Surprising Art Materials

Two new studies 

give me the opportunity 

to discuss materials.

Simplicity - pastel - Leslie Snider

In this first example I used automotive sand paper

along with my usual array of pastels,

the workhorses semi-hard

 (Nupastel and Rembrandt)

as well as soft pastels 

(Richeson, Sennelier, Schminke).

The auto sandpaper is inexpensive 

and works in a very similar manner

to the more expensive art sandpapers,

 it holds the soft pastel,

 allows for layering.

It is without the annoyance 

of the machine textured surface 

of some art papers. 

It's waterproof and durable,

great for sketching

Some might be concerned about longevity.

(I'm not!) 

Complexity - pastel - Leslie Snider

In this second example 

I used Richeson sanded paper 

(shale colour).

It is a pleasure to work with 

and has a few advantages,

larger size,

the ability to accept many layers.

It is difficult to see here 

but the second example

has a wider ranger

 of texture and detail.

Both papers have their uses 

and both are favourites.

I use other papers,

have and will discuss them

when relevant.

Finally a word about pastel storage.

As much as I admire 

those posh pochade boxes

I couldn't possibly be that organized!

But impressive isn't it!

Here's how I really work!

 Sushi trays stacked one on top of the other. 

They are cheap, disposable and easy to keep clean.

I have my favourite greens, blues, etc. 

on top as am too impatient 

to be constantly checking 

out the whole box.

If I need a variation 

I check the next layer down.

The colours I used for these pastels is on top.

Sushi Tray Storage

Hope this has been helpful

 or at least an interesting divergence!