Old eyeshadow and old makeup, new purpose. This is a course for adults who love color and aren't afraid to break the rules of what art materials are "supposed" to be. You'll transform forgotten palettes into vibrant, textured canvas paintings — and give new life to something you already own. (We will use pastels for the colors you may not have and base sketch).

Materials provided by The Drawing Studio. Please bring any old eyeshadow or makeup that you want to use for your project. 

Join us on the first Saturday of every month for an evening of Figure Drawing with a live model! Starting in September, in our new studio, experience our figure drawing community while receiving a small demonstration and light direction from one of our amazing Teaching Artists. Snacks and beverages provided! 

Please bring your own supplies. Accepted mediums include: graphite, charcoal, pastels, watercolor, acrylics, and clay!

No membership required!

Many of us have spent years drawing the figure using monotone mediums such as pencil or charcoal. That is well and good. However, in this class I will provide guidance in using pastels to add energy and excitement to the process of drawing the human figure. These three sessions are an introduction to using pastels for drawing the figure, which will include portraits.

Materials are not provided. Please bring the following:

Pastels: We will be working primarily with a dark color and a light color. You may bring a complete set of pastels or simply a selection of individual pastels. Any brand is fine. Medium or soft pastel sticks, Conté Crayons (Conté à Paris), or colored chalk are all acceptable. I prefer medium, as soft pastels can be difficult or messier to work with. (The Drawing Studio has a fairly good collection from which you may borrow and experiment with before investing in your own.)

Paper: Bring a pad of toned pastel paper, 14” x 11” or larger. You Individual sheets are available in a wider range of colors in some of the shops in Tucson. Toned paper is important, as the color of the paper becomes integral with the drawing and enhances the pastel colors. Strathmore or Canson Mi-Teintes are good. Most pastel papers with have some tooth or texture.

Fixative: You may want to bring a can of spray fixative to “fix” you drawings (outside, please!) before leaving for the day.

Pastels are a beautiful, direct way of creating a colorful drawing.This class will focus on color theory, techniques and approaches in soft pastel. Step-by-step instruction on working with shape, creating form, choosing colors and down to the details. This class is intended for beginner to intermediate skill level. Some drawing experience recommended, but all levels of experience are welcome.

Each week we’ll work on a different image. We’ll start by looking at inspiring images from art history that demonstrate the techniques. Then I’ll demonstrate that week’s techniques and then you’ll try them out. This class is great for beginners/intermediate, but I'll work with more advanced students to help you hone your skills.

Materials not included. Please bring the following:

Pastel Paper: Assorted SENNELIER : PASTEL CARD (11"x14") or equivalent brand. If you have a favorite paper, feel free to use it. Link to article on pastel paper: https://finearttutorials.com/guide/best-pastel-paper/

Colors: We will use soft pastels for these classes. It's absolutely fine if you choose to use what you already have instead of buying a new set. In either case, you may want to buy more individual colors as you go along. Set of 24 soft pastels (Sennelier, Schminke, Art Spectrum, Holbein, Sennelier, Great American or the Dick Blick)

Detail Work: Pastel Pencils (Faber Castel Pitt Pastel pencils, Carbothello has a set of 12, Conte soft pastel pencils are also great also.) -OR- Hard/semihard pastels can also be used for finishing strokes and detail work. I recommend you purchase a small set of 24 or 36. Set of 24 hard pastels (Nupastel, CretaColor, Derwent, Holbein, Sargent or Sennelier)

Optional Materials:

Painters tape or artist tape (similar to masking tape, but with less tack)

Fixative or reworkable fixative (to set the pastels when done)

*Wet wipes

*Blending stumps or tortillons

*Small hand towel (old) or chamois cloth

*2b pencil and sketchbook

A great class for nature lovers! In this class you will learn different techniques and approaches for making beautiful pastel landscape painting. Pastel is the perfect medium to create a vibrant, colorful landscape image. Step-by-step I’ll walk you through pastel techniques and approaches. The goal is to capture both the feeling, form and colors found in nature. We’ll cover the basics of working with pastels, color theory, and a bit of art history. Each week we’ll work on a different image. We’ll start by looking at inspiring images from art history that demonstrate the techniques. Then I’ll demonstrate that week’s techniques and then you’ll try them out. This class is great for beginners/intermediate, but I'll work with more advanced students to help you hone your skills.

