Oil pastel is the best medium for budding artists.

Oil pastel is the best medium for budding artists

Dr Abe V Rotor

Still Life in pastel by Anna Cristina Rotor-Sta Maria

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Author's Note: Chalk is made of limestone or gypsum and compressed into powdered sticks. Soft pastels are made from pure mineral pigments. The same pigments are used in oil paint, acrylics, and water color.  The pigment, is in effect, crystals  spread across the paper. Oil pastel (also called wax oil crayon) is a painting and drawing medium with characteristics similar to pastels and wax crayons. Unlike "soft" or "Japanese" pastel sticks, which are made with a gum or methyl cellulose binder, oil pastels consist of pigment mixed with a non-drying oil and wax binder. Reference Wikipedia
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I watched my daughter Anna draw with oil pastel. She seemed to be playing with colors leisurely, while I, using oil or acrylic on canvas, would labor at my medium for hours. She did this drawing (above) in three or so sittings. In between she had time to practice her piano lessons, play games, and attend to her pet rabbit.

What really make things easy for one and difficult for another, even on the same subject? In this particular case, the art of drawing and painting, an expression of creativity?

Art to the young is pure and simple, to us grownups, it is complex, and oftentimes we have to knock down a wall before we could create our own world. Anna as a budding artist, and I her tutor, found ourselves at a crossroad, before us is an endless horizon where one could find full expression of creativity.

I was more interested in the process she used oil pastels. It is in the combination of colors, not only by choice but blending. She took freedom to experiment with the medium. 

Here are some techniques she used. Pre-blending on palette by cutting or scraping pieces of oil pastel she wished to blend. With palette knife and fingers the mixture was mixed and applied on the drawing board or canvas. Bright colors are preserved and enhanced this way, such as the oranges in this specimen work.

She would directly apply the color of her choice on the board and apply a second color of oil pastel adjacent the first color, and rub the adjoining edges until the two edges appear smooth. This forms a gradient of colors desired. This is effective in drawing folds of curtain and cloth, and in drawing a bunch of fruits like bananas as shown in the drawing.

She would mix or overlay the color pastels directly on the board, first by generously making a layer followed by a second layer of a different color. There are instances she would make additional layers to achieve the desired hue, as in the apples and grapes.

Scrumbling is a method to develop texture and value (light and shadow), done by selecting two or more colors, with one color first applied by scribbling across the board, followed by the other colors in random and overlapping strokes. This technique was applied on the papaya and curtain. Modification by cross-hatch to enhance light and shadow can be appreciated in the pineapple and floral drawings.

Blending with fingers is often used with oil pastel but extreme care is necessary to prevent smudging. Fingers must be kept clean before moving to the next part of the drawing. Avoid finger clots which may have made the watermelon to appear over ripe.

One tool Anna used is a pastel shaper, the palette knife being the most popular. I used boy scout knife for ease and emphasis of light and shadow. Observe caution so as not to leave cuts and over-scraped parts. Scrapers include paint brushes, wood, Q-tips, and even sandpaper. Stumps (tightly wound rolls of paper shaped like pencil) are effective in creating fine details and sharp edges. On the other hand stumps are used in creating smudged effects.

Experimenting with pastel is joy and challenge; it leads to discovery of techniques in developing one's style, and in coping up with today's various art movements.

Whenever I conduct drawing and painting workshops for kids I use Anna's Still Life as model. And if she is free, I would invite her to personally explain her techniques to children, who some years ago, were like her - ardent and eager to become artists. ~

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Author's Note: This article was posted in this Blog on August 14, 2017.  The young artist, Anna is the author's daughter.  She was in her teens when she made this pastel drawing which dominates the sala of the family's residence in QC to this day. ~

Rhinoceros Beetle - Scourge of Coconut Trees (Article in Progress)

Rhinoceros Beetle - Scourge of Coconut Trees

Oryctes rhinoceros (Linnaeus 1758), Family Scarabaeidae, Order Coleoptera

Dr Abe V Rotor

 

  

 

On-site study of the Rhinoceros Beetle at the Living with Nature 

botanical garden, San Vicente, Ilocos Sur. Photos by the author 2024

   

 

Triceratops Beetle (Phileurus truncatus).

