Bad weather, soft pastel on paper, 2172 x 2572" (55 x 65 cm) In 2008 I spent two weeks in the Alps with a group of paragliders. I was a photographer on that amazing trip, taking photos of the brave men flying above the mountains and of the nature around us. I was so impressed with all the beautiful places. I still keep those landscapes in my head and in my heart. Some days the weather wasn't suitable for flying, like this day depicted in my painting. It is also one of my works that I made with my left hand.
If I want a lot of layers, and a mix of stumping and strokes, I use sanded paper. If I want softness or sketch-like techniques, I use normal pastel paper. For the first layers I always use extra soft pastels to cover the entire surface and stump my colors into a watercolor-like cloud. For the next layers I use soft pastel and hard pastel sticks to specify the details. For some works I use a limited color palette, and for others a wide scale.
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MESOZOIC MAIL
Mike, I received the latest issue of Prehistoric Times today. My family teases me that I get such a kick out of the fact that “the dinosaur magazine” has arrived in the mail. Thanks for doing what you do. It is a great distraction from other things that occupy us at the moment. Stay well, Tony Escobedo, Springfield, VA Thanks Tony, Ha, you think YOUR family teases you - I publish the dinosaur magazine! - editor
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