Tracks II

A Plein Air Pastel Painting Step-by-Step Demonstration

Step 1. I like the way that the beautiful intense cool afternoon light plays across the car tracks and the landscape at this spot. This is a classic one-point perspective, which serves to lead the eye up the road to the background, where I intend to create my warmest colors. Because there is also a story to tell in the animal tracks which zig-zag with their own logic and cross the human-made ones, I’m using two of the principles of great picture making here. I’m working on a prepared pastel panel in a neutral warm tone, starting with soft pastels and “blocking in” the mass-tones.