How time flies!

Walking the Rawnsley Bluff Trail
Approx 34cm x 48cm
Pastel on Colourfix Paper
Copyright Susan Borgas

Wow I can’t get over the amount of time that has passed since my last post.

Blogger has kindly given us some new templates to play with and hope you like the new look. It took me ages to work out what design to settle with and felt this one gave a nice clean visual, so decided to keep this one. I will tweak the colour to suit my work at a later time.

Even though I haven’t been blogging, painting is still high on my priority list with numerous paintings done throughout the year. Tomorrow is a big day with the opening of the Painters of the Flinders Ranges exhibition opening in Port Pirie of South Australia. I am also working towards the annual exhibition at Wilpena Pound later in the year. The painting above is a part of the Port Pirie exhibition.

An effort is going to be made to update this blog often, although daily will not be an option because I found it does put a lot of pressure on my artwork. I do use Facebook and you are welcome to join me there. Please let me know where you found me so that I know to accept your friendship. I tend to turn people away on Facebook if I think it is a random invite from someone I have nothing in common with.

Take care, Susan

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Technorati Tags: Pastel,painting,artist

Get Out of that Car!

Quenching Water's of Wirreanda Creek
Approx 47.5cm x 68cm
Pastel on Terra Cotta Colourfix Paper
Copyright Susan Borgas

(The blue is not quite right in this image but the best I could get at this time)

I don’t know how many times I have traveled near this spot and never appreciated what is really there. This is permanent water fed by a spring. The surrounding area doesn’t have much in the way of tall trees but there is plenty of salt bush heading off into the distance. I always find the floating algae interesting, especially when it is aging, because of the varied colours and textures that it becomes.

Here in Australia it isn’t unknown to travel quite some distances to reach destination. Time often does not allow us to pull over the side of the road and walk with a sketchbook in tow or a camera bag slung over the shoulder, but instead I have quickly park the car and taken a snapshot from the side of the road for reference to work in a studio. After awhile it isn’t quite so stimulating to paint something that is seen time and again, although these paintings often sell quickly because tourist do recognise those spots and want to take it home as a reminder of their trip.

Walk
"
See what is around that corner!
"

My husband and I are parking our vehicle more often now and walking up or down a creek bed or climbing that nearby hill. It is a good way to find new material to paint, as well of course some exercise tossed in as well.

I am happy to say that I have now sold Water Course, Wilpena Creek.

technorati tags: pastel, landscape, artist, photorealism, water

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Water Course, Wilpena Creek "Completed"

Wilpena Pound's Waterway
Approx 34cm x 48cm
Pastel on Terra Cotta Colourfix Paper
Copyright Susan Borgas

Cripes I have just about forgotten how to use Blogger because it has been so long since I have posted. I also see some new ideas that I can try out with Blogger as well . Hey and I bet you thought you would never ever see this pastel work finished.

I have changed the title of the painting, as the original was not what I really wanted for the finished piece. Anyway I do hope you like it.

For those that have posted comments and written emails to me, please accept this as a thank you from me, as I look more positively towards the next twelve months and years to come.

Links to this WIP:

1. Water Course, Wilpena Creek WIP
   
   
2. Water Course, Wilpena Creek two WIP
   

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technorati tags: pastel, landscape, artist, photorealism

Sunset on the Murray River

Sunset on the Murray River
Approx 47.5cm x 51cm
Pastel on Storm Blue Colourfix Paper
Copyright Susan Borgas
Commissioned

Yes I know it has been quite awhile since my last post and I do want to thank everyone of you for your emails and comments that still have been flowing in. I had to prioritize what was important to me and step back from deadlines (blog posts) that where in fact eating into my creative time to the point of destroying my urge to paint. As you know blogs are consuming to write and maintain, so much so that they encroach on family time as well as producing work. My health has improved a lot and after arriving home from a recent two week holiday by the beach I am ready to get stuck into some painting once more. Please don't always expect 'works in progress' as I have done in the past but I will post my new works as they are completed.

This commissioned piece that you see above had me scratching my head quite a bit. I did learn a lot from it and had to really think hard because the reference photo was developed from a film camera and was basically all black in the shadows of the background and foreground. I don't know about other artists but do find commissioned work more stressful to do as I know that it is often expected that the painting look like the photo. Well in the end when it come to the dark areas I put some music on and just went with the rhythm , using the darks pastels that I used in the sky and water and went for it.

