Chalk and Oil Pastels I: Basic Techniques and Fundamentals

Instructor: Lia ter Heide
Wednesdays 5:30-8:30pm
10 weeks: January 22 to April 2 (no class February 19)
Location: In-person Williams Building room 243
$387.50 (supplies not included)
Prerequisite: None

Pastels are a pleasant to use, portable medium that produce drawings with a painterly quality. For this introductory course, students may choose to work with either oil pastels or soft chalk pastels, or both, according to their interest. Pastel techniques will be explored through exercises, demonstration, discussion, and study of works by established artists. Colour blending and mark-making strategies will be developed while exploring surface options and preparation, visual references, and composition. Students will be introduced to a range of traditional pastel subjects such as landscape, cityscape, still life, and florals, as well as abstraction, cultivating an array of foundational skills. 

Syllabus

  • Introduction to materials, tools, supports and techniques
  • Blending and mixing colours: markmaking and interpretation
  • Form and dimension: light, shadow and volume
  • Rendering objects and reflection: still life
  • Interpreting skies and clouds
  • Landscapes with natural forms
  • Landscapes with structures
  • Impression: florals and foliage
  • Expression: abstraction

Supplies

  • Oil and/or Soft (chalk) pastels, a set of at least 24 is recommended (larger sets may be helpful).
  • Reasonably priced but good quality recommended oil pastel options:
    • Montmartre Extra Soft
    • Kuelox
    • Mungyo Gallery
    • Arrtx 
  • Higher priced, high quality oil pastel options: Holbein, Sennelier 
  • Reasonably priced but good quality recommended soft (chalk) pastel options:
    • Art Alternatives
    • Montmartre
    • Mungo gallery
    • Arrtx
  • Higher priced, high quality chalk pastel options: Rembrandt, Holbein,  Sennelier 
  • Extra white pastels (for blending) are recommended 
  • Chalk pastel pencils: white, black
  • Pencil
  • Synthetic bristle paint brushes (flat and round)
  • Kneaded eraser
  • Blending stump
  • Tracing paper
  • Non-aerosol fixative
  • Papers: 1 full sheet (22" x 30") each of White Stonehenge 245gm, Grey Stonehenge 245gm, Black Stonehenge 245gm. We will be dividing the full sheets into quarters and eighths as we progress through the class.

Optional: 

  • Sponge blending tools
  • Sandpaper pointer pad
  • Odorless paint thinner
  • Alcohol
  • Apron or work shirt
  • Baby wipes
  • Other colours/textures of paper
* For a brief list of frequently used suppliers, please see Where can I purchase supplies? on our FAQ page.