Fishermen Chatting

A very pleasing piece with your own style and confident use of colour Thalia. I’ve tried oil pastels without much success, so respect to you for achieving this!

No adverse comments to make Thalia, it's worked very well , is very vibrant, the foreground especially, which is where the interest lies. I'm like you, I have a small set of Sennellier and a cheap set which I initially bought and which are pretty useless. I think that you can " feell the quality" re pigment with the better oil pastels, perhaps more than with other media. I do like the clours at the forefront, especially the purple on the quay.

Now there’s a coincidence Thalia I have just posted a painting in which I used oil pastel. This looks great especially as they take a bit of getting used to. The test for both of us will be what Dennis Roundings thinks as he is the oil pastel guru.

I think the boats are lovely - the men in my art group would approve too!! It’s always good to try new things but sometimes difficult to start- I think you’ve done a great job!

Very nice painting Thalia in a really difficult medium. I tried them not long ago , I couldn't do anything at all so well done . As Barry said Dennis is the man for oil pastel.

Well I'm not qualitied to offer advice Thalia, I do have some in the cupboard somewhere! Great boats and superbly drawn, the top grass field and houses could perhaps be kept more simple and distant, a bit of finger smudging perhaps! That area does detract and compete somewhat with those gorgeous boats.

I know nothing about oil pastels, but I love this image. A cracker.

Thank you so very much everyone for such kind comments. I had to be very firm with myself not to give up, Tessa! I completely agree with you Marjorie, the cheap set I've tried many times, they are well over 20 years old [Trago Mills Cornwall is where they were bought!] Can't wait to find your post Barry but I bet it's a beaut! Thanks Rachel and Dennis such kind comments...bet you could, Dennis! I'll take that advice, Alan, absolutely agree...tried finger smudging, difficult...I'll try again. thank you Lewis, I've used the photo before as a water colour, thought I'd find it easy...no way! Found oil pastels thick, and I'm too mean to sharpen them...so few for the money, but worth more experiments I think!

Excellent work Thalia much knowledge of painting shows in your adaptation to oil pastel

Really like this Thalia. Stayed away from oil pastels as find them too difficult a challenge, so your tenacity has been rewarded as you have produced a lovely harbour scene. I particularly like the way you have painted the reflections towards the bottom left corner.

Thank you Dennis a really kind comment from the expert with oil pastels, much appreciated indeed. Thank you also Carole, yes, do try them, you'll be pleasantly surprised, I'm sure

Thanks Thalia also it's good to have a wide range of darks medium and tints. I have a set of 48 and ideally about 80 or 90 would be ideal but same with pastel it's a good idea to develop them gradually unless you are made of money 😊

Indeed you're so right, Dennis. As well as not being made of money, they have to be ordered from Jacksons, as no one over here knows what on earth I'm talking about!!! The distance in this painting is far too bright, as Alan says, but I couldn't seem to make it recede without muddying it...you can see where I tried in the buildings' shadow which didn't work !!!

I think you've done so well with these pastels Thalia. I've never tried them, I can't even get on with soft pastels but your lovely blue colours look amazing in this piece.

Thank you for such a kind comment, Margaret...no I can't do much with pastel either!

I think that’s lovely Thalia and the only thing I would suggest is that the colour in the background green is to vibrant and competing with the foreground, if that was more a subdued ochre type colour I think it would work better , I would also paint some white highlights in the foreground water to give a bit of sparkle ....either way it’s still a beauty

Looks great to me Thalia, gorgeous vibrant colours.