Sustained Investigation #2

Sustained Investigation #2: "Escultor de Tagua"

Chalk Pastel on Toned Paper

11.5" x 9"

My painting depicts a tagua carver from the Tinjaca region in Boyaca, Colombia. The tagua nut he is carving comes from the Tagua Palm, or Ivory Palm, which is a type of palm specific to this region. The carving of Tagua is considered a traditional art by the people of this region as the Ivory Palm is regarded as an important natural piece of their culture. The symbols behind the carver are important symbols to the indigenous people of Tinjaca, which I saw carved and painted often during my time there. I chose to focus on this subject/culture because of the passion in which the tagua nut carver described his work to me. While I was in Colombia, I fell in love with the landscape, the people, the culture, and the love that the people hold for their beautiful country and traditions.

I completed this piece using Chalk Pastels on Toned Paper, both firsts for me.

I decided to try using chalk pastels on toned paper to gain better familiarity with different mediums. I began by drawing an outline with graphite on the toned paper, I now realise that pastel will not cover graphite and it will still be evident through the finished piece. I then added pastel values to the drawing to give form to the subject. To improve upon this piece I would study my medium more in order to more effectively use it, I would make the Tagua nut more obvious, and more to the background, maybe a landscape, to allow for more color variation as it is quite bland.