Painting in Pastel

In this class, students will start with a discussion of the medium in all its varieties, covering the basics of each pastel type, the different materials, and the techniques commonly used. This class will cover the basics of painting and how they apply specifically to pastels. Concepts covered in this class will include: lighting, color, temperature, value, composition, the “rule of thirds,” and the “Fibonacci Sequence.”

Students will also learn about the treatment of surfaces, including dry and wet underpaintings, as well as apps to view values and break up detail, to gain some facility with starting with large shapes and refining later.

Painting in Pastels is a class suited for beginners and intermediate students. Those who are more advanced may feel a bit ahead of the game for the first class, but all foundational principles of working in the medium, such as types of pastels, best materials and tools to use, and techniques as they relate specifically to pastels, will be covered that can be of benefit to artists of all degrees of experience.

Willow Wright

18+

Beginner to Intermediate

Art Room I

(Available at Blick’s Art Supplies online, but it’s not required that you purchase from Blick’s)

1. Soft Pastels (3 options, pick one)
   • Rembrandt Set of 30 Soft Pastels (not oil): Click Here  
     An excellent pastel and has a beginner set of 30, which is less expensive than the Mount Vision pastels listed below, and will give you your minimum range of colors and values.
   • Rembrandt Set of 60 Soft Pastels (not oil): Click Here
     Gives you a wider range of colors and values.
   • Mount Vision Set of 50 to 75 Soft Pastels (not oil): Click Here
     Mount Vision is an excellent quality, locally hand-made pastel.
2. Hard Pastels
   • Set of 36 Newpastel (or other hard pastels): Click Here
3. Paper and Board
   • Sanded paper that can take underpainting wet media (Example: UArt Sanded paper, 400 to 600 grade); Comes in 9×12 pads: Click Here
   • In the first class, we will discuss and see examples of Ampersand Pastel board, also available at Blick Art Supplies.
   • Sketch pad – 5 x 7, or 9×12. Smoothish paper: Click Here (You can pick whatever sketch pad you want.)
4. Pencils
   • Small set of pastel pencils for laying in basic sketch: Click Here
5. Other Supplies
   • An apron is suggested. Pastel goes EVERYWHERE!
   • Small hard brush for scraping off pastel from the surface if needed.
   • Kneaded rubber eraser

n/a

$129 member / $147 non-member

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