Oil Pastel Portrait

While sorting through some of my old sketchbooks (ah-em, while trying to clean out my office space, which currently looks like a bomb just went off), I ran across some old drawings that I thought I would share a few of them

I don't work with oil pastels very often, and when I do I am often discouraged and frustrated at my own lack of talent.  In my head, it makes sense how everything should work out—I understand how the media works, the texture, the strengths, the weaknesses are all apparent to me.  But no matter how often I work with it, my visions of success never seem to work out with oil pastels.

I'm very "tight" (detailed, exact and literal) in my style and oil pastels need a level of loose application and freedom that does not come to me naturally.  After I'm "finish" with each attempt, my head hurts from trying to break my own mold and I am not at all satisfied with the result.

All that to say, this will probably be the only oil pastel piece that you ever see from me on this blog.  My best friend, on the other hand, is fabulous with pastels.  And as soon as I can talk her into starting her own blog/website, I will send you her way.


All Items are (c) Katrina Crouch. Do not use without permission