Exploring Pastels (2 Part Workshop)

Soft Pastel Workshop Series (2-Part Class)

This two-session pastel workshop is designed for intermediate artists who already have basic drawing skills and an understanding of fundamental art terminology such as value, chroma, line, edges, and composition.

Session One; October 15

The first two-hour session will cover:

• Types of soft pastels
• Papers and surfaces
• Fixatives
• Drawing fundamentals
• Composition and design principles

Students will:

• Learn how to handle pastels with a light touch
• Build paintings through shape and value rather than detail
• Practice thumbnails using notans and value sketches to plan a painting
• Learn how to choose a color palette and match values to a simple value strip
• Practice a variety of pastel strokes

The session will end with a simple apple pastel painting using only 30 strokes.

Session Two; October 22

Before the second session, students will complete homework using a printed reference photo and thumbnails created for their pastel painting.

During class, students will:

• Watch a demonstration of the initial block-in process using thumbnails and basic shapes
• Block in shapes using pastels while matching values from their thumbnails
• Use brushes and alcohol or rubbing techniques (depending on paper used) to set the block-in
• Continue developing the painting using both the thumbnail and reference photo

The final 30 minutes of class will include a show-and-tell where students can share what they like about their painting.

Workshop Goals

With this class, the goal is to:

• Expose students to pastel painting
• Help students learn to think in shapes versus things
• Create a strong foundation for beginning a painting

Additional Information

• This workshop takes place over two Thursdays ($50 cost covers both)
• All pastels, paper, and supplies will be provided
• Students should wear an apron or old clothes
• “Gloves in a Bottle” will be available for hands

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Because this workshop is sponsored by a grant, the cost is lower than usual.

Grant Support Statement
MaryAnn Cleary is a fiscal year 2025 recipient of a Creative Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to legislative appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature: and by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.