This beginner-friendly class is thoughtfully split into 5 lessons to help you build both confidence and skills. At the end of this course you will be able to master the essential skills of soft pastels painting, and apply them to your own art journey. You can test your learning by working with me on a projects: I will guide you with a step-by-step tutorial to make your own portrait painting.

You are welcome to submit your final project on the class page, and I will be happy to give you feedback, answer any of your questions and further advice, should you need any.

We will start with the foundations and get to know your materials:

Lesson 1: Different types of Soft Pastels: we will understand the difference between student-grade and artist-grade pastels, and learn how to use them safely. We will explore the variety of pastels available, soft pastels, hard pastels, pastel pencils, etc. and choose what is the best for us.
Lesson 2: The Best Surface: we will discover the best paper and surfaces to use, and why the most expensive does not necessarily enhance your art.
Lesson 3: Other tools that may be helpful: we will learn the best blending tools, to smoothly mix colours and create seamless gradients, and a glance into the world of fixatives.
Lesson 4: Basic techniques: we will learn all basic blending techniques and we will practice blending to add light, shadow, and dimension to your work.
Lesson 5: The Final Project: follow along step-by-step with clear, supportive instruction that takes the guesswork out of the process. Watch your confidence grow as you apply what you've learned and bring your portrait painting to life with soft pastels. Submit the project for feedback, and do not hesitate to ask me any questions along the way.
Why You’ll Love This Class:

✅ It’s beginner-friendly and super approachable
✅ Lessons are short, clear, and easy to follow
✅ You’ll walk away with a solid foundation in pastels
✅ It’s fun, relaxing, and creatively rewarding! Plus you get your own artwork!

Materials You’ll Need:
- A Set of Soft Pastels
- Paper suitable for pastel drawing
- Optional: Blending tools and fixative.
- The Reference photo can be found at this link: www.irishfarmart.com

You can find me on my website www.irishfarmart.com

Kierstin DeWitt

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