Portraits on Sanded Paper

Recently I completed the two portraits shown here using colored pencil on a smooth sanded paper designed for pastels. I hadn’t spent a lot of time working with sanded paper before, but these two portraits have convinced me that there are some definite benefits to working on this surface.

I find it very easy to work quickly, and the color goes on smoothly and can be smudged like pastels. This can be very desirable for achieving smooth skin textures; very appropriate for women and children. Also, I also find that this surface is very conducive to achieving realism, and I find that I tend to use fewer layers of color than when working on paper or Pastelbord. Though many layers aren’t necessary on this surface, I sometimes like the effect of layering color to create complex colors and textures, so I will continue to also use Pastelbord and paper when deemed appropriate for the subject.

Comparing Supports for Colored Pencil

Today I finished the portrait shown here, which is 11"x14" on a sanded support I've written about before called Pastelbord. I first applied watersoluble pastels as an underpainting, and then used colored pencils on top. This method allows me to achieve the smooth, rich color of paint and the detail and texture that colored pencils allow. As a comparison, a portrait of the same subject done with colored pencil alone on smooth bristol (heavy weight paper) can be seen here.

Although it's possible to achieve rich color on bristol board, it takes many more layers and about twice as long. In addition, any white areas must be reserved on the paper, whereas sanded supports allow for some white and light colors to be layered on top of darker colors. Finally, what I like about working on the sanded hard board surface is that the finished piece can be varnished and framed without glass, looking very much like an oil painting. I've decided to work on sanded surfaces almost exclusively from now on, unless otherwise requested by a client. The pieces in my Hands Collection are also done on Pastelbord. Feel free to post a comment and let me know what you think!