The painting was commissioned as a surprise gift from wife to husband. They already have two of my oil paintings, one from my very early days, the second around the middle period. The husband was very emotional to receive this painting, because it was one that he had wanted painted for quite some time. The pair were very happy that I found so much to paint in the shadows and was a real relief to hear. I have to admit I got a real buzz out of it in the end.

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technorati tags: pastel, water, sunset

Timeless Land, Melrose

Timeless Land, Melrose
Approx 34cm x 48cm
Pastel on burgundy Colourfix Paper
Copyright Susan Borgas
Sold

This is the second painting that I had promised to show you. It is of my recent work in residence at Wilpena Pound.

After a workout yesterday (puff puff) wrapping the framed painting safely for the post, it was sent off for a destination interstate today.

As you can see the work is a little different to what I have done in the past yet it is still all about my beloved eucalyptus trees that I do so much enjoy working with.


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technorati tags: pastel, trees, landscape, art, artist, flinders ranges

Water Course, Wilpena Creek WIP

Water Course, Wilpena Creek WIP
Approx 34cm x 48cm
Pastel on Terra Cotta Colourfix Paper
Copyright Susan Borgas

I do enjoy working from a detailed drawing with this one no exception. I guess that is the realist painter in me that seems to have me by the jugular and isn't going to let go. I will never become a photorealist artist because I don't have the desire to spend anymore time on a painting than I already do.

Anyway I don't think that I would get paid for the hours that I would have to put into photorealism work. So many viewers of my work in real life are surprised that up close to my pastels, it is in fact not like a photo, as they thought when standing back, but made up of many marks with some more realistic than others; depending on what I want them to see in focus.

Between finishing two paintings started at Wilpena Pound and cooking for shearers on the family farm, I did manage to start this work in progress (WIP) since I have returned home. Amid packing paintings for shipment, more cooking for shearers and a funeral of a dear artist friend on Monday who has been my mentor from the very beginning of my journey with art. You can see some of his work here. I also have a shopping day Tuesday in readiness for our sons wedding later this month and because of all of this the next few days will have spasmodic posts to this blog. This isn't a promise but may get the odd photo up on SnapShots during that time.


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technorati tags: pastel, landscape, artist, artist, photorealism

Brachina After Rain

Brachina After Rain
Pastel on Colourfix Paper
Copyright Susan Borgas
Sold

It feels strange to be posting again to this blog after such a long break and hope that my readers will be back with my absence forgiven. I must say that the exhibition was a great success with many sales made.

This pastel painting was one of my works in progress while working at an exhibition that I am involved with and of course the reason for my absence. This painting has to be scrutinized yet to make sure all is well with it. This photo was taken in a hurry so that I had a post for you today and any adjustments and a better photo will be placed on my website when I update it. The darks in this photo are over saturated to what they are in real life.

There is also a second pastel painting that I also managed to bring near completion and will be shown here in due course.

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technorati tags: pastel, landscape, artist, art, pastel painting

My daughter who has a camera exactly like mine decided it was time that I had some photos of myself while working at the easel. Picking up my camera she did exactly that and this is one of the photos that I found when I downloaded my card to the computer.







When I pulled this pastel out I decided it needed some more work done before framing it for the up and coming exhibition. I am much happier with the final result because before it was lacking the darks in the foreground.

My regular readers would have noticed that I have been spending quite a bit of time away from my blogs. This will continue leading up to when my husband and I leave for the Northern areas of Australia. It will also mean that while I am away, this blog will not be updated.

Some of you may remember from an earlier post that I wanted to learn how to put 'home movies' onto a DVD. Well I have been doing that with quite a few hiccups along the way although progress is happening. On that note I am off to start a new project and while the computer is busy converting and burning my next home movie DVD, I will be busy in my studio touching up another pastel.

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technorati tags: pastel, landscape, Susan Borgas, blogging, blog, DVD

Pastels

Something a bit different to what I have done in the past when showing you a 'work in progress' (WIP). These pastels that you see here are what I have used on Water's Path - Willochra Creek.

I Said I would post images of my pastels in this thread at WetCanvas so decided to post larger photos here on my blog because there is a limited size for the WetCanvas Forum to view and will point them to this post.

On completing the pastel work the first image shows the pastels that I was constantly picking up and putting down in a given day. They are resting on soft foam in a pull out drawer of my easel. The foam is also used to wipe the pastels against to keep my colours clean. These two images show you all the pastels for my last project that I did use.


