I’ve wanted to paint these Callas and blue bowl for a while now, and after some loose flower arrangements it was really nice doing a tight piece.
This oil pastel (8×10) painted on Mi-Teintes black tinted pastel paper. Working with black pastel paper can be great for obtaining an overall dark undertone to a painting, but it’s a great challenge to cover the black if trying to lay down light colors (in this case, cream and yellows) – a real struggle to get decent coverage. I did let the painting setup over night, and was able to lay down more layers for the center of the callas. With this brand of pastel paper, it won’t take a wet medium (i.e. watercolor, gouache, or acrylic) for a underpainting – so you’re stuck with what you can manage with the oil pastels. Senneliers, neopastels and Holbeins brands were used.
Hope you have a wonderful evening.
Oil Pastels by Mary 
I love this painting, powerful vibrant constrast between yellow and blue!
Thank you so much for going into my blog to view my posts – appreciate your comments on the colors!
Lovely Painting and I love catching up on your art!
Thanks Kara – great to hear from you!
Mary, this is a stunning work, the lighting and deep richness of the color
almost have a historical Dutch-Flemish interior painting quality, if that makes any
sense. i am so sorry i’ve somehow missed so many of your posts, i went back to my
settings to try and figure why your new posts are not showing up in my e mail notifications.
Thank you for your beautiful comments and compliment, much appreciated. I could feel this piece as it progressed along – it’s what I call the Endorphin Rush for us creative types. You must get the same sometimes when writing. If you find your reader is missing some blog posts – unfollow and then refollow the blog. This was happening to me last year and finally figured out that this resets the blog in your reader.
Gorgeous!
Thanks Mona!
Gorgeous warm darks surrounding this, Mary!
Thank you Leslie for your nice comment – I really appreciate it.
Seriously beautiful, Mary! Love the colors and the lighting.
Thank you Francesca!
A beautifully dramatic still life Mary. Thrilled to know that you’re still creating great masterpieces.
Thank you so much Emily for your wonderful feedback – wonderful to hear from you!
Absolutely gorgeous! 😀
Thanks Patricia!
The cobalt blue is electrifying! The light is superb. A real gem of a painting.
Thank you very much for your awesome feedback – appreciate it very much!
Extra gorgeous Mary!
Thanks Elena!
adore the black undertone…beautiful still life.
Hi Laurie, love reading your comment this morning. So happy you are enjoying this piece. Have a great day!
Think you have it going on with the o/p!! Really fine.
Thanks very much Craig – oil pastels continue to amaze me at how far you can push the medium.
Love that colour blue.
Thank you very much! Cobalt blue is one of my favorite colors, just love showing it off in a piece.
It’s a beautiful colour for a vase.
Wowee, lovely!
Thanks!!
So beautiful!!!
Thanks Maria!
Beautiful painting. I love the richness and the wonderful color palette.
Thank you so much Janell!
Your beautiful callas flowers stand out so well against the background and blue bowl! 🙂
Thank you Marina, the background colors was an experiment on this piece and I’m glad I went with it – shows the cobalt nicely.
Your painting is absolutely gorgeous Mary. Very dramatic. I love the lighting!
Thanks Rhonda, really appreciate it!
Incredible! It looks like a photograph!
Thank you Mamie, appreciate it!
Well done!
Thanks very much!!
Just gorgeous, gorgeous.
Thank you Kerry, really appreciate it!