Drawing with Oil Pastels w/Meadows & Skies

CLASS DESCRIPTION:

Whether you want to capture the beauty of your own tree or choose your favorite type of tree, this workshop is all about creating a wonderful Christmas memory through art.
What You’ll Experience:
Explore Oil Pastels: Dive into the world of oil pastels—an ideal medium for artists of all skill levels. Oil pastels are fun, easy to learn, and incredibly versatile, making them perfect for a short, festive workshop.
Learn the Basics: I'll guide you through the essentials—understand different types of oil pastels, and master techniques like heavy and light pressure blending, layering, color mixing, gradient, and stippling.
Refresh Color Theory: Enhance your artwork by refreshing simple color theory approaches that will bring your Christmas tree to life with vibrant colors.
Create Your Own Keepsake: After learning the techniques, you’ll create a drawing of your Christmas tree (or any tree you love), using easy-to-intermediate reference pictures available in the classroom. If you want to draw your own tree, please remember to bring a reference picture.
Collaborative Environment: Participants will sit in small, cozy groups of 2-4, sharing sets of oil pastels for a collaborative and enriching experience.
No previous experience is required—just bring your enthusiasm and holiday spirit! Whether you're new to oil pastels or looking to refine your skills, this workshop offers a warm, supportive environment to create a piece of art that captures the joy of the season.
Come celebrate Christmas with me and leave with a beautiful keepsake that will remind you of this special time all year long. I can’t wait to see what you’ll create!

Ilgi Toprak is a native of Istanbul living in Washington, DC. She is trained as an architect, with intensive art and sketching coursework. She views being creative as more than a pursuit but a way of life. That is why, in 2020, she created a piece of art every day and started the Instagram account Meadows & Skies. She finds joy in translating the everyday beauty of nature using oil pastels. Through her artwork on Meadows & Skies, she focuses on capturing fleeting moments like sunsets and sunrises. One of her sunrise drawings is featured in SHE:DC in 2024.
Ilgi is a design educator with ten years of university-level design teaching experience in Turkey and the Netherlands. She specializes in teaching architectural design studio and basic design courses that involve practical demonstrations of design techniques and concepts, hands-on experience and guidance in studio setting. She holds a Ph.D. in architecture and is currently a researcher in urban studies.

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