Finally finished artwork

Tree of Cyclones, approx. 750 x 550 mm, soft pastel on black pastel paper

I started this piece just before the Creative Colour Challenge started and has been on hold for over a month.  Today my wonderful Hubby took little Izzy for me for most of the day and I was able to finish it.  I owe him chocolate.

It was really fun when I started this.  It was a beautiful day and we were all doing family stuff in the backyard.  I gave KJ some pastels to play with and she got creative in her own way, Hubby was entertaining Izzy on the picnic rug and I got out my easel for the first time and ignoring all design rules, just drew.

I returned to that initial sketch a few days later and started to define the work more clearly.  It took away some of the freedom in the piece, but it upped the vibrancy of the colour and the mere actions of using the pastels taught me a great deal.  I also discovered the tree.  Totally unintentional, it just appeared as I drew.  I had one of those moments I've only really read about when an artist finds her art in the materials she is using.  It was an exciting moment.  I had never felt more arty.

Here are a few in progress shots.

And, of course, some gratuitous pastel porn :D

And a squiggly arty shot :D

In hindsight this design would probably have been better done in paint, but it did serve to educate me in pastel techniques.

And now I must return to motherhood as Izzy is screaming her head off.

Nutty
(I finished it!)