In normal times, when you first come to my art class I’d take you straight into the kitchen of our village hall (in Holt, near Wimborne in Dorset). It’s small but perfectly formed! We’d have a cup of tea or coffee and perhaps a biscuit or two. Because ahead of your art days I always want to make sure that you feel welcomed and comfortable.
Since we can’t get together face to face, this very warm virtual welcome will have to take the place of the tea and biscuits! One of the aspects of feeling comfortable is knowing that you have what you need to get started, so here are some suggestions. If you have any questions, please let me know. I always like to hear from my students – the human aspect is part of what makes my life as an artist and teacher so rewarding.
While I can teach you the knowledge and skills you’ll need, the biggest commitment you’ll need to make is time. Regular practice will broaden and deepen your skills. For my own part, I imagine will I find more spare time to learn more about websites and technology but everything actually seems to take more time. So I can relate to my new students who, like me, find that a week can fly by. Don’t worry! If you find yourself struggling to keep up a weekly commitment don’t be too hard on yourself and just start the following week afresh.
What do I need to do an online art class?
Paper and specialist sanded Pastel cards
Ideally, I would recommend that you should buy specialist pastel card with a gritted surface. These prepared surfaces make such a difference to a new student’s experience. When I have someone join my art class for a ‘taster’ I give them a sheet as part of their day. Sanded papers give the soft pastel a tooth to hang onto. It means that layers can be built up and also the finished artwork is more stable. If you are working in ‘dry’ pastels, then I love PastelMat or Sennelier La Carte (a warning, this paper does not like liquid) BUT for painting with pastels and liquids, see below.
I recommend sanded surfaces because I know they make a huge difference. However, if you only have watercolour paper or cartridge paper, don’t worry too much. You’ll just find that the layers are a little harder to build up but when starting, it’s just important to get pastelling.
Painting with Soft Pastels: It’s one of my favourite techniques. Read about it here. You can use water to liquify but alcohol evaporates more quickly. Some pastels respond differently to liquid, it’s worth experimenting with yours. Unison Colour or good quality brands have more pigment so they turn to a paint like paste. Not all pastels will do this which can be a disadvantage. You could use inks or water colours to create an underpainting instead.
For best results, use sanded surfaces listed here.
Here are my favourites – I’ve added a link for you Fisher 400, Art Spectrum ColourFix original
Mi Teintes TOUCH ( it’s important to check it is ‘Touch’ not just a paper ) Pastel Mat by Claire Fontaine or Uart 400. These specialist surfaces are designed for using liquid and you need a robust surface for this technique.
Paper colour
Go for a colour that suits your scene. For example, click to see this workshop which is suited to a lighter background and this darker background. Rather than a ‘right’ colour, look for one that suits your image and your personal response to the ‘feel’. If you want to try ‘moody’ go dark, ‘light’ sunny feel then a lighter colour. I look for the paper surface colour in the image I am going to recreate. So it is sympathetic to the artwork. Seascapes have warm blues, greys, creams and tans so investigate these colours.
Applying liquid to the surface
In recent workshops, I use a brush, it’s easier for me to demonstrate something that is easily sourced for my students. When I am working outside, I use a spray, this allows me to create a fine layer of misted liquid which doesn’t saturate the surface. I like the even surface it creates for working into liquid. It’s all personal preference, so try both ways. I mention my favourite brushes further on. I use a fine mist spray, you can find similar bottles for decanting makeup into for holidays. It’s worth mentioning, if you are using spray vodka, use in a well ventilated room. I don’t use much spray so be cautious in applying it, super saturated pastels aren’t needed. Less is more!
If you are sensitive to dust then please use a mask. Spraying too close to the paper can kick up with pastel dust so farther away is better. Getting the balance right is really a case of learn through trying.
I always use a damp cloth to clear dust up and I wipe down my desk before and after using pastels, it’s just common sense really but if you are nervous then you can always use a mask during your creating and some people use silicone gloves to reduce skin contact. You can also use a barrier cream ahead of working with pastels. Unison Jim, works with pastels all day and all week and he doesn’t use gloves. I use good quality materials as I know they are rigorously tested, here’s a safety sheet from Unison Colour.
Pastels
There’s two approaches (for transparency: I am a Unison Colour Associate Artist)
- If you are still a bit cautious...
It’s possible that you have a set of soft pastels. If not then I would recommend Inscribe 64 half stick colours as a basic starter set. Unison Colour also do a fantastic starter set of half colours but if you love seascapes then my own 16 Seascape Unison Colour Set.
