Painting with Pastels

Painting with Pastels

Adult | Registration opens 8/5/2026 8:00 PM EDT

Adult all levels
9/15/2026-11/17/2026
9:30 AM-11:30 PM EDT on Tue
$280.00
Member Discount Available

Painting with Pastels

Adult | Registration opens 8/5/2026 8:00 PM EDT

Pastels offer it all: rich color, direct mark making, control, a forgiving process for correcting, and immediate gratification! The workshop starts with an explanation of what to look for in materials. Then, you’ll get a feel for how pastels work with a simple and colorful reference. Please see online description for details. This class has a required materials list. 

  • This class has a required materials list.

    In this workshop, you’ll learn:
    • The difference between soft, medium and hard pastels, what to look for and when to use them.
    • What to look for in the various surfaces available to pastel artists.
    • Best practices for working with the medium.
    • Ways to approach various underpainting techniques.
    • Tricks of the trade from a professional artist.
    • How to protect your work when you are done.
  • Materials List for Soft Pastels

    • A set of at least 30 Assorted soft pastels, preferably artist grade. Some choices include:
    Unison (good value), Mount Vision, Rembrandt, Sennelier, Great America, or Schmincke.
    • (Optional) hard pastels like NuPastels for fine details. Can also optionally use pencil
    pastels, but they break easily.
    • Tortillons in various sizes
    • Drawing or sketch paper, 11” x 14”
    • HB pencil
    • Masking or painter’s tape
    • Small board to tape your paper on. Can be cardboard, Masonite or other stiff board.
    • Eraser
    • Ruler
    • Bristle brush size 8 or larger
    • Gloves (optional)
    • Mask (optional)
    • Paper towels or rag
    • Palette if using oil or acrylics
    • Sanded pastel paper: Wallis Sanded paper, Uart Premium Sanded paper, or Mi-Teintes
    Touch Sanded Paper. Need one sheet for class. It must say sanded on the cover.
    • Cold-pressed watercolor paper or other textured watercolor paper.
    • Photos printed out to at least 8” x10”. Pick something bright and colorful. No electronic
    references, please! Instructor will bring some photos.
    • Paint of your choice: Oil (will need Gamsol Mineral Spirits), Acrylic, or Watercolor with
    primary and secondary colors and white.
    • Table top easel.
Patricia Meglio

Patty began taking drawing and painting lessons in the late 90s, and starting in 2003, she began studying painting with local artists, including Marc Antony Massaro in Branford, CT, Terry Oakes-Bourret in Durham, CT, and Hagop Keledjian in Putney, Vermont. She paints mostly in oil on canvas or linen or on panels. Patty’s work is modern impressionist style, mostly depicting country landscapes, seascapes, and still life. Her inspiration stems from twentieth century impressionist art, including works by Sargent, Sorolla, de Lazlo, and Boldini, and modern artists including Schmid, Hanson, Guzik, Demers, and Liberace. She draws her inspirations, as they did, from early twentieth-century architecture, the art deco and Greek classical styles of urban buildings, weather worn barns and open pastures of the country farms, and rocky and sandy beaches lined with classic New England cottages. Patty is a past participant in juried competitions for the Clinton Art Society, Madison Art Society, Artwalk for the West Hartford Art League, and the Mavis Fenner Memorial for the Rowayton Arts Center, and is a winner of the Merchant’s Prize at the Madison Art Show in 2007. She has exhibited in numerous venues throughout the state of Connecticut and New Hampshire. Her work is held in private collections throughout the country. She is a member of the Hamden Art League and the Madison Art Society.