Irresistible.

One of my favorite lessons is creating a resist using oil pastels under black tempera paint. The process produces dramatic and creative results with a high success rate even for the most art-challenged students. The artworks have a sophisticated, painterly quality that is achieved with more control and less mess than direct painting. The richly textured appearance and subtle black accents make this a great technique for artworks that require an aged finish.

Things to Consider

* You must be able to lay each piece flat in the bottom of the sink for effective paint removal, so the sink you will be using to wash the works in progress will determine the size of paper you will be using. For me, the ideal size is 12 x 18" (30.5 x 16 cm).

* The success of an oil pastel and tempera resist is dependent on the quality of materials you use. High-quality white drawing paper--at least 70 lb. weight--is essential to stand up to the rigors of washing. The oil pastels should be a reputable brand and, of course, the more colors the better. The tempera paint should have a creamy (not chalky) body and have an intense black color.

Subject Matter

Subjects that work well with this technique include:

* images of multicultural masks, such as African or Native American

* Ukrainian pysanky egg designs

* Portraits inspired by the work of Georges Roualt

* Architecture inspired by Russia's St. Basil's Cathedral

* Stained-glass compositions

Procedure

1. Start with a pencil drawing on good quality, heavy, white paper. Keep shapes fairly large and simple.

2. Oil pastels should be applied heavily and solidly. All colors may be used except black. Most importantly, no two colors should touch each other. A small space of white paper must be left on either side of the pencil lines and between each color. Cover the and to keep arms and hands clean.

3. When coloring is complete, place paper in the center of an open piece of newspaper. Paint the entire image with black tempera paint. Foam brushes work well for applying the paint, using a light pressure. Strive for a smooth, even coat of paint. All areas must be covered with black paint. Allow paint to dry thoroughly before washing.

I usually do all the washing. To wash the black paint from the surface of the image, lay the paper flat in the the sink. Place paper towels over the drain to avoid making a hole in the image. Let a little water wet the paper. If necessary, tilt the paper until the whole surface is wet. Let it sit until the paint begins to soften. Use a damp sponge to gently wipe away the paint, starting from the center and working towards the edges. When most of the paint has been loosened, gently lift the paper with two hands and rinse the remaining paint from the surface. Lay the paper on a clean piece of newspaper and let dry on a rack. When dry, it can be mounted on tagboard with glue.

NATIONAL STANDARD

Students intentionally take advantage of the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques, and processes to enhance communication of their experiences and ideas.

WEB LINK

www.cs.unc.edu/~yakowenk/pysanky

Michele Curio is an art teacher at Woodruff School in Upper Deerfield Township, New Jersey. [e-mail].