Workshops

Please take a look at all the different workshops I offer and call or email me if you are interested in knowing more, or would like to book.

Workshop Dates by Email

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Pastel Workshops

Soft pastel is an amazingly versatile, contemporary medium which works beautifully on its own or with mixed media. It is painting and drawing all in the same action and so very tactile as a painting medium.

All my workshops are small, so they are friendly and intimate. I do some demonstrations to give students an idea of what's going to be happening and although fun, the workshops are informative, focusing on working hard and getting a lot done!

The idea behind all my tuition is to increase a student's confidence and knowledge of using pastels as a medium, whether they are a beginner or an experienced artist. None of my teaching will turn anyone into a photo-realist painter, as I believe strongly in developing an expressive and emotional individual style.

Workshops for Everyone

I offer a variety of workshops in Devizes, Wilsford and Bromham Wiltshire for absolute beginners to experieneced artists. Some workshops are single stand alone sessions, others are run as courses and I am also happy to design the tuition around your particular pastel needs.

Please see below for detailed descriptions of the different pastel workshops I offer and the latest dates.

Which Workshop?

If you have ever thought you would like to have a go at using soft pastels, or are lacking the confidence to even take your labels off and snap your pastels in half, then why not try one of my one-to-one Pastel Sessions?

Alternatively, if you are an established artist and think you know pastels, think again. Or if you are a bit rusty with your pastel techniques. Choose a single Pastel Session to focus on a particular subject or technique. I also offer a number of different workshops, showing you a wide range of techniques and papers and covering various subject areas.

How many different pastel papers have you tried? Starting with a number of papers helps to build your knowledge of texture straight away. Learn all about mark making, sgraffito, alcohol/pastel underpainting and paper texture tests. All useful and surprising techniques, which will bring striking results.

Which Pastels?

I have designed and Unison Colour, who make extraordinary pastels, have produced a number of sets specifically for my workshops. The prices of some of my courses of workshops include one of these sets, but you can also purchase them separately from me.

Please take a look here at the different Pastel Sets and to purchase call me on 07731 476760.

The Workshop Venues

Parnella House

My pastel studio and workshop space are located on the top floor of Parnella House at 23 The Market Place Devizes SN10 1JQ Wiltshire.

Workshops at this venue are usually on Saturday mornings between 10am and 1pm and accommodate a maximum of 6 students.

Please take a look at the latest workshop dates and book by phone or email.

Wildfire Barn

Wildfire Barn Wilsford Wiltshire is a spacious and comfortable location for slightly larger groups.

Workshops at this venue are usually on Friday mornings between 10am and 1pm and accommodate a maximum of 10 students.

Please take a look at the latest workshop dates and book by phone or email.

The Workshops

Colour Theory

When you are using paint you can easily mix your primaries and see how they make some secondary colours. Whereas pastels are all powder, so we have our colours made for us already.

But we still need to know what's cool, what's warm, what's light, what's dark & everything else. So really understanding the different emphasis of colour theory for pastels is a vital part of painting with and using them.

Included in the cost of the course is a set of 18 pastels. Primary, secondary and tertiary colours I have picked out from the colour wheel. There are 12 colours which make up the colour wheel and I have also included a black, a white and 4 greys to use throughout the course.

The Colour Wheel set is a beautiful selection and will complement any pastels you may already have.

Landscape

For Landscape Workshops I like to focus on a particular theme and explore with you what is involved in developing your observation skills to produce an interesting composition and your use of pastels to paint the textures of that particular landscape.

We will look at gathering research material through sketching and photos and how to improve your concentration and observation skills.

We wil also work on your ability to create compositions, use colour effectively and be expressive in your paintings with your colour choices and mark making skills.

I will do some mini demos and give you specific tasks to help get you started, then provide technique advice throughout the process.

Mix & Match and Save 10%

My next series of Landscape Workshops is covering a wide range of themes from Misty Atmosperic Views to Rocks Cliffs Stones. I will be running these workshops at Parnella House Devizes and Wildfire Barn Wilsford from March to May. Choose your favourite and book soon or select 6 different workshops, mix and match locations, Devizes and Wilsford and pay in advance to receive 10% off.

Techniques for Beginners

The idea of these workshops is to develop a student's mark making knowledge and skills with pastels and a variety of papers.

During the course I will cover all techniques, basic to advanced and experimental mark making.

Mark making describes the different lines, dots, marks, patterns, and textures used to create an artwork and the resultant effect is dependent upon the particular medium, paper and tool used to apply.

So a brush will provide a certain mark, while fingers will provide a different mark.

Applying pastels softly will give a light result, whereas applying them with pressure will give a strong mark.

Mark making can be loose and gestural or controlled and neat.

As such, mark making is a fundamental building block in art and it is how you begin to express emotion and movement.

Pastel Session

This is a single 3 hour session intended to give you a taste of pastel techniqiues if you are a beginner or new to this medium, or to focus on a particular subject or techniqiue if you are a more experienced artist.

A Pastel Session is a fun idea for a birthday present or ideal to concentrate on for example learning or improving pastel mark making, landscape or still life.

Still Life

Focusing on the accurate drawing of a still life composition and your use of pastels to paint the composition.

In this standalone single workshop, we will zoom into a big, colourful arrangement of objects to take a contemporary look at the passageways, spaces and shapes created.

The Workshop Calendar

March

Date

Time

Workshop

Venue

Friday 1st

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Snow Scenes

Wildfire Barn

Saturday 2nd

10am - 1pm

Colour Theory Course: Pt 3

Parnella House

Friday 8th

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Golden Glow Views

Wildfire Barn

Saturday 9th

10am - 1pm

Colour Theory Course: Pt 4

Parnella House

Friday 15th

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Misty Atmospheric Views

Wildfire Barn

Saturday 16th

10am - 1pm

Colour Theory Course: Pt 5

Parnella House

Friday 22nd

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Pathways

Wildfire Barn

Saturday 23rd

10am - 1pm

Colour Theory Course: Pt 6

Parnella House

April

Date

Time

Workshop

Venue

Saturday 6th

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Golden Glow Views

Parnella House

Friday 12th

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Spring Colour

Wildfire Barn

Saturday 13th

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Pathways

Parnella House

Friday 19th

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Abundant Blossom

Wildfire Barn

Saturday 20th

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Shadows within a Landscape

Parnella House

Friday 26th

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Bluebell Woods

Wildfire Barn

Saturday 27th

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Bluebell Woods

Parnella House

May

Date

Time

Workshop

Venue

Friday 10th

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Rhododendron Wood

Wildfire Barn

Saturday 11th

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Rhododendron Wood

Parnella House

Friday 17th

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Green Summer Landscapes

Wildfire Barn

Saturday 18th

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Abundant Blossom

Parnella House

Friday 24th

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Fields and Flowers

Wildfire Barn

Saturday 25th

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Fields and Flowers

Parnella House

Friday 31st

10am - 1pm

Landscape: Rocks Cliffs Stones

Wildfire Barn