Illuminated pastel sticks
Think of the
wall of a house painted one color – flat.
Now imagine the
sky just after sunset. You can see the colors in the air – there's a
sense of space.
We can get this
sense of space by using illuminated colors.
Here is how:
1.
Pick out two colors of the same value. For those who want an
example, I used Terry Ludwig's dark green G520 and dark red R170X. This
made a stunning, glowing shadow color.
2.
Crush each color separately into pieces like small cracked pepper. Do not
turn it all into powder or leave in pieces larger than a grain of
quinoa. I put the stick in a fold of paper and roll a rolling pin
over it. Open the paper and rearrange the pieces in a thin flat layer to
expose the remaining larger pieces to further crushing. Fold paper and roll
again until stick is crushed evenly. Repeat same operation with second
color in a separate paper.
3.
When both are crushed evenly combine them by gently stirring them together on a
pile of 3 or more paper towels. Spray with water in a mist, gently
folding the particles over and over inside the towels until all particles are
wet – not soaking.
4.
Bring the paper towel over the moist particles and push them together,
including all the bits stuck to the paper towel. Do not knead the colors
into a lump. To succeed with illuminated colors, the colors of the
particles must remain distinct. Firmly press them
together.
5.
Form into a stubby stick, 3/4" in diameter. Be careful there
are no wrinkles, cracks or spaces in the stick. The nature of these
sticks is weaker than regular pastels, they cannot be made too thin or they
will break when you use them.
6.
Set the stick aside to dry. If you like to use a dehydrator let them sit
for 24 hours first. The particles need time for the binding agents to interact
with each other while still wet to form new bonds. They are dry when no
longer cool to the touch, like laundry.
The procedure is
simple, but choosing exactly the right color is very tricky. It took me
10 years to suddenly realize the power of my illuminated colors when correctly
matched. Certain combinations fall flat and others are fabulous.
Stay tuned here for
some recipes for specific illuminated sticks that will amaze your eyes.
If you have
colors in your studio that were disappointing and you haven’t been using them,
post the brand and color number on my facebook and I’ll do my best to make you
a custom recipe!
Coming soon:
Making your own
set of Illuminated colors.
Learning about
values
Recipes with 3
or 4 colors
My first successful illuminated stick was made of two blues. Mid-value ultramarine and same value pthalo blue. These two blues, warm and cool, made a lovely, radiant blue. If these two colors were mixed together in the usual way they would make a grayed blue.
ReplyDeleteI am very excited about learning all about your methods. We met @ IAPS ! I am the crazy Canadian girl! Hope to meet you and chat again one fine day.
ReplyDeleteFor those who consider broken pastel a loss, you can use my illuminated stick recipe to reform the stick. you do not have to keep the particle size, but grind to fine powder, moisten to a clay-like consistency, roll and let dry.
ReplyDeleteWhen you wet and roll pastel you must tet it completely dry. Pastel sticks are weak until they have dried because the binder doesn't reset while damp. they take a week to 10 days to dry in temperate weather. They are cool to the touch, like laundry, while still wet
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ReplyDeleteHi there Kitty, my name is Kelly and I am just starting out in plein air using soft pastels and you wonderful Wallis paper. This paper has been recommended by a most impressive pastelist, Kim Lordier. I am so eager to learn, but you paper seems to be sold out everywhere. Do you have any idea on when you will be making it again. Hope you are ok and just busy with wonderful art things. Thank you ever so kindly.
ReplyDeleteI can hardly wait to try this with 2 or more pastels! For years I have saved the pastel dust that falls to the ledge of my easel. When the piece -usually a large portrait and always on Wallis pastel paper- I put the dust in a small jar and later make new sticks. They are always in the mid value range and a wonderful grayed down neutral. A very rich color showing little specks of pure color - whatever was in the portrait. Amazingly, it is not mud and tends to work with everything! I smile as I feel I have saved as much of my pastel as possible.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in your pastel making class, where do I sign up?
ReplyDeleteI am interested in your pastel making class, where do I sign up?
ReplyDeleteI am interested in your pastel making class, where do I sign up?
ReplyDeleteInteresting idea for making the colores, I've done some but usually just from my dust. What I really need to know right now is is your brand of pastel paper still available? if so where?
ReplyDelete