Studies on Black Paper

I'm a sucker for a product used in a new way. And I enjoy painting pastels on black surfaces, so when Karen Margulis showed on Facebook pastel studies she had done I had to try it since they were also my favorite size and shape at 6x6 inches. She uses Strathmore Artagain Black Artist Tiles which are not made for pastels, but I loved her results.

The goal here is to try to get down to big shapes with little detail and pay attention to values. This process is a great learning tool! It is difficult to STOP at the basic big shapes. The first one I did included the most detail, and as I went on to the next, I really tried to stop. Great fun. 

Second:

Third:

Since the paper is very smooth, this process works best with very soft pastel brands such as Terry Ludwigs, Great American, Mount Visions, and Diane Townsends.

These are a bit hard to photograph as the lights stand out a bit strong here.