People often think pastels are not easy to work with. They are soft. Can be messy. If you are not careful you can ruin your work with one wrong move. The thing is, it is exactly these qualities that make pastels so great to work with. They are very expressive. You have to learn how to use them. Find out more!
Taking a course is very different from watching videos online. When you watch videos you might pick up a tips here and there but it is not the same as learning in a class. A good course will teach you things in a way that makes sense. Each lesson will build on the last one. This way you will really learn how to use pastels of just having a bunch of random techniques.
Pastel courses start with harder pastels. This makes sense because harder pastels are easier to control when you are just starting out. You can practice using amounts of pressure and see how the pastels work on different papers. It is like learning to drive. You do not start on the highway you start in a place where you can get used to how the car handles.
The kind of paper you use is also important. People who are just starting out often do not think about the paper. It really makes a difference. Different papers work better with pastels. Some are more forgiving if you make a mistake. A good course will give you the chance to try out papers and see how they work.
When you start working with color that is when things get really interesting. Pastels do not mix like kinds of paint. You have to build up the color on the paper. It is more about how the colors look together than about mixing them on a palette. A good teacher can help you learn how to see color in a new way. Of just using a dark pastel for a shadow you will start to think about what color the shadow really is and whether it has any warm or cool tones.
Pastel courses start with still life drawings. This means drawing things like fruit or bottles. These subjects may seem boring. They are actually very good for learning. One artist spent a month drawing a single bowl and she learned a lot about how light works. Light does not just sit on a surface it wraps around it. Bounces off other things.
After life you can move on to landscapes. These are fun because you have a lot of room to make mistakes and try things. Trees can be tricky. They are worth the effort. Finally you can try drawing portraits. This is the part because skin tones can be very tricky to get right. When you do get it right it is very rewarding.