Shauna Southam Demonstration

Shauna demonstrated her pastel portrait techniques on Thursday the 4th and we all learned something and were impressed by her style and communication. See below for some ad hoc notes I made.

• Using Canson paper.
• Put 6 extra paper sheets behind surface to give a bounce.
• Prefers Unison pastels.
• Start with hard pastels and move to soft later.
• Important to get initial composition, 'Draw the egg', remember the facial proportion guides.
• Can 'cheat' and use or trace photos.
• Blending not as good as cross hatching over previous (perhaps complementary) colours.
• Stand back to compare, use a mirror, half close eyes for contrast comparison.
• Position of light important, this was like Vermeer's 'girl with pearl earring'.
• Teeth difficult, use bluish grey, with one or two highlights.
• Same for eyes.
• Different colours in shadows, greens blues violet.
• Use flesh cols 2nd to last, lastly use whites, highlights but don't overdo.