Ken Perryment - Art and original concept

Looking for a quicker and simpler way to approach the medium of pastel painting (or any other medium for that matter), I researched the techniques of the old masters and found that, no matter what the subject, the painting was first blocked in using pure primaries.

In the literature of the day, this overlay of primaries was called a "bisque".

The old masters then used other colours (tints), plus more primaries as needed, to work up the painting to completion.

Rather than having to deal with a multitude of colours, the choice was simple: blue, red, then yellow, and then adding warm or cool to complete the spectrum. These steps never change.

These primaries are provided by the natural light that shines upon us, so they must be prevalent in our artwork, providing life and passion from within the subject.


Ken Perryment

Marty McCormack - Research and editorial

As a recent student of Ken, I found that the technique of applying primaries sequentially was easy to learn. Right away, I could see that it made a good base that captured the mood of any drawing I intended to create. And then, working in tint colours one by one, the process consistently led to a lifelike image, whether it be of your grandmother, your favourite pooch or the view over the lake the last evening this Summer at your cottage. The procedures outlined in this guidebook have led me to a second career.


Marty McCormack