Susan Bennerstrom

I admit that I buy a new Edward Hopper calendar every year. I have always been attracted to that spare, atmospheric and rich tonal quality. Susan Bennerstrom style is similar but I would say it has a more intimate quality. I just discovered her work about a month ago during a Internet search for anything related to Oil Pastel. I have to say my heart skipped a beat. This was a connection I was looking for in OP. I didn't think it was possible to create such realism from an OP stick. I have seen many impressionistic and abstract artist making great use of the medium but not many painting in realism. So, it was exciting to see her style. I also thought it would interesting to post this after George Shipperley as it shows a completely different and contrasting style (even down to pastel brand preference). It really does emphasise OP's versatility.
Such Beautiful paintings. She breaks down her work into categories. Stairways, Windows, Beds, Architecture and Light and Outdoors. What really impresses me is how she can create a reflective polished surface with OP as in the painting Studio Hall #4, or how she rarely uses mediums to blend the paint, just Colour Shapers and fingers. She has a very impressive history of exhibitions, teaching and awards. Please checkout her website here. Which, by the way, is an impressively designed site. Also stay tuned for more from this painter. I contacted her and she wrote a few paragraphs about OP that I will post soon!

















Studio Hall #4













Medicine
















Black Stairs

George Shipperley on Pastel Brands

Plateau
Oil Pastel
George Shipperley



I recently contacted Oil Pastelist George Shipperley to ask him to share what OP's he prefers. It's always interesting and enlightening to find out how successful artists approach their work and what kind of materials and mediums they use. He was kind enough to send a few paragraphs that I posted below.........

Regarding your request as to which oil pastel brands I prefer, the following are my preferences.

1. Holbein (best quality) they make a less expensive pastel also, but ALWAYS buy the better.

This is my favorite because of the large selection of colors and user-friendly consistency. The colors have depth and richness unlike any less expensive brand. They also last longer because they’re not too soft. It is very important to keep in mind that an inexpensive oil pastel will not provide what you the artist are capable of doing, but a quality product will fulfill that requirement. We want depth of color and richness of color, not the look of crayons which is what you get with the cheaper brands. Holbein also works wonderfully with a medium.

2. Sennelier (both the regular and the Jumbo size) the regular are much creamier than Holbein but extra rich in pigmentation with a smaller selection of colors. It is important to realize you should not apply Holbein over Sennelier but Sennelier over Holbein. Sennelier is so much creamier and works beautifully as a last layer. Of course you can use it exclusively also.

The jumbo size is incredible because it lasts longer and is less creamy. Great for large pieces and a good color selection.

You will find that all three of these suggestions are more expensive than any other oil pastel brand, but the opportunities and results will be rewarding, and that's what were after. Someone once told me to paint like you’re a millionaire and by that she meant when you cut material costs you also are cutting yourself out of a quality piece of work. LIFT THAT RESTRICTION AND YOU WILL ACHIEVE YOUR CAPABILITIES. This is one time we should not cut costs.

Thanks Mr. Shipperley.
What OP brands do you prefer? I recently found an amazing artist who only uses Caran d' Ache NeoPastels but the work is very much realism. I think it depends on your style of painting in OP. Maybe Op's with a Little more waxy filler is better for blending (with a turp?) in a realistic style. I don't know for sure but I'm going to find out!

George Shipperley

Cherry Blossoms in Door County



















October Warmth



















Winter Green

I first heard about George Shipperley in my Introductory OP class. Many great things were being said about his work and passion for Oil Pastel. In my conversations about OP with other artists in the Chicago area his name would invariably come up. He has a great influence on my current OP teacher and that influence spills out into her teaching. After I saw his work I immediately knew why. This is an artist who paints with a fresh and vibrant style. His paintings convey great feeling and sense of place. One can see the immediacy in which they were created. I had a hard time deciding which paintings to post here. Mr. Shipperley was so kind to give me permission to do so and is very enthusiastic about promoting and representing oil pastel so please check out his website here to view his online galleries. Make sure to read his artist statement. It is really inspiring and is a testimony of a true artist. I hope I get the opportunity to take a class or workshop with him. He teaches at The Fine Line in St. Charles IL. I'm working on getting an interview set up with him that I will post here. So stay tuned! What do you think of this Artist?

