For fairly a while now, each time a brand new figurative piece by artist Laura Mocnik appeared, I’d sigh in admiration. After which, at some point, I had the sensible (hah hah) concept to ask if she would contribute an article to HowToPastel. And her optimistic reply brings you this visitor put up. Yay!!
If you happen to don’t know Laura’s work, then I’m delighted to be the one to introduce it to you!
Right here’s a teaser…
Earlier than I hand you over, right here’s a wee bit about Laura Mocnick.
Bio for Laura Mocnik
Laura Mocnik is an award-winning pastel artist dwelling in Michigan, USA. She studied artwork at just a few completely different faculties. She loves to attract! A Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America, she additionally obtained the IAPS Grasp Circle in 2022. Her inspiration comes from learning the Masters, notably Toulouse-Lautrec, van Gogh, Degas, and Richard Schmid. For more information, go to her web site.
Now right here’s Laura!
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John Singer Sargent commented that Monet had astigmatism and his colors have been the way in which he noticed them. Astigmatism causes mild to focus erratically on the retina. Sargent additionally had astigmatism so possibly his colors have been additionally the way in which he noticed them. I feel most individuals would agree that each these artists’ use of color was lovely.
All of us have our favorite colors which then present up frequently in our work. And sure colors can set off an emotional response too.
Why do kids see color in a different way?
I learn the next: A toddler instructed his father that she needed to go to the blue constructing once more. He knew the constructing was white, however she noticed it blue. Possibly due to the reflection of the sky? However the mixture of color and emotion is particularly robust in kids as much as seven years outdated. On this group, blue is strongly related to happiness.
Evidently in adults, happiness is principally related to the colors inexperienced and yellow. Nonetheless, I’m not loopy about the usage of inexperienced. That’s in all probability why I don’t paint landscapes. But I’m nonetheless a cheerful particular person. For youngsters, the color white is related to anxiousness and grief. In adults, it’s black. However I really like the usage of white and black and it’s not due to anxiousness or grief. Renoir thought that black was the queen of colors.
So, kids have a powerful connection between emotion and color, and that is a lot much less proven in adults. Everyone knows how vibrant work by kids are. Possibly if we related extra with our feelings, we would see color once more as a toddler. However possibly you may wish to see it otherwise as a result of, in any case, color is within the eye of the beholder.
My use of color and the way in which I see it depends upon how I’m feeling on the time. At the start, I try to color “mild.” I by no means lay out particular colors for a palette once I’m starting a portrait, apart from my normal use of gray, black, and white pastel pencils.
After I begin connecting with my drawing and it begins chatting with me, I discover some colors that appear to work after which I proceed with these particular colors. I exploit color intuitively, possibly grabbing just a few extra as I am going alongside.
My palette is often very restricted. Nonetheless, generally I shock myself and discover that the portrait I’m engaged on wants a lot of color so then I exploit extra delicate pastels. However it’s by no means deliberate upfront. It’s a spontaneous expression. When the work begins talking for itself, I don’t interrupt.
I have a tendency to make use of largely medium gray and tanned toned paper in comparison with my use of vibrant grounds as I discover the gray of the paper permits me to get a greater sense of worth once I’m beginning a portrait. I additionally by no means begin with an underpainting of watercolour or anything. All my drawings begin with charcoal pencil. Then I swap to pastel pencils. I simplify and omit all however essentially the most important components in my work.
Swimming within the Creek was carried out on gray Canson Ingres paper. I dry-mount most of my work because it offers me a extra steady floor to work on.
I used to be impressed to do that one from some photographs I took of my neighbour’s kids swimming on a extremely popular day within the creek that runs by means of our property at our cabin in northern Michigan. The picture simply spoke to me and I knew I had to attract it.
I began with charcoal pencil after which shortly modified to black pastel to get the worth appropriate. I like utilizing paper that’s clean quite than sanded. I additionally make good use of the kneaded eraser on each papers. Executed in 2019, the progress shot is nearly like a completed drawing in black pastel, which I don’t do as a lot anymore. Now I have a tendency to only put within the fundamentals of the drawing and worth after which swap to pastel pencils.
Generally I really feel like I’m engaged on the start of an oil portray the place I can push the drawing round, erase, wipe out, and alter it if I don’t like what’s taking place. I wish to be certain I’ve a powerful drawing.
I like what Richard Schmid stated in a video I’ve of a few of his portraits. I’m considerably paraphrasing however he stated that carved in stone above the French Academy in Rome are some phrases written in French, which he couldn’t pronounce.
“What it interprets to is…effectively drawn is effectively painted. What which means is that if one thing is powerful as a drawing, it doesn’t matter the way you paint it, it is going to maintain its personal. Simply, for instance, the music of Bach form of holds up regardless of who performs it or how they translate it into digital music or jazz. There’s something about that underlying power of Bach that comes by means of it doesn’t matter what.”
I’ve all the time believed that good drawing is the muse of fine artwork. I’m drawn to draughtsmanship. It might shock those that drawing is just not straightforward for me. It’s one thing that I actually work laborious at.
