Smoky and Purple at Dusk after J.M.W. Turner

I painted this as a tribute to J. M. W. Turner the British Romantic landscape painter who was know for achieving a glowing luminosity to his paintings. He did it with oils and glazing. Inspired by his technique I thought I would attempt to recreate what he was so successfully know for, in oils, in the pastel medium.

I approached painting this piece by gradually building up layers of closely related colour values of pastel. The many layers of pastel have created an impasto effect that shimmers and virtually glows. It is much more luminous when seen in person as pastels refract light the way no other medium can. If you have ever seen a pastel painting by Degas you will know what I mean.