Leaf #9- Using Pan Pastels

I am about to teach a class called" PanPastels: Everything but the Kitchen Sink" and to prepare for it I have been experimenting with them. As I have stated in various other blog posts about PanPastels…. I love them. They are the perfect solution when you want to use pastels, but do not like the mess and dust of regular pastels. For this Tulip Tree Leaf I started by putting down a heavy layer of gouache on Fabriano watercolor paper.  I mixed the gouache so that it was the basic color of the leaf; a dingy olive/yellow green. I made sure that the pencil lines were dark enough so that the veins would come through the gouache after it was dry. Then I took the PanPastels and began to layer and "sculpt" the form of the undulation of the leaf. I used different colors to make the leaf look as it did…… decaying. The colors and textures of the leaf were really beautiful. After I got the majority of the form and color onto the paper I then switched to color pencil and did the fine details. This is why the class is called "PanPastels and Everything but the Kitchen Sink". Obviously I am not a purist. This would never fly in some circles but I actually like what has happened here and I am planning on doing a whole bunch more!

If you are interested in taking the upcoming classes with me, go to the workshop section of this site for more information and dates.

If you would like to purchase PanPastels they come in 80 colors and can be ordered at Dick Blick.com

The leaf is available for purchase in my Etsy Shop.