I am right handed and this second image displays my pastels that are on a trolley to my right. Usually what I do is at the end of my days work, give a final wipe to the pastel on that piece of foam that you see in the bottom left and place in the plastic tray (recycled from supermarket) for a fresh clean start at the easel the next day. In other words there will be no pastels left in the drawer as you see in the first image. The white charcoal pencil was used to sign my name. The dark shape at the back is kneadable eraser, which I knead while working to keep my hands clean. It is also handy for erasing mistakes when I am working.

Now all I have to do is give a final clean to the pastels and place them back into their special boxes for another day when I start a new pastel project. First though I am going to finish the grisaille that I started some time back.

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technorati tags: pastel, pastel artist, art, artist, pastels

Water's Path - Willochra Creek "Completed"

Water's Path - Willochra Creek
Pastel
Copyright Susan Borgas

'Completed' is part of the title but as I look at my monitor I see straight away a problem with the reflection where there is a sharp edge of light just to the left of the large curled root. I think some movement of water to take that straight edge off would benefit this area greatly.

Since my last posting the area of the shaded stones and tallish grass to the right has been completed. Also the remainder of the right hand side bank that is in light has now had dry leaf litter and grasses added. Water is finished other than a little adjustment on that light area that I spoke about. Twigs have been placed in the canopy as well as any other minor adjustments that needed doing.

There will be no further images of this painting on my blog although a new photo of the work will be placed on my website just prior to framing.

To make it easier to find the steps to "Water's Path - Willochra Creek" from past postings on this blog, the links are below.

• Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP"

• Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP" two

• Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP" three

• Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP" four

• Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP" five

• Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP" six

• Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP" seven

• Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP" eight

• Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP" nine

• Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP" ten

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technorati tags: landscape, large trees, pastel, water scene, WIP, art, artist

Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP" ten

Still working on the water the progress is slowing and surely coming to completion in this area. I estimate another four hours on the water to bring it up to my own satisfaction. Probably another four hours on top of that to finish off the rest of the painting.

There isn't much I can add about the water from yesterdays entry so rather than bore you to tears with what seems little progress I think I will now leave my next post of this work until completed.

Edit: I hope I haven't doubled up your rss feeds with this edit but wanted to add that I have used a colour shaper to blend the colours in the water. The direction of the blending is mostly vertical in the reflections with some horizontal over the transparent water.


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technorati tags: landscape, large trees, pastel, water scene, WIP

Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP" nine

Anyone would think I have fleas as I am now at the stage of the painting that I do a lot of head scratching from my brain going into overload, as I think about how and where I lay my pastel strokes. Most of these marks consist of vertical and horizontal application to mimic water reflections. Also some of the vertical lines are squiggled onto the paper to give the impression that the water has subtle movement to it.

For the most part water reflections are darker than the object that it reflects. This is also true with transparent water. What we see under water in nature is darker and murkier which makes edges of what we see softer and not so dominant. The values will actually be very similar if not mostly the same. It is the colour of the object that makes it seem lighter when laid against another because if we were to squint at what we see under water, the values would be generally the same. If I get my values correct we should be able to see transparent water, reflections and shadow across this water.


Sorry if I am confusing you as what I consider I know in my own head isn't something I find easy to write down.

I think there is going to be a lot more head scratching over the next day or so to really nail this work.

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technorati tags: wip, Pastel artist, pastel, landscape pastel

Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP" eight

The canopy is now well on its way. I haven't place the twigs and smaller branches in yet because I want to be sure that I have the foliage the way that I want it before flicking and squiggling fat and thin lines in the canopy.

I still have the banks to complete but before doing so dropped in the sky colour into the water reflections, as I am getting impatient to start in this area. This blue will need the values adjusted slightly but won't be doing that until the surrounding refections and transparent water are added so that I can 'read' what is there correctly.

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technorati tags: wip, Pastel artist, pastel, landscape pastel

Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP" seven

There is a lot more to do in the canopy area although the basics are there now to help guide me with the rest.

It wasn't until I put some music on with plenty of upbeat that I could get into the rhythm of painting the foliage of the trees. My belief is it must be the tempo that helps the mind to free up to get on with the job at hand. Does this ever happen to you?

There won't be another post on this blog now for a few days because Malcolm and I are doing a trip down memory lane in the outback where I grew up. I need tomorrow to organise a few things before my brother and his wife turn up here at the farm, as we are making this journey together.

There will be photos on my SnapShots blog on my return......cheers for now!

