Handmade Soft Pastels

In this unique workshop, we will make our own handcrafted soft pastel sticks from a beautiful range of dry colored pigments. Participants will come away from the workshop with an informational handout that includes a simple recipe along with their own unique set of handmade pastels.

Pastels will need to dry for several days after they are created until they are completely hard all the way through before using.

Please note: We will not be harvesting natural pigment in this workshop.

Professional artist Sondra Holtzman’s artwork reflects musings of travel, afar and close to home. She leads painting explorations all over the world, including Europe, South America and the South Pacific.

After attending Rhode Island School of Design, Sondra worked as a freelance designer, creating artwork for clients like Nike and Delta Air Lines. Her work has been published in 1000 Artist Journal Pages and Signatures: The Art Journal Collection by Somerset Studio.

For Sondra, the true joy of being an artist also lies in the sharing of her passion with others, helping them to discover their own artistic voice.

• Wax paper and a large Tupperware container to store and transport pastels (be sure the lid is tight fitting)

• Package of baby wipes

• Mask

Optional:

• Any soft pastels you think you’ll never use or don’t like

• Notebook and pen

• My handmade pastels

• Paper towels

• Fine grit sandpaper that each student gets to test. THOROUGHLY DRY pastels sticks, if applicable

• Extra soft pastels I don’t mind grinding up; enough for each student to make one ‘neutral’ stick

• Roll of wax paper

• A selection of dried pigments

• A container of distilled water

• Eye droppers

• Plastic spoons for mixing pigment and water

• Paper plates for mixing and making the pastels

• Plastic cups for holding distilled water

• Calcium Carbonate/Baby powder mixture and Ivory Soap Flakes for the binder

• Palette knife/spoon for mixing pigment

• Handout

• Baby wipes

• My collection of earth vials

• *If possible, I will bring some ground up earth pigment that I processed into fine dry pigment before the workshop

• Mortar and pestals, tea strainers, glass container for holding the pigment