I’m working on a new pastel with a Border Collie and his owner’s legs. So far I just have it blocked in.

My husband is, as usual, puzzled by my block-ins. “Why orange?” he asked, “And what’s with the yellow?” I’ve about given up trying to explain complementary color theory to him. I should probably just not let him see paintings until they are done.

Here you can faintly see some of the sketch that underlies the block in wash. I draw in pastel pencil so eventually all the lines disappear. I have found that if I use charcoal or graphite pencil, sometimes the material “floats” to the top or keeps the pastel from sticking to the paper. I’m working on Uart 500 paper. It is unmounted right now and I may be sorry for that later. It is harder to mount after the painting is finished, but I sort of got going into the work and forgot to pre-mount.

And since I know folks sometimes what to see the where with the why, here is a photo of my messy studio. To the right forward section is where my sewing machine is currently set up. To the center left is my oil painting easel. In the back is the pastel section. On the far right under the window in the back is a table where I do all my framing and mounting. Off screen to the left is a large storage area with shelves and a cabinet and I’m standing next to the studio sink. Behind me is my weaving area as seen in the photo beneath.

Where that shirt is hanging , is the door entrance and behind it is the warping board.