I place a lot of importance on investing in good quality art materials, because they really improve your enjoyment as well as your progress as an artist. So no matter which starter set you buy, I would treat yourself to one or two very high quality key colours as a taster. I recommend white or sky blue (Unison BV9 is a great blue) in a high quality brand – ideally Unison Colour as I know these are always reliable. Note that Unison Colour white is often called Light 1 or Grey 28. You will find that these colours are the ones you will use up most quickly. Buy some pastels pencils, the numbers listed below will help, they can be useful for blending.
2. If you are super keen!
That’s great. Investing in your art materials will mean that you will enjoy opening your art box each time you sit down to your new hobby. My favourites are the handmade Unison Colour pastels, which are a joy to use. If you’re just starting out then the starter set is a good foundation of colour. Try and invest in a white, sky blue and maybe some sumptuous darks as individuals, firstly. Whether you’ve got a passion for seascapes or you love a landscape, then you will find there is a set for you, here are my own selections.
Pastel pencils. If you are making a purchase – say from Jacksons Art – then I would suggest adding a few pastel pencils to your cart. You will use them to make finer marks, but they are also a great tool to blend pastels with. When you book a workshop with me, I send you a list so you can see which specific pastel pencils I use. A great set to start with is Faber Castell Pitt Pastels – I suggest at least the 36 set. I also suggest that either you invest in a good quality pencil sharper or a snap blade knife to whittle your pencils to a nice sharp point. Some people like sand paper too, just to finish that point off but I find it wears to a natural sharp point as I use it.
I’ve been asked for my favourites, so in the FC range, I’d recommend, 101 White, 199 Black, 270 Grey, 140 blue, 170 green, 103cream, 157 Dark Blue, 230 Cold grey, 181 dark brown, 186, terracotta, 175 Burnt Umber, 183Brown, 273 warm grey – They are great additions to your toolkit!
Hard Sticks Faber Castell also do PolyChromos Sticks. Conte Pastel so some great hard Pastels which can be used for creating an underpainting or adding detail.
Blending colours together
The beauty of soft pastel is you can blend on the surface. It’s personal preference on blending tools, some like to use their fingers but I prefer to use a pastel pencils. My preferred technique to apply layers of colour that blend on the sanded surface. I usually prepare a painted base layer of colour, as described in my process here, so that there is a layer of colour to place colours on top of. For those people that prefer to use a tool, these tools are very popular. I recommend washing and drying the sponges frequently so that they don’t muddy colours when you are using them.
What should I work on?
A solid surface.
It’s so helpful to have your paper attached to a solid surface, I use the back of an old frame. You might choose something similar or you can buy a board from a hardware store. I’d recommend something about A3 size. When you’re not working on your artwork it safely stores your artwork too. You can just cover it with a layer of greaseproof paper, taking care to tape it securely.
Masking tape.
I don’t tape my paper down on every edge. I just stick the corners to my board. However, some people like to tape every side down because it gives them a frame to work within. It’s your choice, but however you stick your paper to your board it is important to use masking tape or framers tape because it won’t damage the surface of your paper when you take the tape off.
Brushes
If you develop your soft pastel paintings by using liquid you want to invest in a good quality brush. I like a light hog haired brush, my favourites – click here for a link – are called ‘flat thins’. If you can get two, then one small and one large, if only one, just choose a middle sized one. They are lovely objects in their own right!
Tea towels.
When I’m working in the studio I like to have a roll of kitchen roll nearby. I also have a lightly dampened tea towel. Some pastel or cards don’t like water, so it’s a good idea to keep your hands dry but I have found it very useful to have something to clean my hands with.
Storage
The longevity of soft pastel relies on storage. I recommend taping your work to a board or similar and then covering it with greaseproof paper or glacine paper. Tape both down firmly and make sure that you don’t rest anything against the surface. It will then be safe to transport or store.
Should I spray my work ( to fix the pastels )?
You’ll find that this is a hotly debated topic. Many people don’t fix their pastel paintings at all, while others swear by cheap hairspray, and certainly we used gallons of it when I was at art school. However this is not guaranteed against yellowing over time. If you wish, you can buy specialist art sprays or fixatives. in fact, Unison Colour have created their own for use with their pastels. However, it’s worth noting that even with the best fixative the surface of a pastel will never truly be fixed. If you are going to spray then it’s worth studying the spray brand’s advice. Try a sample of your pastel and then spray it. See what happens to the colour, rather than risking your artwork to start out. You will find that simple things like distance from the paper and making sure the nozzle is clean are be so important. Read the advice from the brand on the can for best practice.