 

Take a Break. Visit a Garden on a Weekend

Take a Break.  Visit a Garden on a Weekend 

Living with Nature

San Vicente, Ilocos Sur

Dr Abe V Rotor

"A walk in nature walks the soul back home." — Mary Davis 

Take a break from work and school;

boredom and daily chore,

worry and anxiety;

be happy, live your life to the full.

"The garden reconciles human art and wild nature, hard work and deep pleasure, spiritual practice and the material world. It is a magical place because it is not divided." —Thomas Moore

 

Arboretum - a mini-forest and wildlife sanctuary

Walk through the tall trees unseen,

under their shade, cool and green,

spend some moments behind screen; 

no one will ask, Where have you been?

"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow." - Audrey Hepburn

Garden pond at Living with Nature home of the author

Garden pond invitingly quiet and serene,

save the splash of fish, and birds singing.

"Visiting a garden offers a peaceful escape, a chance to see rare plants, 

and fresh inspiration for your own outdoor space." Internet

 

Indigenous herbal plants - Aloe vera and pandan,

Practical and easy, 

for health and decoration;

it's our old folks' legacy 

  to the young generation.  

"When the world wearies and society fails to satisfy, there is always the garden."- Minnie Aumonier

 

Art appreciation is a prelude to becoming an artist.

Paint a quiet little corner of Eden,

then write a poem about the scene,

"Life begins the day you start a garden." — Chinese Proverb ~

"Make your pet dog happy." In celebration of World Day of the Dog, August 26 2026

World Day of the Dog, August 26 2026

 Make your pet dog happy.

"A dog starved at his master's gate 

 Predicts the ruin of the state" 

- William Blake, Auguries of Innocence

Dr Abe V. Rotor

Lassie and Anna at home. Sometimes pets overdo their jobs - or tricks.

“Make these dogs happy,” I told a group of schoolchildren who were taking art lessons from me. I gave each of them a copy of a trace drawing of a pair of dogs. The dogs looked sad, docile and there is something pathetic about them.

With pastel coloring instrument they accepted the assignment. In their young minds I saw their pets at home. As I studied the expressions on their faces, matched with their actions I noticed they were not only coloring their pets, they we virtually “caring for their pets.”

And what do you think they did with these animals? How kind are these children to them? How good are they as masters or friends – as pets? These are the things I gathered from their drawings.

Unchain – A young participant made a drawing of a chain being sawed off in order to free the dogs. Truly there is nothing more important than freedom, even for an animal. This is also true with animals. Aren’t zoos today moved to bigger spaces where the habitats of the animals are simulated? In the African Safari tourists are taken out, caged in their vehicles, while the animals roam free.

Build a doghouse – Keep them from heat and cold. Give them a sense of security and comfort. Give the doghouse some art and a bit of aesthetic sense. The house is a status symbol but its functional features are foremost.

Provide a shade – A tree beside the doghouse is a magnificent scene:
a bird’s nest atop, bridling and parent singing at feeding time, ripe fruits hang, a kite is stuck up on a branch, a boy climbs to retrieve it, leaves fall and form a litter on which the dogs lay. These and many more, which the children drew, revive the childhood to every viewer of their art works.

Give a bone – If there is anything a dog is associated with, it is a big bone. Aesop saw it fitting for a fable, a lesson about greed. For the dog however, it is a form of security, as well as a plaything. Be sure you give your pet food, fresh water and proper nutrition. Do not overfeed them.

Play with your dog, give a plaything – I found out that many of my pupils drew themselves beside or playing with their pets. Others drew cats and mice playing with their dogs. Playing is universal among animals, tame or in the wild. Others raced with them on the meadow.

Groom – Regularly bathe and comb them. Several drawings showed the dogs in attire, one in a circus outfit, another in casual wear, one eating on Chinaware. This is not rare because we often think of animal as human beings. Read “Animal Farm” by George Orwell. Or see the movie, “Babe.” Aesop’s fables are about animals that think like human beings – or it could be the other way around, as Aesop wanted to drive a point, quite often a painful lesson. Aesop was silenced because he was unwittingly hurting people with his fable.

Teach tricks and discipline – A ball, a stick, an electronic gadget to open or close the doghouse, are among the things the young participants included in their drawings. There’s a saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” But children always see their pets young. This means they are growing up together, and sharing new tricks.

