https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/avocado-drawing • Posted by Chris
For this project I decided to use PanPastels to do a study rather than a complete painting as an opportunity to practice blending and mixing the PanPastel colours. Using an avocado as a subject gave me the opportunity to use most of the colours that I had in the basic 7 colour palette.
My materials consisted of 2 sheets of pastel paper, a black pastel pencil, my 7 colour palette of pigments, a painting knife with sponge covers (the no. 1 round and the no. 4 point) and some kitchen paper towel for cleaning the sponge covers and pans.
I first set up a simple still life of an avocado and knife on a sheet of grey pastel paper. On my second sheet of the same colour I first drew an outline using the black pastel pencil. I could have also used a graphite pencil or a charcoal pencil.
The next step is to apply the colour and start painting in pastel. To apply the pastel pigments wipe the painting knife with the sponge cover across the pan of colour 2 or 3 times to pick up some pigment and then apply it straight to the paper. If mixing colours wipe the knife over both colours and mix by blending together as you apply it to the area of the painting on which you are working. Clean the applicator as you work by rubbing it across the kitchen towel. You can also use the paper towel to clean off the pans. You can use a flat piece of kitchen towel or I have also seen someone using the roll and tearing off pieces as they become dirty.
The first colour I used was the Hansa Yellow to paint over the entire form of the avocado leaving a couple of small areas of the paper showing through on which to add highlights later on. For large areas I used the sponge cover with the rounded tip and then when moving onto smaller areas or those with more detail I changed it for the pointed tip.
For the green areas of the avocado I mixed the Hansa Yellow with Ultramarine Blue.
I picked up equal amounts of pigment onto the knife to start with and blended it together in the areas where needed on the paper. I added touches of more yellow or blue as needed to adjust the colour until I got the green I wanted.
For the warm tones on the avocado I used the Diarylide Yellow and blended that over the yellow in the areas where I could see that colouring on the avocado. In some areas I added a touch of the Permanent Red and blended it in with the orange.
Next for the shadowed areas I used Paynes Grey. When this is blended in the colour already down some of the pigment mixes in with the grey and puts a little colour into the shadows. More colour is in the underside of the avocado to indicate reflected light from the paper underneath.
I painted the knife with the Titanium White and again Paynes Grey for the shadows. The blade is Titanium White and Paynes Grey. There is some of the green on the blade to indicate the reflection of the avocado.
For all the cast shadows I used Paynes Grey and then finally I painted on a couple of streaks of the white onto the highlights of the avocado.