Watercolor and Pastel

Adult Class | Available

All levels welcome.

4/4/2024-5/23/2024

2:00 PM-5:00 PM EDT on Th

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$265.00

$240.00

$32.00

$20.00

Deepen your experience of one or both watercolor and pastel painting, either on their own or in combination with each other. This class is intended for those with some experience in one or the other medium who want to take a further step and/or review techniques you want to learn more about. It is also meant for someone experienced with one medium to learn to supplement with the other. Each student will work individually with the instructor to identify an area of growth, a project, or an idiom of painting to develop. Foundational techniques such as color mixing, paint handling, composition, shading, hatching, and blending will be taught as a means for each student to further their development. As needed, we will explore even using acrylic mediums to further both pastel and watercolor language. Experimentation and creative use of the materials will be encouraged.

What you will learn:
1. How to handle materials
2. How to question materials and choose the appropriate approach to a work
3. How to read your work and appreciate it deeply
4. How to strategize and form solutions

This is an 8-session course.

  • Soft pastels, if working in pastels, a set of at least 12 colors. Optional: hard pastels such as Prismacolor NuPastel; or pastel pencils such as Caran d Arches Supracolor pencils

    Paper: if working in pastel, any paper sold as “pastel” paper will work. Optionally, pastel can also be done on cover stock such as Rive BFK or watercolor paper such as Arches Aquarelle. If interested in working on canvas or wooden panel, you can use Golden Pastel Ground to prepare your surface. If working in watercolor, any paper sold as “watercolor” paper will work. Use 140lb (aka ~300gsm) weight paper. Cold press is recommended for most applications. The best commonly available brand is Arches Aquarelle. Optionally, watercolor can be done on canvas or wooden panel with the use of Golden Watercolor Ground. The aforementioned grounds can also be used on watercolor paper and/or over watercolor and/or pastel to create layers.

    Blending: if working in pastel (choose one or many, or you can use your finger): blending stump, chamois cloth, makeup sponge, paper or cloth towel.

    Paint, if working in watercolor: watercolor, gouache, or acrylic paint. A set of at least 10 colors. Tubes and/or pans (they are interchangeable and inter-mixable).
    • Recommended colors: Ultramarine Blue, Lemon Yellow, Permanent Rose, Viridian, Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow, and Pthalo Blue, Dioxazine Violet,Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Lamp Black, Chinese (Zinc) White
    • Optional colors: Cobalt Blue, Cerulean Blue, Aureolin Yellow

    Brushes. Small round soft brush (#4, 5, or 6). Medium round soft brush (#10, 11, or 12). 1” Flat Brush
    • Optional: #18 mop brush, #0 or #1 round brush
    • Optional: water brush (the kind that stores water inside the shaft)

    • If watercolor, two jars for water
    • Sketchbook
    • H, F, or HB pencil
    • Pencil sharpener
    • Erasers, especially for pastel, at least one white plastic eraser. Optional: pink eraser, kneaded eraser, pencil eraser (has long, thin, white eraser inside of a plastic holder)
    • Paint mixing tray, if watercolor
    • Painter’s tape
    • Masking fluid, optional
    • Sea sponge optional
    • Spray bottle, optional
    • something to carry supplies