.

From vague sketches, I have graduated to detailed drawings, and then to paintings.

The most arresting feature, apart from the high saturation of the color of pastels, is the texture that goes with the application of pastels. Is it only me who is so hung up on texture? The whole premise of pastels is texture of the ground. No texture, no pastels. It is the ground that holds the loose particles of the color, and then a binding agent is applied when the work is completed.

The fascinating feature is also the different qualities of oil pastels as compared to soft pastels. Using soft pastel is like applying butter to paper. It is also like skating on smooth ice, isn't it? The painting gets done fast, and one needs to distrbute the colors and then fix it.

Usage of oil pastels requires a little bit more of pressure from the fingers than in soft pastels. But the effect is so amazing. And if I use smaller size paper, I finish quickly and get a new painting in a few hours. How about that. I can finish 2 pictures in a day. Isn't that great? There is such a sense of accomplishment when I am able to do that.

One of the important aspects of a pastel painting is to store, display or preserve it in the correct way. That means, it should be fixed. Fixing the colors is good for keeping the work appear the same as it was in the beginning. After the fixative has dried, the next step should be to keep it framed. It is the best way to enjoy a piece of art.

After all, isn't a thing of beauty a joy forever? And, when the thing of beauty can be seen on the wall, what more does one want to make a day beautiful and happy?

Beauty of Santa Barbara

I've been thinking about art a lot, for some time now. I've been keeping an eye on the kinds of art that is on show in Santa Barbara, the competitions and exhibitions that are organized from time to time, the number of participants, the kind of responses these get.

One of the major drawbacks I feel here is the absence of large sized galleries. Due to the architectural requirements of the city, the buildings are not allowed to be higher than a certain height, and expansions and additions to buildings are discouraged and if done at all, severely restricted. The main aim of this actions is to maintain the beauty and exclusivity of the city, not to allow modern influences transgress the lifestyle, and urbanization overtake the sleepiness of the area.

All that is in good faith, and that has served to preserve the basic structure of the city in decades. The price of hosuing and rentals is very high, and for this reason, the number of commuters to Santa Barbara is much more than its current residents. People who work here prefer to stay in a less expensive place, and then drive to work. And that has resulted in the large number of vehicles on the roads during office hours.