I was fortunate to photograph the morning sun as its strikingly brilliant rays slowly peeked up behind the dark landscape during my early morning walk. The rising sun had not yet reached the top of the distant tree tops to cast its light onto the fields and foliage. The dark shapes against the stark light was striking and I couldn’t let the scene escape my memory, the reason for capturing it with my camera.
This morning, I picked the same scene from my collection of photos and decided it would be a challenge to paint it with my oil pastels which are much more forgiving than the watercolors, my normal use for sketches. Each time I paint with the pastels is a total experiment in learning with usage, spreading, mixing colors and values.

Thank you, Jean. Oil pastels offer some fun methods of controlling and moving the paint on the substrate.
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I think this looks great. It’s nice to see your work in this medium.
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This is lovely! Your post got emailed to me just as I was sketching in my nature journal on Whidbey Island at Ala Spit! It was a beautiful day to be enjoying nature. We got up early to watch the sunrise from Guemes Island this weekend and it was SO worth it!
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Morning walks can certainly give unexpected surprises; it’s always good to carry a camera while on an adventure
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….airy, light, deftly handled, with freshness and immediacy. A sweet sweet little glimpse of a breezy, promising dawn.
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Thanks, Donna. Your support is encouraging
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Thanks, Deon. I rather enjoy painting with oil pastels again…. . Possibly they are more flexible than watercolors.
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Thank you, Kestrelgwh….It was an amazing glow in the eastern sky! I was lucky to enjoy it.
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Lois, your painting is absolutely beautiful. On the metaphoric level I have often thought that everything, finally, is backlit.
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Love this one. It has a very “old Masters” look to it.
Deon
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Lovely! Happy to be seeing more of your sketches. 🙂
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