Page 121 - International Artist2 110
P. 121

STAGE 3
                                                             BACKGROUND
                                                             The background is completed. However,
                                                             after the two bolducs will be painted
                                                             during stages 4 and 5, some final
                                                             retouches in the background might
                                                             become necessary.
                                                               The colors of the background are all
                                                             warm; the following step will consist
                                                             of adding much needed cool colors
                                                             to the spools of bolduc, such as blue,
                                                             violet, mauve, turquoise—that is to say
                                                             complementary colors of orange, pink,
                                                             brown and yellow.
                                                               I use my fingers to stump the
                                                             colors. Pastel enables me to do that
                                                             immediately without any intermediary
                                                             tool such as a brush or a stumping
                                                             pencil. I love this direct contact with the
                                                             pigments and the paper.
                                                               After this stage, I take a break.
                                                             I usually stop painting every 15 to 20
                                                             minutes or so. Working for too long
                                                             a period on a continuing basis entails
                                                             mistakes. Frequent pauses also allow
                                                             you to step back and to squint in order
                                                             to detect weaknesses.

                                                             STAGE 4
                                                             PAINTING THE
                                                             PINK RIBBON
                                                             The pink spool on the left is completed.
                                                             Most of the work was done with
                                                             pastel pencils due to the smallness
                                                             of the sections to paint. However,
                                                             sticks of very soft pastel were used on
                                                             comparatively larger parts for glazing.
                                                             Pigments of sticks are brighter than the
                                                             pigments of pencils. This is why I always
                                                             give priority to the sticks, with the   ABOUT THE ARTIST
                                                             pencils being only used as a backup.
                                                               Adding the highlights allows me to
                                                             enhance the impression of depth but it
                                                             must not lead to an exaggerated “bling”
                                                             aspect. This is the icing on the cake, but
                                                             this must not hide the crust.










   120  www.InternationalArtist.com
   120

   FrancoisMalnati.indd   120                                                     6/22/16   11:21 AM
   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126