PARROT, Oil Pastel

On my journey to create art every day,  I ran into several technology glitches. For some reason my saved posts disappeared before I could publish them.  I have noticed the previous generation intuitively knows how to use all of this wonderful technology. All I can say is that I am thankful  for  youtube videos.  They have changed the way we learn.  Never give up!

Inspiration can come from many sources. I found a picture of this parrot in a FOSTERS & SMITH  supply catalog.  This series of oil pastels are done in a 3.5 x 5" Stratmore Mixed-Media Visual Journal which can be bought at http://www.jerrysartarama.com for $3.27.  I cut black construction paper and glued to each sheet and used CRAY-PAS and SENNELIER Oil Pastels. They are studies of things I enjoy.  If I like the way they turn out I may do a larger version in Oil Pastel, Acrylic or Oil.  Once I have all of the colors established, recreating a larger piece is much simpler. 

Even if there isn't a light source in your reference photo include one in your artwork. Notice the warm colors on the upper left hand side and also spilling over onto the lower right side of the bird.  I used complementary colors to make the bird more vivid.  If you look at a color wheel the parrot is Blue-Green, and it's complement is 

Red- Orange which is directly opposite  on the wheel. I also used the colors on either side of the Red-Orange, Orange and Red which are the split Complementary colors of Blue-Green.

 

A good exercise to learn more about using your color wheel is to pull an advertisement from  a magazine.  Match the colors on the color wheel.  Did they use complementary colors?  Keep learning and practicing, it will make you a better artist.