Experimental Pastel

I spent the entire day working on my current painting, but the colors kept slipping away from me. At times, they seemed too cold, at others too turquoise, and sometimes stray color patches got in the way.

In moments like these, it’s essential to take a pause. So, I decided to flip through Dawn Emerson’s book, Experimental Pastel, which recently arrived from the publishing house MYTH.

The book features many unconventional techniques with materials, focusing heavily on prints and transferring one layer onto another using improvised tools readily available at hand.

I felt inspired to try something from the wealth of ideas offered—something that would encourage me to approach my work less seriously and allow me to immerse myself in the material and new experiences.

I decided to focus on working with a roller and incorporating some prints into my process.

I rarely use a roller, and for pastel finishes, I usually prefer gouache and primers applied with broad, sweeping brushstrokes as an underlayer. This time, I decided to experiment with a roller and denser paint—acrylic—for the initial layers.

I’m not one to follow instructions precisely, so my experiment turned out to be quite freeform. I think the author would appreciate this approach!

For the experiment, I used a board with stretched watercolor paper.

Leftover gouache from a previous work was still on my palette, so I spontaneously spread it across the sheet, keeping the main elements of my chosen subject in mind. Then, I took acrylic paint and rolled on three colors with the roller—again, quite spontaneously—thinking only about light and dark areas in the composition.
In some spots, I added acrylic prints using tracing paper for monotype impressions. I placed them randomly, following Dawn’s advice from another chapter: “Less is more.”

Here’s the result of the first stage:

I prefer when pastel adheres well to the surface, so I applied a transparent pastel primer over all these layers. This step wasn’t mentioned in the book, but it felt appropriate to me.

I waited for the paper to dry and re-stretch on the board after all the work with liquid paints.

Once it was ready, I added charcoal and pastel marks, refining the drawing and adjusting the key light and shadow areas.

The book is incredibly inspiring for experimentation, encouraging spontaneous use of materials and fostering the intuitive sense that is so essential for an artist.

The author teaches how to work with layers, using previous ones as part of the visual play within a painting. She also explains the principles of successful composition and teaches how to analyze them independently.

I particularly like Dawn’s idea about imperfect materials. She suggests working with anything you have on hand and advises against starting with expensive paper, so you don’t worry about ruining a sheet. For an artist, materials are simply tools of expression—they shouldn’t be a psychological barrier.

I find Dawn Emerson’s book highly valuable for those seeking their artistic path, wanting to view their creativity from a new perspective, or expanding the possibilities of their favorite medium.

Don’t be afraid of failures—be afraid of doing nothing at all. Mistakes in art often lead to new discoveries and help artists grow far more than strict adherence to instructions!

Wishing everyone success in finding their unique style.

P. S. It was also a delightful surprise to discover that the book’s foreword was written by Elena Tatkina.