Inspired by the beauty of traditional figure drawings, Evelyn Breit communicates a fresh perspective on the human form with her colorful pastels.
Currently residing in Atlanta, Georgia, Evelyn is adept in working with pastel, oil, graphite and charcoal. She creates lovely landscapes as well, but I was drawn in particular to her amazing figures.
Evelyn’s subjects are bathed in a glowing light, giving them more than a touch of elegance. Her style has been described as “a combination of classical techniques and contemporary design” which can be clearly seen below.
Evelyn enjoys the expressive nature of the human figure, and prefers creating from live models. Her paintings “celebrate the beauty and complexity of the human form in all its variations.”
I love how she uses light and shadow. . . and if that wasn’t mesmerizing enough, she then adds warm and cool colors to pull you in ever more.
Evelyn’s pastel process is really a combination of drawing and painting.
Her figure paintings begin with a light drawing to establish accuracy, then, using the tips and sides of her pastels, she simultaneously crosshatches and applies broad strokes of color. In the process Evelyn builds up many layers of warm and cool colors as seen in the image above.
Dry pastel is Evelyn’s medium of choice because it is opaque, powerful and can be applied very quickly. She uses it both for fine details, and to create loose scribbles of spontaneity—it’s a combination that works perfectly for her, seeing how she likes to creates strong, vibrant forms in elusive settings.
I invite you all to visit Evelyn’s site at www.breitart.net to experience more of her glowing human forms in pastel.