Vaccinate your dog – A participant drew a veterinarian administering an anti-rabies shot on his young pet. Precaution is always important, because catching rabies is dangerous.

Who are these children mirrored by their drawings? And who will they be through the keyhole of their imagination? How we regard our pets is what we are and become.

“A starving dog at his master’s gate predicts the ruin of the state,” thus William Blake in “Auguries of Innocence” tells us. I, for one, would gladly meet with confidence and ease the master of a contented and happy dog.

The art workshop for children in which I used the dog as an exercise to demonstrate love for animals may be a simple way of changing attitudes and developing values. Children are known to be very effective in carrying out the multiplier effect of a lesson and we hope that they will carry this as they grow.

“Make these dogs happy,” could mean a thousand dogs in the future, and a thousand enlightened children who follow the footsteps of those who unchained the dog, built a doghouse, gave a bone, etc - and, altogether will make our world a kinder one. Reference: Living with Nature, AVRotor 2011

Part 2 - Ten-ten-ten - the dog that found a home

A home he found and a happy company with us 

and the neighborhood.

Dr Abe V Rotor

 

                                       Jemille and Ten-ten-ten, the dog that found a home

It was a quiet afternoon and guess who was knocking at the gate.

A starving dog, a mongrel, and what is there in him to gain?  

Could you spare me a morsel? His eyes moist and sad, begging,

And food we gave, closed the gate, everything was quiet again.  

The sun was setting down, we saw a shadow seeping through the gate,

He is still there, I told the children, and he was knocking again, 

Could you spare me a place for the night? His moaning told us so,

Who are you, who is your master? Silence. I felt a little pain.   

We took him in.  It was a special date on the calendar that comes

But once, and never again, not in a lifetime or generation.

Tenth day of the tenth month of the first decade of the millennium,   

And we named this lost dog Ten-ten-ten. What a celebration!  

A home he found and a happy company with us and the neighborhood,

Call his name, you wish luck and fortune, how easy to remember! 

And children tired from school come knocking to play with their friend,

Can we play with Ten-ten(-ten)? Heaven sent a dog to love and share.  ~

"How we regard our pets reflects what we are and will become." - avr

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⁠* World Day of the Dog or International Dog Day on August 26, 2026, does not have a single official, global annual slogan or centralized "specific theme" assigned by a governing body. Instead, the recurring core focus every year centers on dog adoption, rescue awareness, and honoring all breeds. Internet

Witty Philosophical Quotes:15 Reflections of Human Nature in Politics

15 Reflections of Human Nature in Politics

Witty Philosophical Quotes*

 Researched and Organized by Dr Abe V Rotor

"The cheapest way to have your family traced is to run for office." - Anonymous

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2.

"Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary."- Robert Louis Stevenson

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3.

"Under capitalism man exploits man, under socialism, the reverse is true." - Polish Proverb

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4.

"Don't be humble, you're not that great." - Golda Meir

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5.

"Since a politician never believes what he says, he is astonished by what others do." - Charles de Gaulle

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6.

"We have debated this bill now for nine days.  I heard the world was created in seven." - Robert Byrd

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7.

"An expert gives an objective view.  He gives his own view."- Morarji Desai

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8.

"He has the greatest opportunity for public service.  He can resign today."- Winston Churchill

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9

"Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. (Don't overdo it.)" - Lao Tze

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10.

"I've never thought my speeches were too long.  I've enjoyed them." - Hubert Humphrey PHOTO left

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11.

"A government big enough to give us everything we want would be big enough to take from us everything we have." - Gerald Ford

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12.

"By radical I understand one goes too far, by conservative one who does not go far enough, by reactionary one won't go at all," - Woodrow Wilson PHOTO right

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13.

"The victor belongs to the spoils." - F Scott Fitzgerald

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14.

"Guidelines for bureaucrats: 1. When in charge, ponder; 2. When in trouble, delegate; 3. When in doubt, mumble." - James H Boren

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15.

