Discovering Soft Pastels, with Lyn Evans.

This will be a step by step class with beginners going slowly and learning a lot, while the more experienced practice new techniques with as much support as they need.

During the day, Lyn will guide you through the composition process of creating your picture and will introduce you to the various ways of using pastels. She will help you to recreate a scene or landscape that Lyn will provide.  The day will start with students following me in mark making. It is important to see just what pastel is capable of, the joy it gives in its use and the effects that can be created.

Lyn prefers not to spend a lot of time demonstrating as it eats into students time, but will willingly demo if a student is facing a problem. At that time, everyone who wants to, can watch. We will work on during the day, each student will be working on pastel paper but will have the opportunity to buy and use the special sanded paper which is widely udes for chalk pastel work, if preferred in the afternoon. Each student should have a small painting to take home at the end of the day, something to be proud of.

10am – 4.00pm
£82 Lunch included
Material Charges :please bring your own

Dates for this course - see the table below to book:

 Sunday 4 August 2024 .....      new date * Sunday 24 November 2024 **

Typically this course runs with around 9-10 students. Suitable for all abilities including beginners.

Please bring:  Lyn will bring all reference materials to work from. Students are asked to supply their own SOFT pastels, a pencil and pastel paper. Bring a few £ if you wish to buy some special sanded paper from Lyn in the afternoon.  Also, and only if you already have, an easel or small drawing board.  We have desk easels in the studio for student use, plus a few full easels.  

About the Artist  I have painted throughout most of my life, from my years at Sunderland Art College to the present day,  I’m inspired mostly by the more unusual colours of nature. The early morning or late evening light, particularly during the Autumn months, is a favourite. I paint in oil, pastel and watercolours, each one bringing a different quality to the work.  So often it is the subject that will dictate the medium used.  Pastel is unsurpassed for colour and texture while oils excel in quality and the ability to move or blend.

Watercolour, with its more delicate character, is ideal for the beautiful misty days that we have in plenty in Cumbria.I paint everything and anything but landscape is my first love.So the countryside in which I live and the quality of light enjoy are present in all my work.

My influences are Chien Chung Wei, the Taiwanese watercolourist, Iain Stewart, the Scottish watercolourist  (both of whom I have painted with) and  Casey Klahn the American pastelist.