We repeat the same color blends but now use the side of the pastel sticks. The paper is gray La Carte paper. This ¼ size piece is perfect for these strokes. Be bold in your stokes.

Goal: Learn to make more expressive strokes. Again, if you pastel crumbles, get a new piece.

Demonstration!

Why side strokes?

Answer: By using the sides we keep the surface painterly and avoid the distraction of fussy details and overworking the composition. On finished paintings, I add detail to the center of interest that blends in with the rest of the work. I also blend areas that eliminate the strokes, especially for a soft backgrounds.

This can also be used on an otherwise "dead" area to enliven it

Note: In a single painting I will use several types of strokes for visual variety.

Tip:

Keep alternating the direction of the stroke to add interest to areas.

Add yellow/orange, yellow, and light yellow to the top of the earth tone column

Don’t worry about fingerprints on your paper: they are better than a signature!

If you must try and remove a mark, try a stiff brush followed by a kneaded eraser. It’s probably better to fix the surface and add a new layer of pastel