Jessica Crabtree

This isn’t exactly an art tip – but it’s useful for photographers, researchers, or even artists like me who use a lot of reference photos. (Really I’m a pack rat for good photos and I almost never delete them once I save a copy.) If you’re using a photo from the internet as a reference for an artwork, you of course need to pay attention to the rights status of the work, and always contact the creator for permission if in doubt. But what happens to that stash of saved pictures stored on your PC?

An easy way to keep track of the photo’s source once you’ve saved a copy is to use the “Details” fields in photo properties. This will allow you to enter an author, date, and other pertinent information, so you will never be in doubt months down the line, wondering where you got that photo, left trying to track it down to find the author. I make a habit of copy + pasting the source URL in the photo’s “Description” when I save it, so as long as the original is still online I can visit the source for information.

One great thing about this is that the information will stick to the photo wherever it goes – whether it stays in “My Photos” folder, or whether I share it on my Blog. Just be sure to enter the info as soon as you download it – that way you won’t have to remember later.

These days there are lots of photo resources available in the public domain, and also with various Creative Commons licenses that are free to use with certain stipulations, such as author credits. If you decide to store these pieces for later reference, it’s a good idea to sort them – e.g., keep a “Public Domain” folder, a separate “Creative Commons” folder, and one for protected pieces you have permission to use.

Please remember to respect the rights of other artists in using their works, whether online or otherwise. Attribute photographic works wherever possible to help ensure continuity of information.

See more info on public domain works and intellectual property rights in my post series Artists and Copyright Law.

HELP! A bit of eraser debris got caught in the point of my pencil and left a black mark on my drawing. What do I do next?

First of all, if you erase often, be sure to clean your paper surface frequently by blowing or gently brushing to avoid this problem.

But if you are faced with the infamous black blotch that embeds itself into your paper (invariably in the most conspicuous part of the picture) and won’t erase, the most important thing is to leave it alone. DO NOT RUB IT! Erasing it harder, or trying to scratch it out, will only make it more permanent.

Here’s a quick solution: Grab some tape – a small piece of scotch tape or packing tape will do – and fold it sticky-side-out, just small enough to target the obnoxious black spot. Press it on and lift it out. You may have to repeat a couple of times, but this works far better than even a kneaded eraser and won’t cause wear on your paper.

Clean the area of debris and get back to work, your drawing one less casualty of the dreaded “eraser-dust blemish.”

Pastels over printouts

Here’s something interesting to try for those of you working from a reference picture.

Using an image or photo of your choice, make a printed copy on regular office paper and use it as a guide to paint over using pastels. Treat it as a pre-existing line drawing; if it is a grayscale print, think of it as a sophisticated coloring book page giving you a blank check to create the color and feel of the picture, without having to worry about composition. If the print is in color, it can become a challenging exercise in matching the shading and and texture of the original. For a little variety, you might want to try using textured or colored paper for your print.

This is an easy, creative and adventurous way of becoming familiar with your next subject photo. It’s also a very good method for newbies who are just getting the feel of chalk, or as a fun art project for kids. And with the cost of your canvas at next to nothing, it’s easy to let the imagination (and fingers!) run free without stressing out over perfection. It even has potential as a mixed-media application. Just remember before you invest any major effort into it that standard copy paper is NOT acid-free – be sure to use archival-quality material for any serious artwork project.

Writers get it…even the best of them. And so do artists.

It happens when you sit down to work, facing a stark white, hopelessly blank page, looming larger and more intimidating by the minute. It can scare the life out of you (not to mention costing valuable work time).

Whether you’re in need of some last-minute inspiration, or just trying to muster some creative juices, there’s no sure-fire way to overcome the blank page jitters. But why not make it a little easier on yourself? Try starting up with a colored page (or canvas) – anything but white. Better yet, go with something that already has a pattern or texture. Seeing a little activity on the page from the get-go is a good jump start to your creativity.

Q: What’s the difference between an ebony pencil and a regular graphite pencil?

A: Ebony pencils are made with a combination of soft graphite & carbon.

Q: What’s the advantage of using an ebony pencil?

A: Several reasons to love ebony pencils:

1. The carbon mixture allows you to create an extremely smooth finish – it blends very well with few inconsistencies
2. It can achieve a darker tone than any other pencil (and for artists who are forever seeking out those elusive “darkest darks” this is a real bonus)
3. You can use less pressure by applying the ebony in smooth layers almost indefinitely, and in doing so spare your paper longer
4. Its versatility makes it a good candidate for a one-pencil project, so it’s also a very good choice for artists on the go

Q: Are ebony pencils expensive?

A: Fortunately no – they range from a few cents to a few dollars a piece. The most common brands are made by Sanford and Prismacolor. You can find them most places drawing supplies are sold.

Considering the kind of amazing results you can get from such a simple tool, it certainly offers the most bang for your buck of any medium. Pick one up and give it a try – what’s to lose? You might be surprised at what you can achieve.