Dare to be Totally different, which gained the Artwork Collector Award within the 50th Enduring Brilliance present, was carried out on watercolour paper toned with espresso. The progress of this one is extra the way in which I work now.
I don’t try and do an entire worth drawing. I largely simply draw it out after which begin proper in with the pastel. Nonetheless, I do lay down my darkest darks and my lightest lights and decide the values accordingly.
I noticed this girl on the seashore in Florida. She was dancing to music and in her personal little world. I cherished her hair and her angle. I instructed her I used to be an artist and requested if I might please take her image. Turned out that she was additionally an artist. She was greater than keen to pose for me. I’ve a number of photographs of her that I plan to make use of someday sooner or later.
I made my first pastel by chance in 1999. I used to be engaged on a big watercolour utilizing 300 lb. watercolour paper. It was from a photograph I took of my niece’s jazz instructor. The portray ended up utterly overworked. I washed it off within the sink, however the drawing was nonetheless there.
I had a field of Rembrandt pastels I’d purchased that I had by no means used plus some NuPastels that got to me and I made a decision to see if I might flip the piece right into a pastel portray. Taking out one in every of my Degas books, I noticed how he layered color on high of color and that’s what I proceeded to do. I discovered that the cold-pressed watercolor paper actually held the appliance of layering the pastel. Surprisingly, I favored the way it turned out, so I titled it Jazz Dancer. I entered it into a widely known native artwork present. It took 3rd Place and was bought by the artist who gained 1st Place. It was additionally the primary portray I ever bought!
My aim was then to win 1st Place which I did in 2000 on the subsequent present with my pastel The Remaining Bow, additionally created on 300 lb watercolour paper.
I learn that Degas would generally use gouache along with his pastels. So, I toned the paper with a brown gouache and used NuPastel and Rembrandt once more. This was my final pastel and, I assumed, the final time I did any paintings. I had determined to proceed solely with my piano enjoying.
My entire world turned the wrong way up once I was recognized with breast most cancers in 2006. After chemo, I turned to my artwork once more. However this time I used it as my remedy. I felt the necessity to attract once more so I purchased extra pastel pencils and extra Rembrandt pastels, and I began coming into extra native artwork reveals.
There may be nothing particular about how I create my portraits. For me, it’s nonetheless my remedy. It’s concerning the peace I discover when I’m drawing.
Portray and drawing figures and portraits is one thing I really like far above some other subject material. I work from photographs that I put onto a bigger display screen. All my drawings are freehand and site-size drawings. I used to attract from life with different artists, however my eyesight isn’t nearly as good because it was. I should be up near the mannequin, which is tough to do with a gaggle of artists.
I take photographs of my household and associates. I ask to take photographs of individuals I see strolling or sitting on the seashore in Florida, and more often than not they are saying sure. I search for an expression, one thing that connects with me, one thing that tells a narrative. My work begins in my creativeness and spirit the place I try to mix method with feelings. I attempt to convey not solely the picture however the temper and ambiance as effectively.
One factor that’s constant once I start a portrait is that I draw first utilizing Derwent mild, medium, and darkish charcoal pencils, then black pastel, and generally gray pastel. When the drawing and worth are appropriate, then I exploit Stabilo CarbOthello and Derwent pastel pencils.
I like an extended sharp level on the pencil. It permits me to be freer and never maintain the pencil so near the paper that all the things turns into so closed up. I purchased the Afmat charcoal pencil sharpener which supplies me that lengthy sharp level that I like. I generally use it to sharpen my pastel pencils too. However I often sharpen them with the Derwent pencil sharpener. If I’m utilizing a black conté pencil, I exploit a daily outdated Boston pencil sharpener the place I can alter the width to suit the fatter conté pencil.
I in all probability have 5 completely different manufacturers of soppy pastels. The manufacturers I like the very best are Sennelier, Terry Ludwig’s Greys, and Unison Color. I actually don’t have quite a lot of delicate pastels as I work with a restricted palette. I discover I can combine loads of greys with the black, gray, and white pastels together with the delicate pastel colors. However I generally want these intense colors. I lately discovered some intense, clean and excessive adhesion delicate pastels by Maimoufin that I actually like. And I particularly love the Terry Ludwig delicate pastels for that intense color I want.
At this time limit, I really feel I’m not on the similar place I used to be 10 years in the past. I proceed to experiment and develop on what I do know already, which doesn’t appear a lot to me and that’s why I maintain looking out.
“You need to goal excessive not in what you’ll do at some future date however in what you’ll make your self do right now. In any other case, working is only a waste of time.”
Edgar Degas
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Wow! Such draughtsmanship. Such magnificence. Such capturing of sunshine. Such sensitivity. All with a restricted palette and intuitive use of color.
I hope you’re as enthralled as I’m!
Laura Mocnik and I’d now love to listen to from YOU! Do you’ve gotten any ideas or questions for Laura? In that case, please depart a remark under!
Till subsequent time!
~ Gail
PS. Right here’s the picture used because the function Picture. Laura included some fascinating data about it so learn on!
