Back to art school Jan 2011: working from a compressed charcoal ground

The class returned to pastel painting for a new 10 week improvers programme. This week we welcomed two new faces, June and Jean, to the group and they settled in really well. On this first week we started a project working on a dense black ground using compressed charcoal then working colours into the ground in layers. All blending is done with the pastels (not fingers or torchons). The diversity and quality is fantastic from all the group, who are responding well to this organic technique. Here are the startling results that will be developed next week showing the full picture and a detail:

Janice's still life

Detail: wonderful close colours and variety of marks.

Ann's Cutty Sark study

Detail: lovely abstract qualities 

Jean's study after Hopper

Detail: wonderfully abstract with interesting palette emerging

Anne's study after Monet

Detail: great use of bold marks creating 'high-emotion' surface

Moira's study after Spencer

Detail: good subtle colour, great intimacy and quirkiness 

Val's study of a goat in a field

Detail: excellent broken colour, very interesting surface qualities

Frank's study after Cornish

Detail: really interesting subdued colour, surprising silver quality

Mary's landscape study

Detail: beautiful deep colours coming out of the black

Rose's study after Van Gogh

Detail: wonderful moody colours, very atmospheric