Comments on: Chris Ivers on Scaling Up And Painting The Dark Side in Pastel

By: Gail Sibley

Gail Sibley — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 19:09:48 +0000

In reply to Christine Robinson. That's wonderful to hear Christine! Have fun with your trattoria night scene :-)

By: Christine Robinson

Christine Robinson — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 00:49:38 +0000

Brilliant! I’m so excited to learn this technique of sizing up. I’ve got a beautiful night shot of a local trattoria that I’ve been dying to paint but didn’t know how. It has lots of darks with red and then the light.

Thank you so much for sharing this technique.

By: Gail Sibley

Gail Sibley — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 05:41:49 +0000

In reply to Sharon Haney. I hear you Sharon about the time (and energy!) spent gridding up with rectangles. All that dang measuring!! So yeah, I knew it was needed hah hah. Thank you so much for your kind words about my blog. Love the image of you reading it with a morning cup a joe!

By: Gail Sibley

Gail Sibley — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 05:39:47 +0000

In reply to Curtis Eley.

Thanks Curtis for such a great comment! And that you found so much in Chris’s post helpful. Colour Temperature is a term thrown about and I agree, it was good to read a practical way to see warms and cools. Really everything is relative be it temperature, intensity of value!
I’ll leave Chris to answer your question about getting a good photo of a nocturne painting.

By: Gail Sibley

Gail Sibley — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 05:37:18 +0000

In reply to Cheryl Swarthout. Cheryl I am delighted that you found Chris's post so useful, both the gridding and her process of applying the pastels! It's always wonderful when a teacher's words really reach another's ears, and head, and heart!

By: Gail Sibley

Gail Sibley — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 05:30:09 +0000

In reply to Ruth Burley. Thanks Ruth! I'll hand your question over to Chris who can perhaps tell us a bit about how she frames her work.

By: Sharon Haney

Sharon Haney — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 12:53:32 +0000

I have been laboriously measuring squares when drawing larger paintings from small photos and it has been so time consuming. This blog is just what I needed, how did you know? So many good tips. Your blog is my favorite art read in mornings with a good cuppa coffee. Thanks so much.

By: Curtis Eley

Curtis Eley — Sun, 25 Mar 2018 15:37:19 +0000

I absolutely loved this. I like her way of gridding the paper and the reference photo….! Also I like her response to the question of color temperature….about ‘squinting’ and the comparing the sticks….then the marks. I have always love her nocturnes and have one of her videos….! My problem sometimes comes from photographing the finished painting…..! Even if I’m satisfied with the painting, It can be very difficult to get a good photo, afterward to post or to submit……would like to know more about that……

By: Cheryl Swarthout

Cheryl Swarthout — Sat, 24 Mar 2018 21:51:19 +0000

Very helpful post. I am a new pastel artist, and the many visuals were so important in letting me grasp Chris’s directions easily. I also liked her comments about the order in which she applies her pastels. I’ve read lots of other approaches, but hers seems to make the most sense to me. I will borrow her approach next time and try to keep her warm/cool advice at the top of my mind. Thank you both for such good content.

By: Ruth Burley

Ruth Burley — Sat, 24 Mar 2018 12:52:10 +0000

Well, everything I wanted to say has already been said. I had the same questions and was happy to be able to read the answers! I am wow’d by Chris’ work and her simple grid method. I did one painting with a measured grid, but I can see how Chris’ grid would provide more clarity on perspective as well. I have one question about the framing. After “whacking,” which I do as well, I think I can assume that Chris puts it behind glass….but I wasn’t sure since it wasn’t mentioned. I would appreciate a little clarification on that. Love those night scenes!!!