How to Paint With Pastel-Ocean Scenes

Paint an ocean scene with pastels.

Using soft or hard pastels can be a challenge for the novice. Since they cannot be premixed like acrylic or oil paints, you must blend them yourself on the pastel paper. Hard and soft pastels are basically the same, except that hard pastels have more binder added and less color pigment. Pastel paper ranges from very rough to more of a grainy texture. Creating an ocean scene starts with first choosing the right tint of paper for the background. When using soft or hard pastels, some of the background will show through on the finished product.

Things You'll Need

• Assorted pastel shades
• Rough and grainy pastel papers
• Damp cloth
• Soft putty eraser
• Sandpaper
• Spray fixative
• Stumps paper points
• Transparent sheets for pastels
• Board to rest paper on

Instructions

1. 

   Use light blue paper to create an ocean scene.

   Place pastel paper of a fairly rough texture on your pastel board. Incorporate the tinted paper into the final work of your pastel artwork. Use light blue paper to create an ocean scene.

2. 

   Draw a horizontal line in a deep blue color.

   Draw a horizontal line in a deep blue color on the upper third of the paper. Lay on blue color edge to edge. Use a lighter green pastel to create movement of the waves. Spray with fixative and let dry.

3. 

   Create waves.

   Create waves by arching some of the strokes into the sky. Pick up a white pastel stick and edge the newly formed waves with foam to make it realistic. Smudge with your finger blending the blues and greens together. You can also use a white pastel to add touches of clouds overhead. Do not spray the final coating with fixative or it may darken the picture.

Tips & Warnings

• Blend pastels with fan brushes and smaller pointed brushes. To correct mistakes in your pastel painting, use paper stumps to lift off paint or a soft putty eraser.

• Spray fixative between layers of pastels. Be careful to not spray too much fixative on the picture and do not get near any flame when using it.

References

• personal experience - art teacher