Working with Pastels, a lost art?
Here is another use of pastels. In building the train station in Logistics, I needed a brightly colored marble, and I used pastels to achieve that. I just finished doing some of the marbleizing. I took photos step by step. I remember on a couple of other dioramas I used marble and several viewers asked about how. So, here's an update with a bit of tutorial included.
I'll start with the two columns. These are the two that will be on either side of the interior wall of the front of the Hauptnahnhof. I wanted a different marble for the trim pieces with more colors yet will still go with the pink background. So, I start with the column with a medium brown .01 pen and make some veins.
Then using a black 01 pen, I make adjacent lines to the brown veins. I don't make them the same but in a similar path.
I started by painting the columns with Camouflage gray, then a cloud pattern of matt white. Then, after the brown and black veins complete, I use artist's rectified Turpentine. Note: I use that product in every aspect of thinning paint, as a cleaner, everything you would use a thinner for. I just prefer it to all other forms of solvents and thinners. I'm thinking other thinners will work, but I can't say for certain as I have never tried them. Rectified turpentine is a very aggressive solvent!
I wet a brush in the A.R.T. and then go over the veins until they begin to bleed out a bit. Then set aside to dry.
Then I use my piece of plywood with sandpaper taped sand side up and rub the pastels to create the powder I will use to apply the colors. In this case. I used black, brown, raw umber, burnt Sienna and light red. I make five piles of powder, then, using a soft brush, pick up the powder and more or less "paint" the pastels where I want them. After applying, I hold the column over a waste basket and blow off the excess powder.Here is how they look after that.
When i get the colors where I want them, I remove the excess powder and spray with a high gloss clear enamel. Gently so as not to disturb the colors. A light coat first to set the pastels, then after that dries a heavier coat to get the gloss I am after.
Here are two other angle shots so you can see the gloss.
Then I mix some red and black acrylic paint to get a brownish maroon for the base. Note that I have also painted the Corinthian capitals a flat black in preperation for the Gold Leaf paint.
And here are the completed marble columns.
Now for the base blocks the columns will set on. I made these out of Lego pieces as when glued together and veneered with sheet plastic, they will make a sturdy base for the resin columns.
Again, the camouflage base coat with the matt white cloud pattern. Then the brown pen. In the past, I have used both pens, (Available in art stores), and double and triple ought brushes. Either will work, the pens are faster.
On these I started the turpentine before the black pen, it really doesn't make a difference.
Then I added the black veins and some more blurring.
Now comes the pastels. I use exactly the same colors as on the columns.
A little more brown, burnt sienna and blurring.
Then, after I get the pastels where I want them, I blow off any excess and set aside.
After both are complete, I give them the clear gloss treatment.
Then, fast forward to the arches and their bases in place on the building facade.
I still have the upper, smaller columns to do as well as a few other things, but I use the same technique throughout!
Thanks for looking in!
Bob
