pyraxis | Chalk pastel portraits

I made one of these for the doula, and it both came out so well I wanted to do more, and the colours were so wrong that I wanted to do more in order to fix it. So I've been on a chalk pastel binge, of my new favourite subject, using the awesome high quality pastels and paper that Shashigai once got for me. (Sennelier and Rembrandt pastels on 9x12 Sennelier pastel paper, if you're curious... this is what I was taught at art school anyway, and I think they're right, the pigment is beautifully dense and the textured paper just grabs it and holds it with the lightest touch.)

These are for the art show booth that I'm hoping to get in the summer. Mainly because the rules are that the majority of your display has to be original work, and they don't count digital paintings. You're also supposed to bring your supplies and work live, and I figure chalk pastel portraits are simple and fast enough that people might be willing to commission me live. From photos, probably, so I would need to figure out a battery-life extender for a device where I could view reference material. But, one thing at a time. I'm not even officially registered yet, just signed up for the orientation session next month.

A portrait of a newborn baby lying on his back with his arms up by his head. He's fast asleep, with sunlight falling across his face from the side.

A portrait of a newborn baby lying on his back with his arms up by his head. He's fast asleep, with sunlight falling across his face from the side.

A portrait of a baby in a soft white sleeper, looking out at the viewer. His left hand is grasping the thumb of an adult's hand and his right hand is waving in the air.

A portrait of a sleeping baby lying on his side, turned towards the viewer, with his hands nestled under his chin and sunlight falling across the sheets to hit the back of his head.

Chalk pastel portraits

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