“Pastels: Immediacy and Color”

with Tara Will ~ (DEMO & WORKSHOP with PADLET)

→ Registration for the Workshop is Now Open

Tara Will works in pastel, painting quickly, trying to capture the essence of the subject using bold colors and strong marks. She achieved her Eminent Pastellist Status with the International Association of Pastel Societies in 2022.

An early background in plein air influenced her love of light and shadow, as well as a deep love for a variety of landscapes. She recently acquired a printmaking press that is motivating her toward relief printing. She is expanding into multiple plates of color, but also has a deep love for stark black and white. She attempts to have a visual conversation with the viewer that allows them to participate. She resides in Maryland with her husband and four children.

The Workshop: 1:30 – 4:30

Concept: Pastels are a great intuitive medium that has a wide range of application. This workshop focuses on technical application of pastels on a variety of surfaces with a focus on color and markmaking. Students can also expect to learn about composition and the importance of accurate values. All of this will be done within the focus of landscapes.

Experience: Using pastels, we will explore learning to “see” both abstract shapes and color. Demonstrations, critique, and personal exploration will help students grasp the technical information and application, as well as the “bigger picture” understanding of composition, color, and markmaking. Topics to be covered include: value, color, composition, and markmaking. Please be sure to bring photo references (preferably landscape)

Materials List:

• Photo References: Please bring printed copies (or iPad) with YOUR images only. This is very important. Do not bring photos from magazines or friends please. Just photos you have personally taken. Have 5-10 images ready to use.
• Pastels: Whatever you have,some good brands are: UNISON,SENNELIER, TERRY LUDWIG, GIRAULT, and SCHMINKE. Please have at least one V100 from Terry Ludwig. I recommend the Maggie Price Value Set. More are always better, but you can certainly do with less. Sometimes, it forces us to make color or value choices that are good exercises when we don’t have exactly what we are looking for in the box.
• Wax Pencil (CHINA MARKER)
• Paper: Sennelier La Carte. Bring sheets already separated if you have a pad, or a pochette package, or full sheets cut down. LACARTE CANNOT GET WET. Not even a speck of water. The finish will be removed. This is a very sensitive yet beautiful paper. If you are not working on a mounted board, please make sure
  you bring a hard surface to paint on.

Download the Tara Will Workshop PDF

→ Registration for the Workshop is Now Open

NOTE… that to view the morning DEMO or participate in the afternoon WORKSHOP, you must be a current APS Member. Current members will receive a link to the morning Zoom in their email. [The 2024 Membership Year started on January 1. Have you renewed?] IF YOU WISH TO RENEW OR JOIN, click the “JOIN/ RENEW” tab at the top of the page…or use the following link…http://www.appalachianpastelsociety.org/?page_id=142