Jarvis Cocker / Painting on Paper
Sheffield Rain, 9″ x 12″ Oil on Paper
Experiences With Pastel Paper
There are many different types of pastel paper on the market, varying in color, texture, and weight. For this painting, I used a sanded pastel paper-the paper itself is a heavyweight hot-pressed watercolor paper that has been screen-printed with a tinted primer that allow for the surface to accept an array of artistic media. I have used sanded pastel paper for its sole purpose in the past, and it performs excellently in terms of the number of layers it can hold. However, as a personal preference, I tend avoid creating sole pastel pieces due to the dust they generate, so I began experimenting with creating oil underpaintings and filling in the fine details with firm pastel.
Small Details Added with Firm Pastel
The First Layer of Paint
I began the painting by using oil color straight from the tube. After a while, though, I began to add medium to the paint and it became much easier to control (and consumed much less paint too!). Since the paper texture is rather coarse, the first layer of paint was more difficult to control than the subsequent layers.
Color Scheme
The violet-grey tint of the paper influenced the color choices in the rest of the painting. Overall, the darker underpainting color helps lend a cloudy/rainy atmosphere quality. By thinning out the colors in the background with medium, the underpainting creates an illuminated effect. This is especially present in the red storefront in the background.
The color used here is predominately cadmium red light, mixed with a Neo Megilp gel medium to increase its transparency. Throughout the entire painting, phthalo turquoise was used as an accent color, such as in the streetlamp and awning in the background.
Closing Thoughts
I would definitely paint on sanded pastel paper again, but as far as portraiture subject matter goes, I would likely compose a painting where the subject is larger in the future. Painting Jarvis’ face in this picture posed unique challenges, due to it occupying a relatively small amount of space in the painting overall. What inspired me most while painting this piece was the dreary atmosphere of a fresh rain, and the loneliness implied by the absence of other people.
Reference Photo Credit: Paul Bergan
24Hr Coffee Fine Art 
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