by Anna Meenaghan

Are you irritated and annoyed with yourself, because you are new to pastels and can not find out how, or if you can, rectify mistakes? Maybe you are of the opinion you can’t! Did you think it would be like using pencils?

However, some things can be done to rectify the situation. Never try to erase with a standard rubber eraser, you will find that it ruins your work. It takes off the surface of your paper and generally damages it.

Basically you first need to try and eliminate most of the actual pigment, so that all you are left with is a very feint line. The only way that I have found successful, is to only use an actual plastic rubber and only sort of dab at the surface.

It is possible you have all you already need, if you have a fresh, white loaf in the house. This will serve you well if it is rolled into a small ball, but if you only have little mistakes to correct I would just try rubbing my finger over them on soft pastels.

Move your finger both backwards and forwards. Hopefully this will not then damage your surface. Another common fact is that people often use quite a stiff brush to remove marks that you may not require.

So now you absolutely hate it! Oh dear, all that I have done is wasted and you feel like crying. Spirits are low. No need really, as you can wash it over with acrylic paint, so that all is not completely lost.

You now can achieve an admirable, tinted paper. The result being made by the acrylic and pastel coming together as long as you are using strong watercolour paper.

Oil pastels are easy enough to correct with cotton wool and mineral spirits. Don’t bother with a rubber. Colour is removed easily by using soaked cotton wool in a small ball. This removes paint cleanly.

Amazingly enough, this works like a treat. Your picture appears to remain unharmed, as the spirits quickly evaporate. The removal task is done pretty efficiently and cleanly. Some people like to transfer their images. So for instance, take a soft pastel, maybe an overworked one that you cannot seem to alter, even though you are pleased with your drawing effect.

You need to soak a clean piece of paper with water and remove excess. Place the drained sheet over your painting, ensuring that it will not move. Take a sponge and go across it or use a strong hand.

Now you can transfer your image, although it will have been reversed, by carefully lifting the top paper off. It is better to leave it on some type of boarding to dry to eliminate wrinkles and begin once more.

About the Author:
This “How To” has been offered to you by Anna Meenaghan, a contemporary artist, who has been involved in the arts all of her life. As a contemporary painter she has experienced a lot of “mishaps” herself and is now freely offering advice to newcomers to the world of art by writing articles on various subjects. Thought left by Michael Bruckner.

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