Another work from the PSA Zoom demonstrating “Using Pastel on Canvas”.

1. On a small canvas, I covered an old painting with modelling compound, textured the surface, and when dry, placed an Atelier Red Gold acrylic wash. I then layered this with AS clear pastel primer. I drew in the birds and twigs with a white pastel pencil, and then continued the drawing with pastel pencils. This was the stage at which I presented the work at the Zoom.

2. During the Zoom demo, I added some more dark blue pastel pencil twigs, then turquoise highlights on the birds and twigs with Art Spectrum Extra Soft Square pastels as these are minimally affected by the wet spray varnish. This is the finished work – an 8 by 10 inch canvas – 21 by 26 cms. Thank you to Christine Hammond who chased wrens all around Tasmania with me for these photos.