Expressive Soft Pastel Painting
£180.00
10 Places available
2nd - 3rd August: 10am - 4pm
Location: Studio based
In this two day workshop we will cover a variety of subject matter including bluebell woods, coastal scenes, landscapes and flowers.
The aim will be to encourage students to enjoy exploring the versatility of the medium of soft pastel with a view to capturing the subject matters in an expressive, bold and contemporary way.
We will look at how we respond to a subject, whether using photographic reference, field sketches or working from life, and how we can see this as a starting point to create a more personal interpretation of the motif.
We will of course cover the fundamentals of composition, tone and drawing as part of the process and aim to show the versatility, immediacy and excitement that soft pastels offer the artist.
The course will be suitable for all abilities from those trying pastels for the first time to those who are already working with them and looking to further develop their technique.
Matierials / Lunch are not included.
Tea and Coffee and snacks will be provided.
There are cafes and food shops within a short walk of the studio.
Please see below the matierials you will need to bring along.
MATERIALS LIST
Pastels
A basic set of soft pastels. Around thirty or more if you have them. Include a few extra really deep darks, which are vital to my approach to pastel painting. I use Sennelier, Girault and Unison pastels for most of my work, but there are plenty of other really good quality pastels available, which will be absolutely fine for the workshop. Do ensure, however, that the pastels are soft pastels it is better to have a smaller selection of soft sticks than a large selection of harder pastels which are very different and do not have the vibrancy or velvety finish we are after. Half stick sets are also perfectly fine and a more economical way of starting a collection for those who are new to pastels. Sennelier and Rembrandt offer good value half stick sets which are readily available.
Paper
Sanded papers such as Sennelier La Carte pastel card, Uart, Canson Touch or Pastelmat are all suitable for the two days. Personally, I primarily use Sennelier pastel card but any of the ones mentioned above will be fine; I find most artists have a preference for the paper that suits them best. I also tend to use mid-toned papers to work on so I would avoid white or black if possible.
Other equipment
- Small sketchbook and soft pencil or marker pens
- Stiff brush
Richard Suckling studied illustration at Cambridge School of Art and worked for a number of years as an illustrator in London, before heading to the beautiful West of England to pursue a new career as a painter. He works almost exclusively in soft pastels and sells his work worldwide through galleries and privately through his social media pages and website.
He enjoys teaching regular workshops, throughout the UK, as well as pastel demonstrations and workshops on-line worldwide. He was one of the faculty members for Pastel Live in 2022, as well as appearing on Art School live with Eric Rhoads, and is currently a member of the advisory board for the Pastel Today website www.pasteltoday.com
As well as writing regularly for magazines extolling the virtues of this amazing medium, including The Artist Magazine in the UK, articles on Richard's work have also appeared in Plein Air Magazine in the US, Practique Des Arts in France, Pastel World Magazine in China.