We’ll start the morning with a few mark making and underpainting exercises to get us warmed up and ready to paint our final piece in the afternoon.
Students will work from their own favorite photographs or follow along with Renee. All levels welcome!
Students will bring their own materials.
Painting Materials
Pencil and eraser
Selection of soft pastels. SCHMINCKE is a good brand. I use a variety of hard (NuPastel) and soft (Terry Ludwig and Unison). There are many brands to choose from and most brands are ok, I can help you use what you have. Rembrandts are a nice beginner pastel brand. They are affordable, have a wide variety of color and are softer than what is available in local craft stores. No oil pastels.
Paper
I highly recommend working on a sanded paper/board. There are a variety of colors usually available with each brand. The color is up to you. Color of surface will be addressed during lessons. Paper brands to explore are:
o Ampersand Board
o Art Spectrum Colourfix
o Art Spectrum Smooth
o La Carte – however, this brand is not suited for wet underpaintings
o PastelMat
o Pastel Premier
o Uart (my personal “go-to” brand)
• Regular drawing / multi-media paper does not have the proper tooth to hold the pastel. Painting on it can become frustrating and will not allow you to layer colors.
Equipment
• Large drawing board (Gatorboard or sturdy foam core will do)
• Easel. Table top is ok, however, I work standing and highly recommend students stand as well (unless, of course, you are not physically able to stand for long periods of time). You must be able to prop your board upright. Working flat causes a variety of messes from clothing to “making mud” on your painting.
Miscellaneous
• Artists Tape or clips. Needed to attach your paper to the drawing board.
• Wet wipes. I prefer Huggies. Please do not use household cleaning wipes such as Clorox wipes. These are harsh on your skin.
• Plastic gloves or a barrier cream such as Gloves in a Bottle
• Notebook / drawing pad for notes
• Stiff bristle paint brush
• ** For Wave classes: workable spray fix, rubbing alcohol, tooth brush and plastic cup
• Some photographs you would like to use from your own stock.
* Please note: Unfortunately, the pastel products I recommend are not readily available in the local craft stores (Michael’s, AC Moore, Hobby Lobby). While these stores have pastel products, the papers do not have proper tooth and the pastels are very hard and will limit what you can achieve. Most everything I use is purchased on-line. The sites I use and compare prices between are:
Amazon
Dick Blick
Cheap Joe’s
Jerry’s Artarama
Fineartstore.com
DakotaPastels.com
Another workshop will be offered on May 25. Come to one or both!
Renee is an award-winning pastel painter residing and exhibiting in New Jersey. She was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. After high school, she immediately joined the work force and began attending night school at the University of Cincinnati, earning an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts while working at Proctor & Gamble in the IT department supporting clinical trials. During those years, she met many wonderful people, one of which is her husband, who grew up in southern New Jersey. In 2002, she relocated to New Jersey to start a family.
From early childhood, she was interested in art and found ways to create during her free time. In 2008, she took an Advanced Painting workshop at Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia. From then on, she knew her focus had to change. Since that first workshop, she has continued to further her art education through workshops and independent study.
Her newest works are primarily pastel paintings of local scenery and people. Through her studies, she realized that painting with pastels has pushed her to explore and create more than she thought she could. Working with pastels can be quick and expressive in a way she was not finding before and has given her painting style a turn toward impressionism.
She finds inspiration while teaching pastel painting classes and workshops as well as the local seasonal landscapes of southern New Jersey; from the ocean and marshes to creeks and woods to farmland.
For more information about Renee’s current body of work, exhibition locations, awards and current class schedules, visit www.ReneeLeopardi.com, @Renee_Leopardi (Instagram), or Renee Leopardi (Facebook).