Have you ever heard a box of pastels calling your name from the other side of the art store? "Time to get colorful!" When those vibrant sticks move over paper, something spectacular happens. They’re more than colors—they’ve got attitude. Even if your last doodle was in the margins of your high school notebook, taking a pastel painting class will uncover this enchantment.
When I first picked up a pastel, I thought, "Easy, right?" https://www.thetingology.com/class
Let’s just say my jeans didn’t survive the dust. First lesson: messy hands make great art.
Sure, courses start with the essentials, but the fun starts immediately. You’ll practice smudging, layering, and making art shine. Have you ever seen someone use their pinky to smooth out a sunset? That's pretty much the secret handshake in class. Think you can’t draw? No pressure. Some pupils can only draw stick people at first, but by the third week, their landscapes are so good they’d make Bob Ross proud.
Blending layers of color feels amazing. Smearing bold colors like you’re frosting a cake is oddly satisfying. Expect to experiment wildly. Cows that are bright blue? Absolutely. You can give your trees purple trunks if Van Gogh could paint a starry night. You’re told to ignore the rulebook, which helps you see beyond “right” and “wrong” in art.
Critiques are kind and constructive; no one wants to see a peer leave feeling bad. I once drew a horse that resembled a huge potato, the whole class shared a laugh with me. The teacher even said it was "abstract equine expressionism." We put it on the wall to remind us that art can be silly, which is part of what makes it entertaining.
You will lose track of time. Life slows down. When you use pastels for a few hours, it could feel like meditation, but you walk away with a creation. Correction: added something with personality to the page.
Your hands will be covered with rainbow paint, your portfolio grows with every session, and your color-craving heart will be satisfied by the end of the course. You’re not required to be a brooding artist to join. Pastels are for anyone craving creative joy. So, how about getting your hands colorful? Get a stick and join in on the fun.