Degas, Pastel & The Outer Hebrides

As far as I'm aware, Degas never visited The Outer Hebrides; but, like his friends The Impressionists, he was fascinated by light and finding ways of representing light in paint and pastel. Having written about Degas' pastel techniques for drawing his ballerinas and bathing women, I found chalk pastels incredibly useful for capturing the ever-changing light and water on the Hebridean islands of Berneray and Harris. The general approach involves laying down some black areas of charcoal, then sealing it with fixative, before applying layers of colour. However in the breezy climate of The Western Isles, hairspray was out of the question, so I rubbed the charcoal into the paper and layered the colour straight on top. The great thing about pastel and changeable weather is that you can smudge and soften and then suddenly, just when the moment strikes you and the light is clear, you can put down a few bright, crisp marks and make your final emphasis. 
A number of small plein air pastel studies will be on display (and for sale at 'stocking-filler' prices) as part of the 'Painting the Peats' exhibition next week. www.damiancallan.com/events

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