Georgia Graham

Georgia's Process
for Rendering a Pastel Painting
(AKA - The Rooster Page)

I get my ideas while driving, mowing the lawn, cleaning the toilet, doing dishes, etc. I decided I wanted to paint a colourful, showy rooster that would contrast against a drab background and I wanted him sitting on a fence post with broken barbed wires. Then I had to hunt for my subject to collect photographic reference to draw from.

After scouring the countryside of Central Alberta I never saw a rooster that was sitting on a fence post but I did spot a colourful guy running around the barnyard of a total stranger. I jumped out of the truck and quickly snapped two rolls of film. He never slowed down for a minute but that's okay; I can draw him in a still pose. I just needed to see his texture and shape. My husband had to explain to the farmer's wife why I was chasing her rooster around. He says that sometimes it's embarrassing to be married to me.

I sketch my subject scribbly at first and tighten up as I rework it several times. I deliberately drew him out of proportion. His head needed to be smaller and his tail feathers bigger. Somehow, this added an element of humor -he's not intelligent enough to know how magnificent he is.


Georgia's Process for Rendering a Pastel Painting (AKA - The Rooster Page) I get my ideas while driving, mowing the lawn, cleaning the toilet, doing dishes, etc. I decided I wanted to paint a colourful, showy rooster that would contrast against a drab background and I wanted him sitting on a fence post with broken barbed wires. Then I had to hunt for my subject to collect photographic reference to draw from. After scouring the countryside of Central Alberta I never saw a rooster that was sitting on a fence post but I did spot a colourful guy running around the barnyard of a total stranger. I jumped out of the truck and quickly snapped two rolls of film. He never slowed down for a minute but that's okay; I can draw him in a still pose. I just needed to see his texture and shape. My husband had to explain to the farmer's wife why I was chasing her rooster around. He says that sometimes it's embarrassing to be married to me. I sketch my subject scribbly at first and tighten up as I rework it several times. I deliberately drew him out of proportion. His head needed to be smaller and his tail feathers bigger. Somehow, this added an element of humor -he's not intelligent enough to know how magnificent he is.

	1.) I start with a base coat of pastel in the background.	2.) I add detail and texture to the background with chalk pastel pencils.

	3.) When I render the fence post I decide which side my light source is coming from to determine the shadow on the post, behind the post and under the barred wire.	4.) I render the feathers that are tucked in behind other feathers.

	5.) I continue working on one section of feathers at a time, always laying down broad vivid stokes of pastel at first and adding the detail over top in pastel pencil.		6.) I add the over lapping sections of feathers last. I think I'll call him "Rodney". He reminds me of a guy I went to art college with, who had that name.