
SOFT PASTEL PAINTING
This workshop is for everyone who loves color. There are so many different ways to work with soft pastels. They are fragile but don’t let that scare you away! If framed properly under glass they will last forever. You can still see original paintings by Degas and as far back as Michelangelo in museums today. The variety of pastel papers, brands of pastels, and techniques are endless. I will share what I know and focus on a few of my own favorite ways to work. From start to finish you will learn my process and you will go home with a finished, ready to frame painting of your own.
Please note - Soft pastel is like “chalk” so if you have allergies working in this medium may not suit you or you can power through by wearing a mask if you’re more comfortable.
STUDENT SUPPLY LIST BELOW
WHEN & WHERE?
PAINT A PRETTY ORCHID
Introduction to soft pastel
Open to all skill levels - beginners welcome!
STUDENT SUPPLY LIST:
• Substrate - For the example above I used a sanded card made by Sennelier. It has a rough texture and cannot accept wet medium. I’ll touch on the wet medium process and the other papers that do accommodate under-painting but for this class we’ll be going straight at it with the pastel sticks. Any sanded pastel paper will do so if you have a favorite bring what you like. If you’re new, you can learn more about sanded pastel paper HERE. Make sure it is sanded. Other papers will not yield the same results I am showing you in this class.
• Soft Pastels - You can buy a relatively inexpensive set of pastels if you are new to this medium. Once you get hooked you can never get enough of the fabulous array of luscious colors available and you’ll get sucked in to trying many brands but start with what you can afford and go from there. Here’s a good review of a few different brands. They all behave differently but if you’re just starting out a good option might be this $20 set from Dick Blick. I love this Mungo brand - it’s the perfect texture for most any part of the painting process and I find I use these the most throughout my work. Another good brand is Unison and also Richeson makes a set of half sticks which means the sticks are shorter but you get more colors. I recently treated myself to a set of Diane Townsend and of course I love Senellier - the absolute crème de la crème. Both are packed with pure, luscious color but they also crumble very easily and are best used at the end. Not a necessary investment for beginners.
You will discover that they all have similar yet different properties with regards to softness. Here’s a good review of several different brands
A good resource for everything pastel is Dakota Pastel.
NICE TO HAVE BUT NOT NECESSARY FOR THIS CLASS:
• NuPastel - These are a great addition to any pastel artist’s tool box. They are a harder pastel than those mentioned above and come in very handy throughout the painting process.
• Pastel Pencils - Definitely not necessary but come in handy for smaller details.
• Compressed Charcoal - I sometimes use this for black because it’s much less expensive than black pastel.
• Vine Charcoal - A lighter touch than compressed charcoal. Best for sketching and easily wiped off.
• Clear Gesso - I use Liquitex but any brand will do. Just make sure it's "clear" Gesso. This is a great way to turn any paper or board into a lightly sanded surface perfect for soft pastel painting.
Sketch paper, pencil, paper towels, baby wipes, old clothes or an apron, gloves if you don’t want to get your hands messy. Personally, I can’t stand to work with them but it’s up to you!