Pastel Portraits

Posted on by David Rivera

If color and spontaneity are qualities that you would like to incorporate into a portrait then a pastel is a great option. Many of the works on this page are vignettes – certain parts are left unresolved and fade into the paper. This type of portrayal is particularly pleasing in representing children, where each expression is a flicker in time.

Although many of the works on this page are vignettes, there are also more finished pieces in which colors and values are built up slowly with layers from the lightest to the darkest. This process produces a final deep saturation of color, which, according to clients, is similar to an oil or egg tempera painting.

Prices for each type of portrait can be found on my pricing page. If you desire something more customized in terms of the size and subject, please let me know. I’d love to bring your vision to life!

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“Tana” 11×14, pastel on grey toned paper

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“Nathan” 16×20, pastel on toned paper

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“Rosemarie” 11 x 14, pastel, colored pencil & charcoal on paper.

“Summer Joy” pastel on gray toned paper (16 x 20)

For more information please see my pricing page or give me a call (609) 203-6270 or email http://www.riverafinearts@gmail.com.

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Published by David Rivera

For as long as I can remember I've been fascinated with representational art. I enjoy "realism and "hyper-realism". I studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art as well as the New York Academy of Figurative Art. I am a painter and teacher committed to the traditions of classical art. I currently reside in Newtown, PA and show locally at the J & W Gallery in New Hope, PA. Art for me is a means of self-expression. Although I am deeply in love with the techniques of the masters of the past, particularly the sixteenth century Dutch and Flemish painters, I would never try to emulate them. I am more concerned with using their techniques to express my own thoughts, emotions and ideas. I consider my work to be very contemporary in terms of content and subject matter. I think of the technique, simply, as the "language" that an artist uses to communicate with his or her viewers.