Discover how enjoyable and versatile oil pastels can be in this relaxed, hands-on workshop designed especially for beginners. Using a simple landscape as our subject, you will be guided step by step through the process of creating your own finished oil pastel artwork. Along the way, you will explore some of the fundamental techniques used with oil pastels, including layering colours, blending, mark-making, creating texture and using light and dark tones to give your artwork depth.

A landscape is an ideal subject for learning this medium, as it allows plenty of freedom to experiment with colour and technique without needing to create a highly detailed or realistic drawing. We will look at how to simplify a landscape into foreground, middle ground and background, and how colour, tone and texture can help create a sense of distance and atmosphere.

You will have the opportunity to practise techniques before beginning your final piece, and while a demonstration will guide the workshop, you will also be encouraged to make your artwork your own through your choice of colours, marks and individual style.

No previous drawing or oil pastel experience is required. The focus is on building confidence, learning practical techniques and enjoying the creative process.

Course Outline:

• Introduction to oil pastels and how they differ from other drawing and painting mediums
• Practising basic oil pastel techniques and mark-making
• Layering and blending colours
• Exploring colour mixing and creating different tones
• Planning and simplifying a landscape composition
• Creating foreground, middle ground and background
• Using colour and tone to create depth and distance
• Creating skies, land, trees and other landscape textures
• Developing contrast using light and dark tones
• Completing and refining a finished oil pastel landscape
• Encouragement to experiment with colour and develop an individual style

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Understand the basic characteristics of oil pastels
• Use a range of blending, layering and mark-making techniques
• Mix and layer colours effectively
• Simplify a landscape into basic shapes and areas
• Use foreground, middle ground and background to create depth
• Use tone and contrast to strengthen an artwork
• Create different textures using oil pastels
• Complete an individual oil pastel landscape
• Feel more confident experimenting with oil pastels independently

What to bring:

• Mont Marte Oil Pastels – I recommend these as they are excellent value at approximately $20 for wide range of colours and give a great result.
• 2 – 3 sheets of A4 300gsm watercolour paper, pastel paper or brown craft paper
• A firm board slightly larger than A4 to attach the paper to while working
• Masking tape
• Pencil – 2B
• Eraser
• Blending stump is optional

One sheet can be used for practising techniques, colour blending and mark-making before beginning the finished artwork.

Art Supplies Discount:

As a bonus for learning Art with SGSCC, all enrolled students are entitled to a generous 10% discount off the purchase of art supplies when they shop in-store at Eckersley’s Art & Craft, Taren Point!
View Eckersley's Website for product ideas.

About the Tutor:

'Vicki Peck is an artist and experienced art tutor with a passion for helping people develop confidence and discover their own creative style. She has studied art and has been creating and teaching art for many years across a range of mediums, including oils, acrylics, watercolour, drawing and oil pastels.

Vicki teaches adult and children’s art classes, workshops and senior art classes, undertakes commissioned artworks and maintains her own professional art practice. She is also an Art Therapy Practitioner and brings a relaxed, encouraging and supportive approach to her teaching.
Vicki believes there is no single “right” way to create art and encourages students to experiment, enjoy the process and develop their own individual style.

Vicki’s work can be viewed on Instagram @vickipeckart.

Other Information:

• To ensure resources are ready for you at the start of your course, we ask you ideally enrol at least one week before the course commences.
• All courses need a minimum number of students to run ("we try our hardest to get those") . If your course does not have enough students it will be cancelled before the commencement and you will be informed.