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technorati tags: pastel artist, pastel, landscape, pastel landscape

Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP" four

Progress is happening although slowly. This painting is all about the process and enjoying what I am doing rather than constantly watching the clock thinking about wanting to advance the work enough to post on my blog.





These close-up samples are an offering to you for your patience waiting for updates.





The scrubby area to the left of the tree trunk isn't finished but close to it. There will be branches placed in amongst the foliage yet.

Once I have all the areas caught up there possibly will be tweaks here and there as often is the case. Mmmmm....what area will I tackle next.....stay tuned on that one!




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technorati tags: pastel artist, pastel, landscape, pastel landscape, artist

Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP" three

I just love to paint Mount Remarkable bathed in an atmospheric light that gives depth to the painting. Using the flat end of pastels lightly applied to the tooth of the Art Spectrum paper allows small amounts of colour to mix. Each new colour is another layer (not all the areas are applied with each new colour), which in the end starts to smooth out. I have not done any blending; the application of pastel does the blending. I finish with a warm tone that is only touched in minuscule detail to give the Mount a ‘glow’. At the base of the mountain the colour is applied in the same way but with warmer tones. Also the tops of the canopies of the trees are highlighted a little more to give them more shape.

Coming down to the central area: For the most part the grass blades are short because the growth at this time is soon after much needed rain. I found it best to scrape pastel in a horizontal fashion further back against the tree line then as I come towards the creek; follow the bank downwards with short strokes of colour so that one crosses slightly over the other in a very narrow hatch technique. There are roughly six colours used in the grasses that are in sunlight remembering it is very short so some of the colour represents soil. The blades are longer in and around the rocks due to more moisture trapped so this will allow me to make the rocks look so much more grounded than how they would look when sitting on top of soil.

When putting the sky in and around the far right tree I was finding I was becoming quite frustrated with the slow process. Also I had to come back out over the sky with the ‘greens’ to soften the edges, which ended up adding more bulk to the foliage then having to brush pastel off and redo some again because the canopies are excessively heavy. Well I decided to put the sky in before going back into the canopy of the remaining foliage because my trees always seem to look more natural with this technique. I girl is allowed to change her mind isn’t she? My way of thinking, the darkest darks of the foliage are still best laid in before the sky or they will be contaminated by the lights then look pasty. Still plenty to do in this area and off to do that this very minute….. Catch ya next time!


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technorati tags: wip, pastel, landscape, large trees, pastel artist, pastel landscape

Pastel Blogroll

Blogrolls for the most part offer quality links to blogs that quite often can be lost in the system. Blogs can also be hard for some internet users to find as not all are savvy seeking them out and for that reason today I am launching my 'Pastel Blogroll' on this blog so start scrolling down until you find it.

Many thanks to Katherine Tyrrell from Making a Mark, because it was your post called "The Pastel Journal's new blog" that prompted me to put into action what I had been thinking about doing for some time now. To quote Katherine from that post

"Maybe they'd like to start a blogroll on their blog for people who blog about pastels?"

Once the seed had been planted it didn’t take long for it to sprout into action on my part.

Because I don't want my sidebar longer than necessary a marquee will be used. It isn't ideal for visitors that are in a hurry nor do I particularly like the big gap from the end to the new start when displayed in Internet Explorer. The reason I have incorporated the text at the beginning and end, it allows you to catch the first and last link when using Firefox, especially if you are slow on the eye to hand coordination as I can be at times. When researching I have also learnt that many users don't understand how to use drop down menus so either way I don't think I will win. Because the movement of the marquee does catch the eye I decided I will go with it for now for something a little different and do hope it isn't too distracting when reading my posts.

Many thanks to Lesly Finn for sharing her marquee code with me. Also check out her "Tagged by the Queen of the World” post because she tagged me and you never know there might be a blog listed there that you haven't seen. Lesly has now been added to my "Tagged" post.

It will only be a matter of time and I will also have a blogroll for art blogs that I regularly read so watch out for that one.

So often my mind is thinking about a three column blog once more, as I have done for SnapShots only this time it might be better to have the two information columns on the same side so that visits can scan both at the same time....something for me to ponder about.

My blogroll will never be a link exchange, so please don't ask or you maybe offended when I say no. Don't get me wrong I am all for link love and that is why I started up a blog just for the purpose of exchanging art blog links. If you are interested take a look at Sue's Blog Links for your consideration. Some of these links may/will end up on my blogroll.

NOTE: I choose what appeals to me for a blogroll. Just because I have not chosen a particular blog for my blogroll does not mean the blogger isn't a good one.