Some artists like to spray their work between layers so that they have fixed a surface ahead of working on it again. This also has a tendency to darken colours which can be of benefit in some circumstances. It’s worth noting that it’s very much personal choice but if you’re starting out then carefully storing them is probably more essential.
Displaying work –
Soft pastels that are framed well will last for decades. My advice would be to visit your local framer for tips on how best to frame your favourite paintings.
You can mount and cover work in a cello bag but in my experience, static means that the dust travels and smudges the artwork and mount.
If you are wanting to frame in a more cost effective way, you can buy pre cut frames and mounts, that you can slip your soft pastel painting into. I’m in the UK so I like The Range or Ikea for pre made frames. Make sure you clean both sides of the glass with a good quality glass cleaner. Tape your artwork to the back face of the mount from the top edge with good quality framing tape, so that there is room for the paper to respond to subtle changes in humidity without cockling.
I love the idea of you framing tutorial artwork and enjoying it on your walls. The tutorial artworks also make great gifts. However, they are not for display in commercial galleries as they are copies of both my artwork and concepts and covered by my copyright.
Usually artwork created as part of a step by step tutorial is for learning rather than display. However with online social media it is natural to want to share your new found hobby. When displaying work that you create as part of a tutorial with an artist tutor, it should clearly reference both the artist and workshop it was created in. It’s is good practice. Your fellow artists will respect you for acknowledging the work that goes into creating a successful workshop, both in selecting a suitable image alongside the sharing of techniques. The artwork from tutorials is usually excluded from galleries and exhibition as it is work under guidance rather than original artwork. Tutors make allowances for new students to share their work in local art shows.
It is best to contact your tutor ahead of displaying artworks created as part of a tutorial. Art tutors understand the excitement in celebrating your new found confidence but its always good to check. I like this explanation of copyright
I have likened it to Karaoke – you might learn to play a Beatles song well and blast it out with flare and passion but ultimately, until you create your own songs, it is still a copy of another artists work. These tutorials are an important part of a learning process but they are just the first steps in you finding your own artistic voice. The success is to take the tips and techniques and apply them to views of your own finding.
Copyright. Images taken from the web, should reference the photographer or artist. Legally, the copyright belongs to the photographer or artist automatically. It is good practice to contact a photographer or artist for permission ahead working from a photo or artwork. It is not good practice to copy other artists artwork and display it as your own. However, the practice of copying other artists work has been the best way of learning for many centuries. For me, those artist studies I completed as part of my training are still treasured sources of reference and stored safely in my sketchbook.
Using soft pastel safely
I’ve been using soft pastel for many years. I’m often asked if pastel dust is dangerous. My thoughts are that if you use soft pastels in a safe way that it can be no more dangerous than walking by a busy road with particulates from car fumes. Here’s the safety information from Unison Colour.
Here are some sensible suggestions.
- Don’t eat or drink near your art work. I often find that inadvertently my cup of tea can find itself underneath my easel and so pastel dust covers the top layer. Don’t drink pastel dust!
- It sounds obvious but wash your hands regularly.
- If you are sensitive to dust then please use a mask.
- Ideally invest in a tabletop easel. They can save you getting neckache. If you don’t want to make an investment in the easel then just prop up your board so that you’re not working completely flat.
- It’s very tempting to blow pastel dust off your artwork, but you can just tap the paper so that the dust falls away and then you can clear it up with a damp cloth afterwards.
- If I’m working flat then I use the edge of a piece of card to drag which I drag over the top of the artwork very lightly. That removes the bulk of the dust but doesn’t affect your artwork. I use an old photo or a business card. Try it – you’ll see it works!
- I am fastidious about clearing up with a damp cloth. If you use a dry cloth then you’re just moving dust from one surface into the atmosphere. A damp cloth catches those tiny particles. And if you’re nervous about your carpet then use an old sheet, place it under your chair.
As a beginner it’s very unlikely that you’ll be passionately flinging pastels around in a way that will generate a great deal of excess dust. Hopefully like me you’ll build up layers slowly and carefully with your colours, which will mean that there isn’t a great deal of dust created.
I’m nervous about doing it wrong.
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt it’s that if you ask 10 different artists you’ll get 10 different answers on how they use soft pastel. If you look for artist whose work you admire and then follow what materials they use, you’ll find that there are many many ways of creating pastels – there’s no wrong way, just your way! The best advice is, get stuck in! You’ll love it!
Happy pastelling!