The following is a step by 
step explanation of the process I 
went through in creating the 
pastel, 'Delicate Curves':

I started by drawing the major 
shapes using a dark gray pastel 
pencil on Wallis sanded paper.  I 
like to use this surface when I 
know I will be rendering a lot of 
detail and will be applying 
several layers of color.  

Second, I began to lay in pastel, 
working from the top down.  I 
don't always work this way, but 
I decided it would be best 
because the colors I was using 
were very transparent.  

I used every purple-pink pastel I 
owned to render each petal and 
its shadow.  I kept two small 
piles of pastels for the flower, 
one pile for the sunlit parts of 
each petal and one for the 
shadowed parts.  I also kept a 
separate pile of greens for using 
on the background. 

Third, I continued to add pastel, 
keeping in mind which direction 
the sun was coming from and what 
kinds of shadows (their shape and 
size) were evidenced on the 
surface of the petals.  For the 
shadowed areas, I first applied a 
dark purple pastel and then  
'glazed' a lighter pink color on 
top to blend edges, soften the 
dark color, and provide overall 
continuity between the sunlit and 
shadowed areas.

Next I turned my attention to 
rendering more of the background, 
keeping it muted and slightly out 
of focus so that it would recede. 
I also introduced deep red to the 
center of the flower to add 
impact to the focal point.  

I kept in mind the uniqueness of 
each petal, being careful not to 
render any two the same.  I find 
painting a flower to be a lot 
like painting a portrait--
each 'face' is unique and 
beautiful in its own way.

Now came the fun part, 
rendering the center of the 
flower and the petal that juts 
straight forward.  These 2 places 
were definitely a challenge.  I 
had to render exactly the right 
values in various places on the 
flower's center to give it form.  

For the petal, I used pinks for 
the top, and purples for the 
underside.  I defined some edges 
very carefully while others were 
barely evident, creating the 
illusion of foreshortening and 
the feeling of a gentle swaying 
of the flower in the breeze.  

Ta-da!  The finished piece.  
(I was actually kind of sad to 
have finished this piece because 
it was a blast to jump over every 
new hurdle that came along while 
I created it).

Title: 'Delicate Curves'
pastel on Wallis paper
15 x 21 (in)