Pastel making - Practical workshop at Cass Art

An often lost part of routine studio practise, the production of an artist's own art supplies gives greater autonomy over the quality of surfaces and materials they use, whilst also offering much greater economy.

Making your own paint gives you full control and liberty over the quality and characteristics of your painting materials, allowing you to create the artwork perfectly suited to your needs.

In this class you will learn all you need to know to make your own waterbased pastels, from the characteristics of different binders, additive and pigments, to mixing them and shaping them into the final product

The class will cover:

- What tools you will use and how do they work

- How to choose the pigments and the additive ingredients

- How to make different binders

- How to measure, grind and mix the materials together and shape them into pastels

- How to identify and remedy flaws

All the materials are provided:

The pigments provided are white, black, brown, red, yellow and blue.

You can bring your own pigments if you wish to work on different colours

The finished pastels will be yours to keep.

This workshop is accessible to any level of experience and knowledge of the topic.

The workshop will include explanations and demonstrations from the teacher, which you’ll then put into practice.

Any question is encouraged and any knowledge and tips you want to share are welcomed.

It is recommended to bring:

- Comfortable clothes you don't mind getting dirty

- Pen and notepad to write the recipes and instructions for future reference (a pdf covering the topic will be sent via email after the workshop)