"Congress: Bingo with billions." - Red Skelton

* Acknowledgement with gratitude: Jokes, Quotes and One-liners for Public Speaking by Prochnow HV and HV Prochnow Jr 1983; Internet images

20 Witty Conversational Quips

Human Nature in Action and Imagination

20 Witty Conversational Quips

“Life is like a grindstone; whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends on what you're made of.”― Jacob M. Braude

Researched and Organized by Dr Abe V Rotor

"Will you marry me when my hair turns to gray?"

"Why not? Haven't I stuck with you through brown, black, red, blond and purple?"

2.

"If you had your life to live over, do you think you'd make the same mistakes again?
"Certainly, but I'd start earlier."

3.

"Were you excited the first time you asked your husband for money?"

"Oh, no.  I was calm - and collected."

4.

"Why do you want to work in a dynamite factory?"

"I want to make myself quit smoking."

5.

"Darling, if I had to do it all over again, I'd marry you."

"That's what you think."

6.

"A letter came for you today marked 'private and personal'."

"What did it say?"

7.

"What tense is, 'I am beautiful?'"

"Past tense."

8.

"Drinking makes you beautiful."

"But I haven't been drinking.:

"I have."

9.

"I had an awful nightmare last night."

"Yes, I saw you with her."

10.

"No, you can't wear your hair like Elvis Priestley."

"But dad, you wear yours like Yul Brynner."

11.

"What do you want?"

"Would you be so kind as to help a poor unfortunate fellow who is hungry and out of work?  All I have in the world is this gun!"

12.

"Mama, is it true that we came from dust and will return to dust?"

"Yes, dear.  This is what the Bible teaches us.  "Why?"

"Well, I just looked under the bed, and there's somebody there, either coming or going."

13.

"You're wearing your wedding ring on the wrong finger."

"I know... I married the wrong man."

14.

"I sentence you to three years of hard labor."

"The joke is on you judge, because my doctor gives me only three months to live."

15.

"Darling, I'm ruined.  I lost my job.  I'm bankrupt.  I haven't a cent."

"Don't worry sweetheart.  I'll always love you - even if I never see you again."

16.

"Since pro means opposite of con, can you give me an illustration of each?"

"Progress and Congress."

17.

"What are you laughing at, you rascal?"

"Because you're whipping the wrong boy."

18.

"Jimmy, will you tell the class why you object to war?"

"Because wars make history."

19.

"How old were you on your last birthday?"

"Seven, ma'am."

"How old will you be on your next birthday?"

"Nine, ma'am,."

"Nonsense.  If you were seven on your last birthday, how can you be nine 

 on your next birthday?"

"I'm eight today."

20.

"Why did you park your car there?"

"The sign said, Fine for Parking."

  

ASSIGNMENT: Add to this list more witty quips. Create your own visual presentation of each item, in photo, sketch, choreograph, and the like, as project or workshop theme in your school and community. 

Acknowledgement with gratitude to Dr Jacob M Braude, author of a series of encyclopedia on humor, anecdotes, quotations, stories, notably Speaker's Encyclopedia of Humor, Prentice Hall Inc NY 1961.  Internet images.

International Cat Day August 8, 2026 The Cat: Classical Case of Evolution through Domestication

International Cat Day August 8, 2026 

The Cat: Classical Case of Evolution 

through Domestication

Dr Abe V Rotor

Cats are among the earliest domesticated animals dating back 10,000 to 12,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent, where man started to settle down from nomadic existence, an epoch characterized by the rise of agriculture.
 

Poor, poor creature in idle rest,
Once proud with the king of the beasts,
The feline god Cleopatra caressed,
Agile that only the lightning can best –
You shame your kind and history,
And your evolutionary tree.




Mindless, you purr your answer;
“A pet I’ve become while my brothers roar.
Degenerated I am, but here I’ll stay
For some mice, imaginary or prey,
Making me a friend and almost sane
To be idle and tame with all to gain.” ~



 
The cat found man, or is it the other way around?

Living with Nature School on Blog
Lesson on former Paaralang  Bayan sa Himpapawid with Ms Melly C Tenorio
738 DZRB AM Band, 8 to 9 evening class, Monday to Friday.  Acknowledgement with gratitude: Ai Overview, Internet, Living with Nature series AVR-UST

*International Cat Day celebrates the companionship cats provide and raises awareness about ways to help and protect cats. The day was created in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare.