May Demonstrator :: Christine Bodnar

At the FAA May meeting, Christine Bodnar was our demonstrator, and she showed us step-by-step her process to make a loose, expressionist, pastel landscape painting. 

She started with a drawing in three colors. For a landscape she said she often focuses on magentas and purples for her underpainting colors. 

The drawing complete and Christine Bodnar lays in her underpainting tones. 

Christine uses PastelMat which has been dry mounted. After her drawing is complete, she uses water and a big brush from the hardware store. She wets the pastel, and the pastel becomes a loose watercolor underpainting of the wet pastel pigment.

Christine Bodnar's completed underpainting

Christine worked quickly and efficiently. The members were interested in watching the piece develop, asking pertinent questions about the work and the pastel medium. 

Members watch in rapt attention

 

Christine's demonstration at the end of her demo wasn't complete because she had left some of her required colors at home. Even without those select color notes, this painting is a wonderful example of the medium and her preferred technique. 

Christine Bodnar's demonstration painting at meeting's end

Christine's smaller pastel study

Some of Christine Bodnar's supplies, imagery, and her pastel study

Discussing her work with her pastel demonstration on easel

Christine Bodnar's demo piece

Christine Bodnar's small pastel sketch 

Christine mentioned she was going to rework her piece. When she does, I'll be sure to post it here as a follow up. 

Thanks for reading!

Kim Morin Weineck