Expressive Pastels: Les Darlow

Duncan: Is there something about soft pastels which makes them particularly good for capturing the effects of a changing sky? Do you often work en plein air?

Les: There is nothing better than painting en plein air. It is much more fun and three dimensional, so it really makes a difference in my work. It does have its challenges, because pastels can’t be exposed to water, so the weather conditions have to be right before I can venture out. The great thing about being outside is that you get a real feel for your subject, and you can physically move around your painting. My paintings are usually very weather-based; this is primarily what I paint. I am fascinated by weather, so being in those blizzards and storms at night is important for me.

Pastels are so, so good when it comes to skies. Skies are constantly moving, growing, changing, dissipating, so the pastel comes into its own when it comes to skies, with its instant and manipulable nature. In my opinion, they were invented for this purpose. Skies, and clouds especially, are full of hard and soft edges, so the ability to blend with the pastel is extremely important. I love to apply my layers of colours, building all those purples and blue-greys. It is one of the only mediums that is very hands-on. I always feel that this again is a unique part of pastels, the fact that you get to work them into the paper.

Les: I have always used Unison Pastels, and purchased them for my students, but we often need a slightly harder pastel, so not to fill the tooth too quickly, so I also purchase Jackson’s Square Soft pastels for my students.

When I was introduced to Canson Touch, I soon realised it preferred a harder pastel, especially to begin with. The Jackson’s Pastels are absolutely perfect for this; they are harder and don’t fill the tooth very quickly, so they’re ideal. Although they are a cheaper pastel, compared to other brands, there seems to be little dust when applying. I use them more for my background work, but then again the square hard edge is great for adding those sharp, intense, hard lines for finishing.

The colour range of 64 pastels is pretty good for working my base in. The square shape is appealing as I always use the side of the pastel. Overall, a great pastel for the price.