What makes the difference between a flat pastel drawing and one that appears high-end is most often a combination of colors. Not skill alone. Not detail. The mere position of the colors in juxtaposition. Finding more about the author at this page!
I did not think so initially. I believed that art that looks costly is art of flawless skill. It can be much easier, it turns out, and slightly cunning.
Among the first things that I observed during a course in pastel painting was the use of pure colors. What straight-off-the-stick pink! Virtually never left unchanged. It was burnt, overlaid with the softer or a little duller.
It is only that change that makes everything.
One of them is soft contrast. You have muted colors in close proximity to each other, instead of mixing them. Consider dusty blue and warm gray, or faded peach and desaturated green. There is no screaming and everything is in balance; it is hard to resistant to this balance.
It is giving that expensive appearance without making much effort.
Sneaking in of unexpected colors is also a trick. Shadows are not darker forms of the same color. They could have undertones of purple, deep blue or even a dull red. It is unnatural to start with, but when it is on paper, it gives it a depth that mere shading lacks.
And you do not see it at first. That is what it is all about.
The overlaying comes into this to my surprise. You do not smooth it all out, but leave bits of various colors showing through. A thin line on a darker background, though not quite covering it. It produces a rich texture despite the technique being very loose.
I had a habit of overblending. Big mistake.
A second way that makes the game different is by restricting your palette. It is counterintuitive, yet less use of colors makes the piece appear more integrated. Nothing comes out of place when all colors refer to a limited group. It is colder, less spontaneous.
And yes it is more expensive to look at.
There is also the issue of warm and cool balance, but not strictly. It is rather contrast than rules. An accent of warm on a cool ground, or vice versa. Such a slight impetus and counter-impetus give the piece an interest without busy-ness.
One can easily go overboard with it. I have done that twice or more.
The most surprising fact is that even minor changes can transform the entire atmosphere. Change the color with a lighter shade of gray and the painting seems more sophisticated. Tap a shadow cooler, and the highlights come to life without getting brighter.
It’s not dramatic. It’s quiet.
And that is why it is likely to be so effective. Pastel paintings that appear expensive do not depend on bright color selections. They reserve themselves to a point that the relations between colors are doing the hard work rather than screaming to attract attention.