Friday, June 5, 2015

Opportunity Knocks

Opportunity knocked and I'm so happy I answered! I've been fortunate enough to get a chance to try some Henri Roche pastels, which have a long and rich history in the art world. You can read all about them here, but suffice it to say they are the world's most expensive pastels and now that I've tried them, I can see why. They have a feel that is unlike any other I've ever used, and the pigment load is incredibly rich and full, depositing vibrant luxurious color with the lightest touch. They play nicely with my other pastel brands and work beautifully over a hard pastel underpainting too, which is an added bonus in that I can reserve these precious sticks for the final outermost layer and let the less expensive sticks be the workhorses. Despite feeling rough, almost pumice-like, and hard to the touch, these leave a beautifully soft and delicate layer of rich color that stays vibrant even with blending. Unless I somehow manage to win the lottery, I don't ever see the full 800+-color set in my future, but who knows? Maybe someday I'll be able to afford to buy a small three-piece set or something. With color this rich, it doesn't take much and I think they'd likely last a long time when handled with the light touch they seem to prefer. :-)
© 2015 Tammy Kaufman - A Peaceful Mind - soft pastels on Sennelier La Carte Pastel Card 9" x 12"
(painted primarily with Henri Roche, Terry Ludwig and Sennelier pastels)