Second Painting

Tiffany Quail

This bird is cooked! At least for now. I don't consider this to be done but I have to put it away for a while. I just thought I would share with you. The ability to be able to rework OP by scraping back and layering over can be a blessing and a curse. I did this on Museum Board
and basically started off by drawing a light outline and then filling in with shapes. After my dark shapes were finished I started the detail. It was so challenging trying to interpret feathers and ruffles in a painterly impressionist way. I'm having the most trouble with the middle body, trying to connect it to the rest of the piece. I do feel that I'm learning more about how I want to approach painting with OP and this bird is just one more step in the right direction. Please feel free to give me any suggestions.

Maureen Mckee

Prairie Path Peddler
























Lake Lecco
























Sunflower's


I first saw Maureen McKee’s art hanging at the Dupage Art League in Wheaton, IL. She had won 2nd place for the painting Prairie Path Peddler. As with most paintings, seeing it in person is so much different and of course, better than online. At first I thought is was soft pastel. I was so impressed with her use of color, bold strokes and the elegant and expressive quality of her lines. She describes her own style as abstract naturalism. She has won many juried awards and is a member of The Oil Pastel Society, The West Suburban Artists Guild, and the Chicago Artist's Coalition. Please check out her website here
What do you think of this talented Oil Pastelist?

Oil Pastel papers and surfaces

For the beginner the type of paper or surface you decide to paint on is something you just have to experiment with. Because of the OP's versatility (you can paint on paper, wood, glass) it opens up a lot of surface possibilities. In my first painting it was suggested to me to try printmaking papers. I really liked the way the OP absorbed into the surface and allowed me to build up layers while retaining vibrancy. I have been experimenting with different weights and brands of these papers and find myself favoring the heavier ones. Some OP artists like smooth surfaces such as Arches hot press watercolor paper or smooth illustration board. This is a great option for smoothing out the pastel such as one would do in portraits and fine detail. It all depends on how you want to approach your painting. I realized quickly that I like to paint more aggressively and really layer the color up to a point of thick impasto. So as a result I keep seeking out heavier papers to hold the OP. I'm also starting to discover that I should be moving toward a paper that has a toothier surface. I really like the effect of scumbling in OP and can imagine it would be even more pronounced with a rougher paper. Ultimately you will have to decide what surfaces suit your style of painting. I just bought a piece of Colourfix paper and have yet to try it out. What paper or surface do you like best? I'm open to suggestions! Below I'm going to list some papers that offer different qualities that that are desirable for oil pastel.

Pastel Paper (a good site to research and buy these papers is online @ Dakota Art Pastels)
Printmaking Papers (you might have to search a little harder for these. Try camera shops)
Mat board-acid free
Illustration Board
Colourfix ( these are coated papers that you can get in many colors)
Wallis Sanded Paper
Watercolor Paper
Museum Board

Contemporary Fauve Artist

Just a quick notice to let you know about a great OP artist I found on the web. Jane Aukshunas paintings are so vibrant and colorful. In the artist statement on her website she says her work is inspired by the European Artists "The Fauves" which include Gauguin and Matisse. Check out her website here

Happy Holiday!

I hope you enjoy the works of my latest featured artist. I plan to do a short interview with Mr. Berridge in the future along with more features from other amazing oil pastel artists. So stayed tuned for that. Hopefully, I will finish my 2nd oil pastel over the weekend and will post it here asap. I'm actually painting two simultaneously. So we will see which one makes it first. Soon, I would like to talk about surfaces and would love to get some feedback on what other OP artists are using.

Julia

David Berridge

The Hills of Warren, Arizona with Valerie



















Cypress Creek










Shadow'd Grasses

I'm very pleased to be able to feature the work of an artist who I find so talented and inspiring. David Berridge placed 1st in the Oil Pastel Society's 2005 show and has published works in the July 2005 issue of "The Artists Magazine" and the October 2005 issue of "American Artist". He is a self taught artist who began his artistic endeavors 30 years ago. His latest work is a homage to early California Impressionists. The recent paintings show rich, earthy sepia and gold tones, dramatic landscapes and the depth and skill of artists from that movement. Mr. Berridge states on his website "I want viewers to have more than a pleasing image to look at. I want them to experience what I felt in the creation of the work". I think he does. His work is a great example of how the oil pastel lends itself to creating that wonderful rich and broken color. He was kind enough to send me an example of his process and we see that he lays down his initial drawing in sepia. Ive included that here along with a couple of my favorites. Please visit his website here.

Carol Zack

Relaxing at The Biltmore
Oil Pastel 2007
Artist's private collection

Carol Zack is a Chicago area artist who works in OP's. Her work is vibrant, painterly and shows the versatility of the medium. She states on her website that she is "inspired by the Impressionist artists with their spontaneous use of broken color" and it's clearly evident in her use of color and bold expressive strokes. She has a special and unique technique that she employs in some of her work that incorporates torn tissue paper with oil pastel layered on top. It gives her pieces an exciting, colorful textured look. Carol is also an instructor in the Chicago area and teaches at the Fine Line in St. Charles IL and at the DuPage Art League in Wheaton, IL. Please check out her website.

