Oil Pastels:
Rendering Clouds and Horizons

Course Description

Skyscapes have unique challenges which can be interpreted through a range of stylistic forms and approaches. In this cloud and sky focused course, oil pastels are the medium of interpretation, using a variety of supports. Indoor sessions will work from photographic references, and if weather permits, we will attempt to spend some sessions directly from the observed natural environment. Previous experience drawing with oil pastels is helpful but not required.

Course Fee: $280 (supplies not included)

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Syllabus

• Approaches to light, shadow, and volume
• Markmaking strategies
• Blending and layering
• Colour strategies and methods of mixing
• Interpretive methods and options
• Application tactics for surface texture variation
• Additive and reductive processes
• Achieving harmony and balance with disparate elements

Supplies

• Soft buttery oil pastels, recommend one of the sets of 120 or more: Recommended brands: Mont Marte Premium Extra Soft Oil Pastels, Soho Urban Artist, Meeden, Artecho (Available from Amazon) please note: Instructor does not recommend harder pastels such as Holbein, Staedler, Pentel, etc, you will NOT get the same results.)
• White oil pastels: extra white sticks are recommended as we will be using a lot of white to blend (Artecho, Meeden, Mont Marte, Patikil, Paul Rubens and Lightwish are all good options. For extra soft impasto touchups, it can be useful (but not necessary) to have one white Sennelier)
• Stonehenge Colors 9"x12" pad or Stonehenge 245GSM full sheets torn into smaller sizes or other similarly heavyweight paper with a bit of tooth 
• Sketchbook (multimedia paper is recommended)
• Birch board panel (mounted or unmounted) approx. 16" x 20" or larger if you prefer
• Canvas board panel 8" x 10" or larger
• Small diamond or trowel shaped offset steel painting knife (palette knife)
• A few oil or wax based coloured pencils (Prismacolor Premier Pencils are recommended) suggested colours: black, light/medium grey, brown, white
• Golden Acrylic Pastel Ground Medium 8oz size
• 1" or larger flat paint brush
• Painter's (masking) tape
• Rags or paper towel
• Pencil
• A small sheet of unmounted masonite board (hardboard) or other smooth-surfaced stiff (not flexible) sturdy drawing board for supporting drawings in progress (at least as large as the paper you are working on)
• Roll or sheet of glassine, parchment paper or wax paper for protecting artwork

For outdoor sessions, please bring something comfortable like a blanket, cushion or chair to sit on and appropriate hat/shoes/clothing/bugspray/sunscreen to shield from sun and insects as well as deal with changing temperatures and conditions.