The Bastion- amended!

I got some great new Unison pastels yesterday- their 'Heavenly Shadows' set. I'd not been happy with the shadows in the mountain of 'The Bastion' painting but didn't seem to have the right colour. The great thing with pastels on Sennelier la carte is that using a bristle brush, you can remove layers of pastel and the paper keeps its grainy surface and you can paint over the top.

I've lightened the shadow overall, especially as the Bastion ridge gets further away. By lessening the contrast between dark and light and cooling the shadow colour, it helps to acheive the effect if the ridge receding into the distance.

Ryan

The Bastion, getting a little late in the day

The Bastion, getting a little late in the day

Soft pastel on Sennelier la carte
16x12 inches

Here's another landscape from the recent trip to the Isle of Arran. The mountain is called The Bastion- quite fitting! The valley below is called The Devil's Punchbowl. The bay in the distance is Sannox Bay where our B&B (and the pub!) were waiting. As the title suggests it was getting a bit late in the day and legs were very tired at this point. Home was in sight but there was no easy path down. Plan A was to work our way along the ridge to te Bastion, where according to the map there was a route down (??), we decided against that!. Take my word for it though the Devil's Punchbowl is no easy shortcut!!

With this painting I was trying to capture the sense of distance and aerial perspective. The contrasts of the deep shadow were tricky to control and not dominate the scene. I opted on keeping it simple and just suggest the forms of the slopes in shadow.

Ryan

Standing Stones, Machrie Moor

Standing Stones, Machrie Moor
Pastel on Sennelier La Carte
16x12 inches

Here's a landscape painting, the first I've done in absolutely ages. These stones are one set of about 13 on the amazingly atmospheric Machrie Moor on the Isle of Arran. We stopped for a while here and soaked up the atmosphere (and a dram of whisky).

In the painting I wanted to capture that atmosphere and sense of peace and remoteness that we felt there.

Ryan

These boots are made for walking

These boots are made for walking

Soft pastel on mixed media board
16x12 inches

This painting just won the April 'Get Dusty' competition for the Pastel Guild of Europe! I'm excited as it's the first time I've won something with a painting and it's the first painting I entered in the guild's competition- beginer's luck I reckon!!

This was a bit experimental too I used mixed media collage of old maps from a vintage atlas. Maps of Scotland specifically where I've walked. I'd just come back from a walking holiday on the isle of Arran. I distressed the maps with inks to add to the weathered look. I tore up the paper's edges and stuck to illustration board. This made for an interesting starting surface but to make it suitable for pastel I needed to paint a pastel primer on top. I didn't have one so made my own! Some gesso and acrylic inks gave a neutral grey colour. For Pastel though you need 'tooth' grit or nice expensive paper that holds the pastel dust in multiple layers. I added sand from Portobello beach and marble dust. This gave me a really coarse sand paper ready for the pastel.

When the competition theme came up 'Old shoes still life' I knew straight away that my muddy walking boots would be a good subject. I set up the still life in an interesting composition and lighting and painted with a mixture of soft pastels.

Ryan