Let's get to know each other! Comment below sharing where you are in the world, a photo of your workspace, and something you like to do for fun, etc. anything that you are interested. Thank you

Hi I make portraits and help others to do it.

I am still experimenting the oil pastels, how they behave, how they influence on my style, what subject is more suitable… etc., etc… So far, as far as the subject is concerned, I think this medium responds well with animal paintings. I’ve been enjoying creating cats portraits with oil pastels, using mainly Pentel pastels with some other makes to compliment the consistency and richness of the colour. Here I attached my YouTube video, this time I challenge “contre-jour”, that is a cat sitting in a room against gentle light from her behind. Her face is in just a subtle soft shadow that requires many different shades of gray in muted tone. Many oil pastel artists use strong colours but my personal taste is more quiet. Anyway it’s fun to challenge different tasks, so I hope you are also enjoying painting! https://youtube.com/shorts/AsBQBWWoiRU?is=QnWZvwm5MrthrqBc

After several days of experimental challenge in oil pastels, it’s really great to go back to my favorite subject and media. As I fill in the blank white paper with charcoal and pan pastel, my mind feels at home. Tonight my subject is a elderly man in white chech, obviously having worked and lived in the harshness of the Sahara desert. He may have his own family but he still maintain the solitary soul, alone in the middle of nowhere. I respect those nomad origin people in the desert, admire their determination, resilience, gentle attitude, kind but acute eyes. They are proud of themselves, never complain, the desert is their home where they sleep under the stars. The drawing takes about 20 minutes or so to the final stage, then I take photos to see how it is coming out. Photos show the smallest flows that my bare eyes can’t detect, because what we see with our eyes go through the consciousness of the brain, that correct the fact to the theory before we know it. Anyway, it always the practice that train the brain and the hand that holds the charcoal. I hope you enjoy watching my short YouTube video. Keep creating, challenge art, everyone. Midori