Raku Still life

~click on images to enlarge~

Here's the set up for the following 8"x8" pastel.  These lovely pots were fired during Betty Printy's last Raku workshop, May 2014.  I've added the silk flower Irises for added interest.

Here's my initial sketch  for the composition and establishing my lights and darks. I've used matboard as support and applied AS Colourfix multi-media primer to the surface.

.....and here's the finished work.  Pastel - 8"x8"

I like the play of brush strokes left on the surface when I apply the primer. Layering the pastels creates an interesting texture.  I've smudged a few places, but overall, I like the look and color play of the layers overlapping each other.

Most of the pastel sticks I used for this work came from my student box of Dick Blick Pastels.  They are Semi-soft....much like the Rembrandt brand.  I couldn't find an exact match for the purple in the Irises....so playing with other colors made them "Pop" with life.  

Here I'm practicing what I preach to my students.......if you can't "match" the color you see in front of you, don't be afraid to use a color that comes close to what you want.  As long as it's in the right value range and you pay attention to Warms/Cools of a color, it will work out.

.......and YES......the Raku pots have these colors in them.  That's what drew me to them in the first place.