This technically-a-drawing* of a pink rose was my first project using oil pastels on black canvas paper.  It scanned nicely, but like oil paint, oil pastel just looks better in person.  There is a quality to the work that neither camera nor scanner is able to convey, which is one reason I am announcing that this (along with Red Tulips and Electric Yellow Rose) are going to El Amigo Restaurant in Crescent City for local display later today.  I should probably note that artwork on display is also for sale if anyone wishes to purchase the originals. 

If you are out of the local area, you can purchase originals through Daily PaintWorks, which uses PayPal.  For those who want prints, including in larger or smaller sizes, those can be purchased through my Pixels store, and for those who like accessories like apparel, mugs, or a clock can buy that through my RedBubble store.

* I define a drawing as anything where the original surface is still visible, while a painting has the entire surface – whether paper or canvas – completely covered with the medium (watercolor, pastel, etc.)

Oil pastel notes

As is probably obvious from the scan, I did not blend my oil pastels as well as usual. Instead I was trying for a looser and fresher, more spontaneous look to this piece. I was still experimenting with this medium, and even though blending can be a very important factor in oil pastel paintings, I wanted more a drawing feel to it (if that makes sense). I’ll also note that the original drawing is sealed with Mod Podge to prevent smearing (and cat paw prints!).

Rose drawing notes

Just a few relevant notes for this: I used a reference photo, and to be honest I don’t recall which one. I have a folder full to bursting of reference photos for roses, and will crop and edit them as needed and sometimes forget which went into what drawing or painting. But the reference photos serve one major purpose for me, and that is to grid out the petals, which is what I did for this one. The second reason I use ref photos is to get the shadows right. I can’t even say for sure the rose in the photo I used is even a pink one, because part of holding an artistic license is the privilege of changing a flwoer’s color when I want.