Mustang Mountains - pastel

Here is another painting done the other night.  No particular rhyme or reason for it, other than the appeal of the mountains and their shapes, colors and shadows grabbed me as I went through my photos.

These are a small range of mountains known as the Mustang Mtns.  They are situated north of the Huachucas and south of the Whetstones, and are visible along Hwy 82 that runs east-west between Huachuca City and Sonoita north and west of Sierra Vista.  The original photo was taken during my return trip from Flagstaff -> Tucson -> Bisbee.  I'd not driven down either Hwy 82 or 83 (north-south from Sonoita to I-10).  The drive is absolutely beautiful, and should you find yourself in southern AZ on a drive from Tucson to Bisbee or Sierra Vista, I'd absolutely recommend these two highways instead of I-10 and Hwy 80.

What I discovered with this painting, done on Artagain, is that finger blending is just not a good idea on this surface.  I attempted it on areas of the lower sky, and after that, getting any pastel to adhere to the surface was just out of the question.  So, if the sky looks a bit rough in patches, that is why.  The clouds were actually taken from another photo taken probably around the same time of day and in the same direction.  The pastel was being a bit stubborn about laying down how I wanted it, but I don't mind the looser look of the sky.

I used some recently purchased Richeson handmade pastels for the earth/grey colors leading up to the base of the mountains, and they were superb on this surface.  Ditto my Mt. Visions.

"Towards the Mustang Mountains"

pastel on paper, 9x12"