Create a Crisp Circle in Soft Pastel

A video showing how I masked off a perfect circle to create a circular painting in soft pastel. To paint along with the full length tutorial visit me at / emmacolbertart
You can browse my full library of tutorials before signing up at www.emmacolber...
For my favourite art supplies and links to purchase them visit www.emmacolber...
10% off your first order!

[@ruthbosveld449]

Emma, what brand of masking tape do you use? Thank you very much for your tutorials.

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Thank you! It was just a regular masking tape from a hardware store for masking off when painting an interior. I bought the wide roll of it for this job.

[@juliebolton2446]

I'm amazed you have any finger tips left!

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Haha! A light touch required on this paper and then it really doesn't hurt

[@melanieopperman6688]

Always a lovely feeling pulling off the tape and seeing the finished artwork.

[@carolhestand2561]

Beautiful, nice to know. Really enjoyed the article the Artists Network did on you and your work.

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Thank you! Really appreciate it :-)

[@johnsartmaterialguidestuto7757]

Hi Emma ,I just watched this tutorial and posted on your Facebook page. I worked in a circular dimension for numerous paintings fairly early in my art career. At the time they became fairly popular and I sold a fair few. Mine were 6" in circumference and were a happy accident. I was doing a painting and didn't like the surrounding area but the main subject was very good, so I cut it out by getting a saucer from the Cupboard and drew around it and therefore stared a very successful time for me. I was the only person doing it and esp in Soft Pastels. I had never used a pastel pencil at that point in my career so they are all pure soft pastels which as you can imagine at 6" is quite challenging at times, how times have changed lol . Sometimes I may occasionally do another circle as in the Ink Kingfisher etc I do not overly worry about getting a crisp circle and may work outside it when planning colours etc ,as none of this will be seen once behind mounts anyway like in normal perspective paintings. I double mount and then put in a square Frame. As usual a great tutorial , I wish I new how to do them properly. It frustrates me not being techy lol

[@EmmaColbertArt]

Thanks John! Saw your message there and your lovely examples of your work. Thanks for commenting

[@Carla48435]

Emma so beautifull ❤. Have you got this tutorial complet in your Pàtreon?

[@kentjensen4504]

Beautiful work. How about mounting a scalpel to your compass, cutting the mask on a sheet of masking film. Then you lift up the film from the wax paper it comes with, just at the top, and then use a straight edge to fasten the masking film to your art paper as you pull the wax paper away from below. I hope that description was comprehensible. That way you get a mathematically perfect mask and you won’t have to cut into your art paper.

[@RDM-346]

How do you sign a pastel? I have trouble with a pastel pencil covering, and the soft pastels are too large.

[@EmmaColbertArt]

I always do it with a pastel pencil but prepare the area a little first. I will think about a small area in the corner where I might sign it. Usually I put less detail there. Rub the area to remove excess pigment and come in with a contrasting pencil colour. Usually black for me, but sometimes my General white pencil (4414) is great for signing against dark backgrounds.

[@RDM-346]

Thank you, Emma. Love your art!! I normally use oils, but was curious about pastels, so I tried them and was disappointed until I found out about Unison and Pastelmat papers from your advice. What a world of difference! It is so fun to use them. Thank you for sharing your art and techniques!!

[@melanieopperman6688]

Thank you Emma you're always trying something new, paving the way for the rest of us.