8 Week Pastel Class- Pastel Tapestry with Melissa Walton
Thursday, March 5 – April 23, 2026 10am – 12:30pm
Cost: $265
Dive into the vibrant world of soft pastels with this 8-week course, open to all skill levels! If you’re ready to move beyond simply copying a reference photo, this class is for you. Soft pastels are a rich, versatile medium known for their intense pigment and ability to create both dramatic effects and delicate light.
Throughout the eight weeks, you'll receive step-by-step guidance, beginning each class with a short demo. You’ll gain a foundational understanding of pastel materials, and you’ll learn essential techniques. A major focus will be on manipulating color, creating texture, mark making, and teaching you how to interpret reference photos—your own or those provided—with a new, creative perspective.
About the instructor: Melissa Walton is a juried member of the Pastel Society of America and American Impressionist Society. More information can be found at www.pastelsbymelissa.com
Supplies- Melissa Walton Pastels
- Paper size: Working in a size of 9x12 is ideal for learning. It’s large enough to explore techniques but still manageable. I don’t recommend starting smaller than this size.
- Pastel paper: Using sanded pastel paper will yield the best results and marks and allows us to explore underpainting techniques. Ideally, it’s helpful to have a neutral-toned paper as you learn (more on this during class). The brands I recommend are Pastel Premier, UART 400, Sennelier La Carte, and PastelMat. All of these are widely available online.
- Pastels: Bring as many as you can carry! You’ll want a nice range of lights, darks, and neutrals which are missing from many beginner sets. When starting out, I recommend purchasing half-stick sets, as they provide more colors for less cost than full sticks. Sennelier brand is a wonderful value- it is both professional quality and they have beautiful half stick sets. My absolute favorite is the “Paris” set which I have purchased for myself at least 3 times. If you already have some pastels but need certain color ranges, this is a great way to add to your collection! Other brands I recommend getting started are Mt. Vision, Unison, and Richeson Hand Rolled. In addition, Hard Pastels are essential for layering and I recommend a small set of Nupastels.
- Backing support for your paper- I prefer foamcore, but you can also use gatorboard or a drawing board. Easels will be provided.
- Additional: You’ll need either charcoal or graphite to sketch in your painting. Bring a humble paper for studio exercises- nothing fancy! Suggestions are Canon Mi Teintes (NOT white) or Artagain. I recommend pads of tracing paper to store completed pastel paintings, make sure the pad is a little larger than your pastel paper. Feel free to bring reference photos of anything you’d like to paint.