Materials not provided. Please bring the following supplies:

Pastel Paper: Assorted SENNELIER : PASTEL CARD (11"x14") or equivalent brand. If you have a favorite paper, feel free to use it. Link to article on pastel paper: https://finearttutorials.com/guide/best-pastel-paper/

Colors: We will use soft pastels for these classes. It's absolutely fine if you choose to use what you already have instead of buying a new set. In either case, you may want to buy more individual colors as you go along. Set of 24 soft pastels (Sennelier, Schminke, Art Spectrum, Holbein, Sennelier, Great American or the Dick Blick)

Detail Work: Pastel Pencils (Faber Castel Pitt Pastel pencils, Carbothello has a set of 12, Conte soft pastel pencils are also great also.) -OR- Hard/semihard pastels can also be used for finishing strokes and detail work. I recommend you purchase a small set of 24 or 36. Set of 24 hard pastels (Nupastel, CretaColor, Derwent, Holbein, Sargent or Sennelier)

Optional Materials:

Painters tape or artist tape (similar to masking tape, but with less tack)

Fixative or reworkable fixative (to set the pastels when done)

*Wet wipes

*Blending stumps or tortillons

*Small hand towel (old) or chamois cloth

*2b pencil and sketchbook

Join us on the first Saturday of every month for an evening of Figure Drawing with a live model! Starting in September, in our new studio, experience our figure drawing community while receiving a small demonstration and light direction from one of our amazing Teaching Artists. Snacks and beverages provided! 

Please bring your own supplies. Accepted mediums include: graphite, charcoal, pastels, watercolor, acrylics, and clay!

No membership required!

"There's nothing like an Arizona winter sky, clouds billowing and flashing against a jet blue sky." - RoseAnn V. Shawiak

This class will focus on expression and textures. In this class you will learn different techniques and approaches for capturing our famous southwestern skies. Pastel is the perfect medium to create the illusion of clouds and sky. Step-by-step I’ll walk you through pastel techniques and approaches. The goal is to capture the dynamic nature and whimsy of Arizona skies. We’ll cover the basics of working with pastels, mark making, and a bit of art history. Day 1 will be more technical, with art history and techniques: We’ll start by looking at inspiring images from art history that explore the techniques. Then I’ll demonstrate the process and then you’ll try them out. Day 2-4 will be work days, with the whole time for applying the techniques and feedback on your projects. This class is great for beginners/intermediate, but I'll work with more advanced students to help you hone your skills.

Materials not included. Please bring the following:

Pastel Paper: Assorted SENNELIER : PASTEL CARD (11"x14") or equivalent brand. If you have a favorite paper, feel free to use it. Link to article on pastel paper: https://finearttutorials.com/guide/best-pastel-paper/

Colors: We will use soft pastels for these classes. It's absolutely fine if you choose to use what you already have instead of buying a new set. In either case, you may want to buy more individual colors as you go along. Set of 24 soft pastels (Sennelier, Schminke, Art Spectrum, Holbein, Sennelier, Great American or the Dick Blick)

Detail Work: Pastel Pencils (Faber Castel Pitt Pastel pencils, Carbothello has a set of 12, Conte soft pastel pencils are also great also.) -OR- Hard/semihard pastels can also be used for finishing strokes and detail work. I recommend you purchase a small set of 24 or 36. Set of 24 hard pastels (Nupastel, CretaColor, Derwent, Holbein, Sargent or Sennelier)

Optional Materials:

Painters tape or artist tape (similar to masking tape, but with less tack)

Fixative or reworkable fixative (to set the pastels when done)

*Wet wipes

*Blending stumps or tortillons

*Small hand towel (old) or chamois cloth

*2b pencil and sketchbook

Join us on the first Saturday of every month for an evening of Figure Drawing with a live model! Starting in September, in our new studio, experience our figure drawing community while receiving a small demonstration and light direction from one of our amazing Teaching Artists. Snacks and beverages provided! 

Please bring your own supplies. Accepted mediums include: graphite, charcoal, pastels, watercolor, acrylics, and clay!

No membership required!