The Drawing Studio

"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