Soft pastels and pastel pencils are a vibrant and responsive medium, which can be used to exciting effect when capturing the various changes of light and mood found in the landscape, or for the subtle and sensitive techniques required in portraiture. This course is designed for both beginners, who are completely new to pastel, and improvers who wish to extend their skills.
Carole's enthusiastic and informative demonstrations will guide you through a range of exercises, showing lots of different painting techniques, on various types of pastel papers and boards. Tuition throughout the weekend will be both on a group and individual basis.
This weekend course will cover both landscape and portrait painting with pastels and/or pastel pencils.
On Friday evening after supper Carole will discuss the materials – types of pastels, pastel papers and boards, blenders etc and give a short practical demonstration, using examples of her work to highlight a range of techniques.
Saturday
The emphasis on Saturday will be on landscape painting. We start with a range of step-by-step exercises which will explore many ways ofapproaching this expressive medium, including colour mixing for landscapes, lightening and darkening colours, mark making and blending techniques. Students will be able to create a still life, or produce a landscape/s working from their own reference, or Carole’s
Sunday
Carole will start by demonstrating facial proportions of an adult and a child, and then show you simple ways to capture a likeness, as well as giving tips on colour mixing for flesh tones. Working from your own reference, or Carole’s, and with her helpful guidance, you will be able to paint a portrait. Alternatively, if you prefer not to do portraits, you can work on a subject of your choice.
There will be a group appraisal at 3.30pm
Carole Massey has been a professional artist for many years and has tutored courses at the FSC for over 10 years in addition to painting holidays in Europe. She has appeared on many regional TV arts programmes and has written six teaching art books as well as articles for various art magazines. “Drawing Masterclass – Portraits” is her latest book, published by Search Press. Carole is a Professional Associate of the SAA demonstrates widely to Art Societies. She works in a variety of media and her own work includes portraiture, still life and landscapes. She lives in Brittany, France.
Please note that the Centre shop does not stock art materials.
- A good range of pastel pencils (minimum18, but the more the better!) E.g. Derwent, Faber Castell, Sennellier etc.
- A good range of soft pastels
- Pastel paper in a range of colours suitable for your subject matter, either in single sheets or a pad with a selection of colours. e.g. buff, pale green, or grey for landscapes; cream, beige, light grey, blue/grey, pink/grey for portrait work, or brown, green, dark grey for animals etc.
- Fine sand textured card (optional) can also be used with pastel pencils. Please bring colours to suit your subject matter
- A torchon, stump or colour shapers for blending.
- A putty rubber or blue tack for erasing/lifting the pastel
- A pastel pencil sharpener or craft knife.
- A sand paper block or sand paper for sharpening
- Photographs or sketchbooks for reference
- Optional – Fixative; latex gloves, an apron
- Paper to cover your finished work
Please also bring handwipes, an old shirt or apron and newspaper or tissue paper to cover your finished work.
The Centre provides drawing boards. We also have small sketching stools and easels for hire at a small charge if required.
If you would like to discuss the course content or materials further, you may contact Carole Massey on the following email or phone 0033 296 30 37 41. You may also like to visit her website at
Afternoon tea is available from 1600 on Friday, but the first formal activity is dinner at 1900 (with the bar open from 1845!).
Residents: Please aim to arrive between 1600 and 1800 on Friday to allow us sufficient time to show you to your accommodation and around the communal areas.
Non-residents: You do not need to arrive quite so early but please can you be here by 1800 as we need to show you the communal areas as well.
The course will end at 1600 on Sunday.
Residential course fee includes:
- Full board accommodation including cooked breakfast, picnic lunch, homemade cakes and an evening meal. Vegetarian and other dietary option available.
- Up to 8 hours teaching time a day, plus relaxing breaks for meals and refreshments.
- Tea and coffee making facilities available throughout the day.
- Use of resources including library, workrooms, studios and the Centre grounds.
- Transport during the courses.
- Insurance to cover cancellation, personal belongings, personal accident, legal liability and medical emergency.
If you choose to be a non-resident on a residential course, the fee will include all the above except accommodation and breakfast.
Bookings can be made by telephoning the Centre; we are open 0930 – 1700 weekdays and most weekends. Alternatively, bookings can be made via our website: