Ladybug drawing in oil pastels

2009 April 15
by Eric
Ladybug drawing in Oil Pastels

Ladybug drawing in Oil Pastels

My latest oil pastel art … a ladybug drawing for class. The assignment was to draw a bug, up close, using oil pastels. I wish I could post some of the pieces that others did for class too. Several of them were amazing! This one turned out pretty good, I think. I am pleased with how the reflection and shininess worked out, and the water drops seem fairly realistic.

This time I used mostly Sennelier oil pastels. A few Cray-Pas Expressionist were used for coloring in major areas, also some black from that set. But I think from now on I’ll be using Senneliers for the majority of my artwork in oil pastels. They’re richer, blend better, and I also am noticing they actually stick to the paper better.

I didn’t do anything for a background. The green is 100% from the toned paper (Canson Meintes).

I have listed this piece for sale at ArtWanted.


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19 Responses leave one →
  1. 2009 April 15

    Oh very nice work.. I like a surrealistic dots on her/his back… Very cool drops :)

    Yulia’s last blog post..“Breakfast” & “Still-life with the checked drapery.”

  2. 2009 April 15

    Yulia, thanks for your comment. I love your art! Hoping to see the ‘Night Fantasy’ finished soon. :D

  3. 2009 April 16

    The water spot is amazing. That is superb technique. Feel free to use my photography anytime if you want to base some artwork on it. :)

    ~ Kristi

  4. 2009 April 16

    Wow, thanks Kristi! I would love to use some of your photos. I’ll be in touch on that (some time after school semester ends!). Thanks for the comments I appreciate it. – Eric

  5. 2009 April 16

    You’re welcome. I’d love to see some of my photography translated to real art. :)

    ~ Kristi

    Ps. I don’t see the Commentluv checkbox. It has been working for me on other sites though.

  6. 2009 April 16

    I like to see how you are using the oil pastels… such a soft effect! Really nice…
    Sennelier are my favorite – not to mention are the most butteriest on the market! I do occasional oil pastel renderings but with more texture. How do you achieve such a smooth finish? Mineral spirits?

    jennifer phillips’s last blog post..Happy Easter Every Bunny!

  7. 2009 April 16

    Hi Jennifer, thanks for the comment!

    Indeed Senneliers are my favorite as well. I have yet to try anything like using mineral spirits though. I suppose the smooth finish is more a result of choice of paper.

    I just visited your blog briefly – nice work. I love your Road to Lilliano piece!! Added you to my RSS feed. :)

  8. 2009 April 17

    The thumbnail of this actually looks like a photo, so I guess that is pretty good as I seem to remember pastels are quite chunky.

    Do you have a DeviantArt account? That is another good place to sell art. Some people manage to make a living from it.

  9. 2009 April 17
    Bets permalink

    Soft yet rich. Awesome! And – lol – I love the way she seems to be looking right at you – half expected her to start talking :) Animated movie … hmmmm. Keep em coming Eric!

    Bets

  10. 2009 April 20

    This is such a great piece Eric! I loved ladybugs as a child – there is such a vibrant cuteness to them! And you captured it so uniquely especially with that background paper.

    Now my next question is where is the praying mantis, I would love to see how you did that one :)

  11. 2009 April 21

    @David – somehow this piece came out less ‘chunky’, I think it’s because the Sennelier pastels are really smooth and buttery. I do have a DeviantArt account, which I probably should be making more use of: http://renkaiart.deviantart.com/

    @Bets – thanks! Maybe I should talk to Pixar about creating a new animated ladybug character?

    @Evita – Thank you for the comment. The praying mantis piece just wasn’t working out for me. I may pick it back up again after classes are over. But at the moment that one exists in a pile of unfinished pieces :( What can I say – I just wasn’t happy with it!

  12. 2009 April 22

    Nice work on this one. I saw the comment you left on my Burning Babylon (http://www.trendyink.net/blog/2009/04/22/reggae-wallpaper-burning-babylon/#comments) post and followed your link here.

    :)
    peace, keep up the good works,
    zOnk.oNe

  13. 2009 April 22

    Hey zOnk thanks for visiting. Yeah I loved that Burning Babylon wallpaper you made! I’m a bit of a reggae fan.. recently discovered Groundation. Ever heard them?

  14. 2009 April 22

    Your DeviantArt sketches are impressive. You have a good eye for details. I am always wondering, are your art people naturally gifted at being able to draw things that actually look like what they are of, is it something they have learned or a bit of both?

    When I was a bit younger, I sort of wanted to take the graphical route, but found my calling in programming and other geeky stuff. I always wondered if I would have got good at art if I spent more time doing it. I can generally do a good job on the computer, like my icons, but am pretty bad with a pencil.

    I went to school with two children of a relatively well known artist (Peter Edwards) and both of them were very highly regarded back then and I think are both involved in art now. I don’t know if this was upbringing or something else.

  15. 2009 June 3

    The Deviant Art sketches are quite amazing… thanks for sharing the link, and for the wonderful comment on my dancing post. :)

    ~ Kristi

  16. 2009 June 23

    I’m not really an art critic, I only received the link to this post from a friend who thought the picture is great, but for what it’s worth I do want to say the photo is impressive. I really thought it is digital art until I read you used oil colours… It looks amazingly photo-like!

  17. 2009 July 3

    Hi Eric! You need to start to attend with this in the future. You have a talent , seriously. it’s like real one. Good job!

  18. 2009 July 22

    Wow I really love the surreal look of the lady bug ready to jump off the page. I am trying to learn more soft strokes in my painting. Like I said, I am learning. These are great.

  19. 2009 December 15

    Salute,

    I’m Anna, I’m thirty three old,
    I work in a medicalised french rest house. it’s nice to come
    with you and I’d would like to improve my english

    cheers,

    Ann :: maison de retraite

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