Pastel sticks allow you to communicate with your art in a new way when you pick one up in the first place. No brushes, no difficult equipment needed, just pure, vibrant color applied to paper. The beauty of pastels is that they are easy to use. When that chalky color strikes the surface there is something magic. Almost as though the paper were alive and you were leading it with your pen. It is a thrilling experience, particularly to the new ones who are not even sure where to begin with the classical paints. One of the courses that opens the gate to a world where color is the star, and all you have to do is to get comfortable creating bold measures, is a pastel course. Access your materials when you go to link provided.

Pastels are not to be used in one way. Other days you may feel like making cloudy, soft skies and blending the colors using your fingers. On other days, you may want something stiffer, with every stroke decisive and emphatic. In a course in pastel painting you will learn to draw either, and you will learn how to create depth by laying on; or to achieve that velvety smooth look by smudging. You will also have the opportunity to experiment with the various textures to be had–is it the pressure stroke that gives the thick stroke or just sweeping the pastel lightly to give the light stroke? The combinations are unlimited and there is always a possibility to experiment and make the medium your own.

Forgiveness is one of the advantages of pastel painting. You can always mix the colors back into place or erase some part that does not seem right, should you go too far. Being able to hit the undo button every time but rather than technology being used, it is your fingers. This liberty will allow experimenting more easily without fear of being wrong. Each one of your works is an experiment. You will soon find out that mistakes are not failures, only chances to find out where your creativity could take you further. The course will invite you to take on this disorderly, unstructured process. Sometimes it is the least expected ideas that are the best.

Pastels too can do this, of catching light in a quality that other mediums simply cannot manage to do. They appear to shine, as though they glow off the page. The reason is that pastels are transparent but saturated, and they do not sink into the paper. The colors are able to shine, bringing life to the most minute details. A pastel course will teach you how to play with shadows and lights with a few clicks, experimenting with the highlights and subtle transitions. You will know how to bring your art alive, be it still life or a scene full of motion.

One can be easily carried away by the thought that only serious artists paint but pastels can make you remember that the most significant aspect of the process is the process itself. A course on pastel painting is not about perfection. It is all about finding out, playing around, and bringing your ideas to life in color. It is the medium of choice when one wants to paint without being bogged down in technique. It is best to jump in, and get your hands dirty, and watch what the colors lead you to. The best part? You have no complicated equipment to start you off–you have a set of pastels and a desire to explore. So, get your pastels and get to the business of making art all your own!