Mounting Paper on Wood

These panels were created so I could experiment with other media after I spray my chalk pastels with fixative. Often fixative will keep the piece from smudging, but it will alter the values and color, unfortunately. I'm trying out other media to decide what is the best way to work on top of the piece after fixative.

This one is called "Winter" and I used gouache and prismacolor pencils. This seems to be a good combination. You can purchase this mini-original in my store: click here.

 

A thank you to Kelly McKernan for her tutorial, which I used as a reference when creating this step-by-step guide. She follows up with how to varnish watercolor pieces and the post is definitely worth looking at. Click the image to see it larger or save it to your desktop.

My Next Tutorial?

I have a list of ideas for my next tutorial for my Tier 3 and up patrons Patreon. I'll be posting options Monday, the 11th at http://patreon.com/ashlylovett.  Until then, you can submit suggestions here or on my Facebook.

Demo Tutorial and Video and EDO

Here is a 60sec sneak peak of my 5min demo video that accompanies my 11 page Process PDF Tutorial. With this Tutorial I explain how to use chalk pastels and demonstrate my method with a step-by-step guide in creating a black and white portrait. This is my June reward for my patrons on Patreon.

Get all my tutorials, see in-depth blog posts for illustrations, and many other goodies by pledging Tier 3 for $11. Learn more at http://patreon.com/ashlylovett

This piece is titled "Fae" .It is a 4x6 chalk pastel piece on BFK Rives paper. It will be framed and matted and available at Every Day Original Sun., July 10th 11am EST. http://everydayoriginal.com

Every Day Original: Pan

4x6 chalk pastel on BFK RIves paper. Available on May 10th at EveryDayOriginal.com. Check out my Newsletter for the price and frame dimension details.

This was a good challenge for me. I normally like doing portraits with dark hair, because the face is framed nicely with all that dark contrast. With this one I really had to control the values of the skin. I also wanted to have Peter Pan dirty since he was such a wild child, which adds more to the challenge for the skin tone. The old black and white 1954 film Lord of the Flies was very helpful reference for that dirty mud child look. You may also notice that Peter's eye seems to be brighter than the rest of the illustration. With my greyscale pastels, I usually prefer to use cold grey colors. However, with the pupil I used a warm light grey to give it some extra life.

"To die would be an awfully big adventure."

My Reference Gallery:

David Bowie RIP

This piece had a few setbacks. First I ran out of my Sennelier red pastel. I usually prefer to use Prismacolor nupastels because they are nontoxic, but their red pastel is so hard you could fashion a shank with it. I had to reorder my supplies over the internet. Nonetheless, this piece is complete and it feels good to have finished it. I had also a time lapse planned for you guys, but my iphone ran out of space 10 seconds into the video. Didn't realize till it was too late. Had too many Christmas pictures...Lesson learned.

Ultimately I hope my David Bowie fans enjoy this tribute. "Space Oddity" is one of my favorite Bowie songs and it was a pleasure commemorating his work. 11x14 chalk pastel on BFK Rives paper.

AshlyLovett-Bowie.jpg

2015 Run Down!

Happy New Year!

I have a lot of goals this year:
  • Post more process videos
  • Start a Patreon account
  • Exhibit in galleries on my A List
  • Improve my fan base/following
  • Grow my client list
  • Continue to get work into annuals.  *fingers crossed*
  • Sell an illustration to Guillermo Del Toro...very specific, but I'm determined!

Here is a recap of 2015. I tried my best to keep it in chronological order. It's funny how "dark" it gets towards the end of the year. I've definitely embraced the fantasy/horror genre.