What are you looking for to be listed on your blogroll?

1. Consistency with what the blog is supposed to be all about although some deviation is okay.
   
   
2. Make me want to read more
   
   
3. Post regularly
   
   
4. Honesty
   
   
5. Sharing your knowledge
   
   
6. Images; can't have an art blog without images and trust me I have seen them.
   
   
7. Humour is good although not necessary

Well I think this post will give you plenty to read along with more blogs to investigate so I will leave you to it. Cheers!

Quick links:

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• Take a look at my SnapShots Blog
  
  
• Katherine Tyrrell from Making a Mark
  
  
• The Pastel Journal's new blog
  
  
• Lesly Finn

• Tagged by the Queen of the World
  
  
• Tagged

• Sue's Blog Links

technorati tags: marquee, pastel blogroll, pastel, blog, tag, tagged

Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP" two

Believe it or not there is three hours done on this work today...... slow as I am it will hopefully mean less mistakes to be fixed.

Studying the shadowed side of the tree that has been worked on today I may darken it slightly by one or two value in some parts. The trunk is very light so will give the shadowed side some more thought without rushing into it.

For those that wonder if I am using white pastel, the answer is no. I do not use pure white in my work. I do love the Art Spectrum Australian Grey for my lightest lights on the tree trunks. I will also sneak a few other interesting colours in just to vary it and admit to trying out new colours to see if they work and if they do, they stay.

Sigh!!! I just dropped a heap of pastels that I have for back-up stock. Lets just say that dropping soft pastels from a hight of 30 cm (12"), I now have a lot more pieces than I originally had.....grrrrrr!


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technorati tags: pastel, wip, landscape, art

Water's Path - Willochra Creek "WIP"

Work is 47.5cm high x 68cm wide.
Burgundy Art Spectrum Colourfix

Working on a large oil painting I found that I am having withdrawals from my pastels so while I wait for paint to set some more I thought I would start a Wip.

I started this one by finding my lightest lights (as I usually do with pastels) and my darkest darks. The darks I normally don’t find all of them at this point of my work but found after working with my latest oil painting, which I used the grisaille method, I am much more aware of the tones. I recommend a grisaille to anyone that has trouble identifying tones in their work.

The taller eucalyptus tree on the right wasn’t positioned very well as it was dead centre. I knew this before sketching onto the paper and moved the tree across on what is hopefully a much better position. It will also allow the eye to travel through to the background taking away the feeling of being trapped when viewing the painting.

Golly I can't stop yawning...... I do find pastelling so relaxing and could crawl up in a corner somewhere and have a snooze but instead I will go and cook the evening meal for hubby and I....cheers for now!

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technorati tags: pastel, wip, landscape, art

Mount Remarkable WIP seven "Finished"

Wrong wrong wrong!!! When I brought the branch down through the centre so that the limb was connecting to the mountain, it was placed in the wrong spot. With a gentle touch of a bristle brush I removed the layer of pastel then made repairs to the sky and mountain. I then lengthened the branch towards the right of the mountain. I think it now introduces the second large tree by leading the eye to it. If you compare to previous post I think this is much better?

Moving now to the base of the closes Eucalyptus Red Gum tree, it is time to finish that area. I used the side of broken pastels like a brush and scraped colour on; leaving some of the paper showing through. I pass over once more with another colour of similar value (the two used were a mid value of Cuput Mortuum and Scarlet Lake). I find my doing this the colours don’t look flat. Some parts of the colour will blend and yet in other spots it does not. I then start putting some of the smaller marks it that is needed to add depth to this area; using lights and darks. These old trees do have lots of nooks and crannies at the base and it is always my aim to bring them out.

Time to tweak the middle ground now. To the left of the largest tree I lightened off the smaller trees so that the large trunk would “pop” out more on the shadowed side. I worked where I thought it was necessary across the whole painting in an effort to bring the whole painting together.

I am not signing the painting yet as I am sure there will be another area that fresh eyes will consider it should be worked in one way or the other. Gee this painting has been a long winded affair and because of that, it will be good to start on something new.

Note: The purple looks very strong in the image behind the second largest tree where the mistletoe is hanging, this is not the case when standing in front of the real thing. All the same I do wonder why it is picking that area up like it does, thinking perhaps it could be toned down a bit.

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• WIP 1
• WIP 2
• WIP 3
• WIP 4
• WIP 5
• WIP 6
  

technorati tags: wip, pastel, art, artist, landscape, mt remarkable, mount remarkable