Blending, layering, & texture

When it comes to pastel on suede, there’s one thing I’d emphasize more than any other – BASE COAT. It’s the one technique that exploits all the potential and flexibility that pastels have to offer.

Base coating, as I mentioned before, accomplishes three things:
a) it primes the surface of the suede, making the chalk easier to blend
b) it keeps the suede from showing through
c) it adds rich undertones that enhance the coloring

Think of your picture as a landscape laid out in three parts – shadow, highlight, and undertones (dividing it mentally this way makes it easier to map out your project). We work from darkest to lightest using the base coat technique:

1. Find the darkest areas – the areas with deepest shadows and strongest contrasts. The base coat in these places will be black. (Don’t worry if black is not meant to be the final color – it can be covered later.)
2. Find the main colored areas (e.g., the flesh in a portrait, or the fur of an animal) and choose a couple of base colors – no more than two or three at the most – to serve as a foundation. It’s good to choose a soft pastel with heavy pigment, because it will lose some of intensity when worked into the suede, and once again you’ll want to use the richness of tone to your advantage.

   For portraits, I base coat most of the face with brilliant red ochre. The subject starts out looking a little like a jack-o’-lantern, but it works!

Left: Comanche Boy in the awkward half-way stage.


3. Find the brightest areas – the most intense highlights and the places with lightest pigment. Leave these blank at first. Bright whites and similar colors are most radiant the less you fuss with them – and the lighter the chalk, the harder it is to blend. Besides, saving the light areas for last ensures that they won’t collect other pigments while you work. (For more tips on working with light chalks, see my other posts in the Artist’s Tip Bag category.)

Depending on the subject, you may need to add a second coat when you first blend the base layer into the pile. I use my fingers for this except where the small space requires a smaller tool, like a favorite paper tortillion. These are great for smoothing in a nice clean edge or corner.

When it comes time to blend your layers, you can opt for a smooth finish or a “blended look.” For a fine texture, use a paintbrush with the bristles clipped short to loosen the chalk gently, then smooth it out again for an airbrushed look. (This is a great method to combine pastels for that hard-to-match color.) Otherwise, keep your layers distinct to let the nuances of your layers show through and the strokes give an impression of texture.

Below: Combination smooth & textured finish in Mexican Wolf

More: Tips on texture – gradient, contrast, and pattern

So, last post was all about introductions…now I’m ready to start a painting. I get out my matboard and my pastels, but I’m not ready yet – I need a LINE DRAWING. Matboard is not paper; you don’t want to erase any more than you have to, so unless you plan to outline your painting all in one shot, it’s a good idea to have a line drawing to start it off right.

Being the methodical type, I’d rather do the planning and measuring up front so I can proceed with a better sense of direction. (Of course, if you’re more spontaneous and would rather plunge right in with chalk on canvas, be my guest!)

I use a simple system for transferring my finished line drawings to the suede.

I’ve described it previously in this illustrated FAQ post, but in summary it involves cutting a piece of tracing paper or vellum to fit your matboard; making a line drawing of your subject; fixing the drawing to your matboard at the edges using painter’s tape; and tracing over the drawing so that the impression created on the suede serves as a guide for your painting.

This can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be, the main principle being that all the erasing and adjusting is done on the paper, before you mess with the suede. Once you have the drawing lightly “embossed” into the suede, you can pull out the pastels.

FAQ’s: “What pastels do you use?”

Where you go from here of course depends largely on your subject; for me, whether I’m doing a portrait or a wildlife painting, I always start off with good base coat to prime the surface for blending and to keep the suede from showing through.

FAQ’s: Top Chalks for Portraits

I’ve used my painting Mexican Wolf as a signature demonstration piece, with lots of close-ups and step-by-step photos to give a visual of the process I use. You can follow the links below to see it in stages:

Painting a Wolf in Pastels, Day 1
Part 2: Mexican Wolf
Part 3: Mexican Wolf
Part 4: Mexican Wolf (Completed)

Scuff marks on suede matboard?

Got a piece of suede you want to use as a canvas, but worried about some unsightly scratches or impressions? No problem. Damp a piece of fabric – preferably something with a little texture, like a dishcloth – and gently work the marks out with a random circular motion. The moisture will discolor the suede slightly at first, but as soon as it dries back to its normal color, the marks will be gone.

A few words of caution:

• If you use paper towels or tissue, bits and pieces will rub off into the pile.
• If you use so much water so that the paper backing gets wet, it will warp and compromise the integrity of the canvas. Just moisten it.
• If you rub too hard, you will abrade the surface. Removing the pile means that it will no longer hold chalk.
• If you rub in a straight line or any obvious pattern, it will stand out. Blend your repair into the surrounding suede.
• Make sure you let the matboard dry out completely before you try to work on it. If you’re in a hurry, you can always speed up the process using a blowdryer.

I learned this method from an art teacher, and have found it to be successful in removing all but the deepest scratches. In this way, I can salvage pieces that would have otherwise been condemned to the scrap pile.