I made a new portrait last night and I must say I’m really pleased with her! Most of all I love the expression of her eyes, they somehow really seem to draw you into the painting, telling some kind of story.

It’s all done in soft pastel and pastel pencils. When I started this portrait I wasn’t really sure what supplies I would be working with, only that I wanted to start with a petrol blue background in soft pastel. But I didn’t know if I would keep it to soft pastels, or if I would for instance also use oil paint sticks and oil pastels.

Lately I often find that I am a bit uncertain how I’m going to make the portraits. It’s becoming really an open process, which feels a bit scary at times, but is also an interesting adventure.

I actually was thinking of doing a series – well, at least a series of two 😉 – so I have set up another paper on my easel with the same background. Only the background, so I’m not sure what will come out of that one…

This image that I have scanned is actually a bit more blue than the original painting, which has more of a petrol blue background, so a bit more greenish. But I like how it turned out on the scan, so I’ll leave it like this. That’s artistic freedom, right?! 😉

Soft pastel and pastel pencil on Fabriano Rosaspina paper. Size 23 x 34 cm (approx. 9 x 13 inch).