Learning to paint with pastels at The Tingology is like entering a color carnival—bright hues, soft textures, and the freedom to express yourself with every stroke. In a decent course, though, you won’t be given a box of pastels and advised to “go for it.” Rather, you will start with basic methods that develop actual abilities. You will probably get somewhat proficient in five main techniques over the training.
1. Confiding in Layering Colors
A trademark of pastel painting is layering. Starting with light, broad strokes and then adding more powerful bursts little by bit, you will learn how to build color gradually. You will learn which colors go well together and how to keep your work vivid rather than murky. Having portions of the paper show through can give your paintings life and dimension.
2. Blending to provide seamless transitions
Pastels really want to be smudged. You will create smooth sky, lifelike skin tones, and warm, gentle still life using fingers, blending tools, or even a scrap of tissue. Often the most fulfilling aspect of the lesson is your half-hour peaceful mixing.
3. Adding texture with different strokes
You’ll pick up several strokes to replicate fur, leaves, fabric, and more. Each stroke gives your work texture and vitality; wide side strokes for large regions, sharp tips for tiny details, and fun scribbles for character. Those pastel sticks then become a flexible textural toolset right away.
4. Incorporating realism into Highlights and Shadows
Not necessary to worry about light or dark tones. You will learn pushing contrasts to provide your works dimension and form. Perhaps a clean white highlight or a deep purple shadow will accentuate your work. Seeing your subjects acquire dimension is a quite amazing experience.
5. Correcting and polishing details
Though you will learn how to use fixatives to guard your artwork and prevent smudges, pastel dust is unavoidable. Your final work will get polish from practicing perfect details and rescuing pieces from inadvertent abstractions.
Every method seems like a thread in a tapestry. You will combine them by the conclusion of the course into professional-looking, highly personal paintings. Your hands dyed with pastels will also serve as proud markers of your creative path.