Oil Pastel Brands

After my initial introduction to various brands of OP's it was very clear that the front runners were Sennelier and Holbein. Sennelier was the first oil pastel ever made. Pablo Picasso and Henri Goetz approached Henri Sennelier in 1947 with the idea of designing a pastel that they could use directly on the canvas without it being primed. Picasso particularly wanted to be able to use it on any surface such as wood, metal, paper, etc. The Sennelier has a texture more like a dry lipstick and I find it's best for blending, realism or final touches. The Holbein is drier in texture and acts more like a soft pastel. It's easy to put this square stick on it's side and apply color in bold strokes. I personally prefer the Holbein. At least that's how I feel at the moment. I'm still in the newbie stage with these sticks. It most definitely is something each artist will have to experiment with and work out for themselves.

First oil pastel

Herrick Park 2007
Printmaking paper

Although there are some things I like about this painting, in general I am very unsatisfied with it. It really was just a learning process, teaching me what the OP can do. First I created a dark underpainting using the resin gel, then working from a digital photo I had taken from a local forest preserve I started applying color. I just started making marks, scratching into the pastel and scumbling to add texture. The tree was the part that gave me the most trouble. I reworked it countless times. But..... that just shows you the OP versatility. How many mediums can you rework until your satisfied. There are some restrictions to this but in general a very flexible medium.

Underpainting

One of the first things I learned in my oil pastel class introduction was how to create the under painting. There are various ways to go about an under painting in oil pastel but the easiest and most immediate is to block in shapes with color, use the side of the crayon and apply the color all over the surface. Next, use a non-toxic product called "Res-n-Gel" available at most art supply stores. Take a clean paper towel and just rub in a small amount over your blocks of colors and eventually it will all smooth out and create a wash effect. The colors should dulled or grayed down at this stage so you can apply brighter colors on top. I find it's very important to use your darks at this stage because in this medium you usually want to work from dark to light. I have seen some artists use turpenoids to create under paintings and washes. They seem to really break down and smooth out the OP's, but they are toxic. I personally think that the Res-n-Gel does what it needs to without the toxic effect.

Welcome

Welcome to my blog. My intentions are to discuss every aspect of the "oil pastel" and try and bring as much information about it to one place. If that's what your searching for I hope this blog will be of value to you. I plan on including paintings of my own along the way in an effort to show technique and hopefully my own personal progression. I also anticipate gleaning advice from more advanced oil pastel artists through interviews, links to other blogs, websites and authors.

A few words On Oil Pastel from Susan Bennerstrom

Red Pair
Oil Pastel on Panel

Susan Bennerstrom

I contacted Susan Bennerstrom recently and asked her if she would contribute a few paragraphs on what brand of OP she uses (and why) and maybe tell me a little more about her technique. She was so great and sent me this bit of info. I'm very happy to share this with you. Thank You Susan!
.....................................................................................................................................................................
It's weird, I keep buying more and more Holbeins and Senneliers because of the great range of gorgeous colors, but always end up using Caran d'Ache Neopastels almost exclusively, and the H's and S's sit there and gather dust. The Neopastels have a very limited color range, so I am forced to mix my own colors on the paper (or gessoed panel), often using as many as 10 crayons to get the color I want. I like that a lot -- it's more interesting, even though it turns out to be almost impossible to replicate a color since I don't keep track of what I've used.

Neopastels differ from Senneliers in that they are much less oily (and somewhat less oily than Holbeins), and therefore easier to control. They are "dryer," and that quality lends itself well to the kind of paintings I make, with defined edges and an overall smoothness in some areas. So Neopastels are my workhorses, and I occasionally use Senneliers and Holbeins for texture, details, and spots of color at the end. It's disastrous when I try to use them for the base layers -- they scoot around and don't adhere properly and goop up in little globs.

I rarely use mediums to mix and smooth out the oil pastels. I prefer instead to really load the pastels onto the paper (or panel) so that the pastels themselves do their own mixing. Those little rubber-ended tools ("clay shapers") are great for mixing in detailed areas, and my own fingers are the best mixing/smoothing tools. But I have found the very best technique for my way of working is to not be shy about how much pastel I put on the paper -- the more I put on, the richer and more subtle the colors get, and the more painterly the surface.

I hope this information helps!
all best,
Susan