"Winter Ruffles" pastel painting

The model, a posterized iPhone photograph.

"Winter Ruffles"
Step-by-step pastel painting demo

This demonstration, the first of the semester, lays out the basic procedural steps. The model is one of my many digital photos of the decorative cabbages that grace my neighborhood in winter. It has a nice flow of light and dark values, with great color and motion.

See more cabbage photos here:
"Of Cabbages and Things" Photography Series

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Block in the big shapes and values.

Establish the darkest areas, start refining shapes.

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Continue with darks, start refining sub-shapes.

Develop mid-tones, edges, smaller shapes.

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The fine tuning ... edges, textures, flourishes, highlights, and a few sharp details.

"Winter Ruffles" (Pastel painting, 12"x16")